Sale 137 Realises over $3.2 Million

This, the third and last sale for 2024, was a success with some exceptionally strong results. The featured front cover lot, the Victoria Cross for Australia group of twelve, was bid to $980,000 but remains unsold after being referred. The highest priced result went to the group of nine Indian George VI banknotes overprinted for the Military Administration of Burma in 1945 (lot 1649; est. $700) that realised a most spