Sale 119 Realises $3.7 Million

Sale 119 Realises $3.7 Million

This sale was a great success, particularly for world gold coins, Indian coins, British gold coins, and world banknotes. The total $3.7 million was taken up by 550 buyers from the 5,000 who registered for this sale. The total clearance of lots was 85 per cent, and by value of lots sold against their estimate, it was at 116 percent. The twelfth session, entirely Indian coins, had a percentage of 170 percent against estimate. The highest price for this sale went to the cracked die, or first type, Adelaide pound (lot 1124, estimated at $50,000) at $71,550 (a hammer price of $60,000 plus buyer’s premium – 17.5 percent, plus GST on the premium).

A full obverse brockage of a George V penny (lot 89, estimated at $5,000) brought the highest price in mis-strikes at $7,155. The odd fifty cents, 1994, with a brockage five cents die clash (lot 120, estimated at $1,000) realised $2,981. A VIP mint wallet set, 1966 (lot 134, estimated at $350) realised $1,093. The first PNC, 1969 (lot 216, estimated at $150) realised $894.

A Royal Ladies gold proof set (lot 347, estimated at $4,200), realised $6,201, and the 2010 Heritage proof set (lot 348, estimated at $2,000), realised $5,009. Two Perth Mint proof gold two ounce kangaroo nugget coins (lots 546 and 547, estimated at $2,800 each) went to the same buyer at $4,412 each.

The first type one Sydney Mint sovereign (lot 1127, estimated at $7,500) realised $10,136. A St. George reverse sovereign, 1883 Sydney (lot 1178, estimated at $400) realised $1,550. The top florin, a choice uncirculated, 1932 (lot 1291, estimated at $12,500) realised $11,925, and an uncirculated 1915H shilling (lot 1307, estimated at $6,000) realised $8,348.

A layout of the Magic Pudding (lot 1575, estimated at $4,000) realised $10,136 after strong bidding in the room.

In British gold top price went to the 1863 sovereign with die number 827 (lot 1815, estimated at $5,000) at $18,484, after a long bidding duel. The gold noble (lot 1757, estimated at $3,000) realised $6,082. A 1701 guinea (lot 1762, estimated at $6,000) realised $8,348, while a George III spade guinea, 1788 (lot 1776, estimated at $1,500) realised a record $3,816.

In British historical medals from the Matthew Rich Collection, a Return of Charles I to London in silver by Nicholas Briot (lot 1854, estimated at $350) realised $2,981, even though a good quality cast rather than a struck piece. A Royalist badge, ex J. G. Murdoch Collection in 1904 (lot 1861, estimated at $700) realised $3,578, as did a pattern for a halfcrown by Rawlins (lot 1863, estimated at $500). Top price in the Matthew Rich Anglo-Saxon Collection went to the Harold II Pax penny (lot 1964, estimated at $5,000) at $11,329. The unpublished mule groat (lot 2026, estimated at $500) realised $1,848.

In world coins the proof five francs, 1866, of Belgium (lot 2206, estimated at $8,000) realised $8,944, and top price went to the USSR rouble, 1958 (lot 2557, estimated at $7,000) at $13,118. A China, Chihli province dollar, Year 33, ex Dr V. J. A. Flynn Collection (lot 2252, estimated at $200) realised more than ten times its estimate at $2,743. South Africa, ZAR, silver coins from W. J. Lawson (lots 2596, 2598-2600, total estimate of $1,550) realised a total of $12,462. A single lot vendor Transylvania thaler, 1621 (lot 2658, estimated at $400) brought a smile, realising $2,385. A Thailand Rama V silver medal, ex Dr V. J. A. Flynn Collection (lot 2807, estimated at $150), realised $2,981.

In world gold, the Austrian coins from the William Rado Collection did well, with a phone bidder from Vienna battling room and live online bidders. A Salzburg ducat (lot 2957, estimated at $750) realised $2,266; a one hundred corona, 1908, in choice condition (lot 2964, estimated at $2,000) realised $9,540, and a 1914 one hundred corona (lot 2967, estimated at $2,000) did nearly as well, realising $8,348. The two German East Africa fifteen rupien, 1916 (lots 3006 and 3007, and estimated at $2,000 each), realised $5,963 and $5,605 respectively. The phone bidder prevailed when the Hungary gold gulden, 1896 (lot 3044, estimated at $1,500), realised $10,136, after a long bidding duel from a starting bid of $1,200. The USA 1864S twenty dollars (MS62) (lot 3145, estimated at $8,000), realised $20,273 to a phone bidder from New York after a swift bidding duel with a live online bidder.

The Indian gold got off to a dramatic start with the third lot, a Gupta tiger slayer gold dinar (lot 3161, estimated at $5,000) opening up at $25,000, and finally going to a phone bidder at $31,005. A square gold tanka, of the Sultans of Delhi (lot 3192, estimated at $800) realised $2,743, as did a rupee (lot 3221, estimated at $1,000). An Akbar gold mohur (lot 3228, estimated at $800) realised $3,101. The Shah Jahan I gold mohurs mostly realised three to four times estimate, with top price going to (lot 3258, estimated at $650) at $3,101. The audience was stunned when a silver rupee in his own name (lot 3268, estimated at $300) opened at $11,000 and realised $14,310. The Azim-ush-Shan silver rupee struck at Dhaka (lot 3374, estimated at $10,000) finally realised $33,390. The Flynn Collection of Indian Coins in this session realised almost $350,000 for approximately 270 lots.

In the military medal session a British single medal to the Shanghai Municipal Police (lot 3535, estimated at $400) realised $2,445, and a Military Cross and two Bars group of eight (lot 3538, estimated at $11,500) realised $13,118. In Australian awards, a China War Medal to HMS Protector (lot 3561, estimated at $7,000) realised $9,540, and a trio to a nurse in World War I (lot 3590, estimated at $800) realised $2,147. Highlights of the session were two life saving groups: a George Medal, Royal Humane Society of Australasia in silver pair (illustrated on this sale’s catalogue’s back cover) to a Tasmanian Police officer (lot 3609, estimated at $15,000) which realised $17,888; and the next lot, a Bravery Medal and Royal Humane Society Stanhope Gold Medal pair , awarded to a seventeen-year-old (lot 3610, estimated at $15,000), realising the highest price at $25,043 after two or three room bidders competed for it. The Order of Australia (AC) neck badge to Peter Abeles (lot 3558, estimated at $2,000) realised $6,440.

In world banknotes, a China, Ming Dynasty Mulberry note (lot 3863, estimated at $1,000) realised the highest at $8,348. The late John Melick Collection of Lebanese notes sold very well, with the 18 lots (lots 3967 to 3983) realising approximately $30,000 on estimates totalling $5,000. The best result of these went to (lot 3973, estimated at $200) which realised $4,651. Straits Settlements five and ten dollars, 1930 and 1929 (lots 4040 and 4041, estimated at $3,000 each) realised $4,770 apiece.

In Australian private banknotes, a Toowoomba Bank of Queensland one pound, 1864 (lot 4158, estimated at $15,000) did best, realising $16,695. Highest price in the Commonwealth series went to the specimen Kell/Collins (1925) ten pounds (lot 4365, estimated at $20,000), at $23,254. Highest priced lot went to the TAA robbery specimen set (lot 4381, estimated at $35,000), at $29,813. In error notes, a polymer twenty dollars missing simultan printing phase (lot 4424, estimated at $1,200) did best, realising $2,624. In uncuts, a Fraser/Cole sheet of 32 one hundred dollars (lot 4136, estimated at $4,500) did best, realising a new record of $11,687.

The fourth day saw the offering of ancient coins, starting with gold, where a Philip II stater (lot 4523, estimated at $4,500) realised $6,797, and a Nero Claudius Drusus aureus (lot 4527, estimated at $12,500) realised $10,733.

Our next sale takes place in April 2019, from the 2^nd to the 5^th. Already included are further selections of Ancient Roman and Indian coins from the Flynn estate, the Collection of British, European and World Coins formed by the late Professor Donald Simpson of Adelaide, a collection of Celtic coins of Europe, and the sixth part of a collection of world coins by Yeoman types, this time featuring Oceania. Consignments will be accepted until the 4^th of February 2019.

Jim Noble
December 2018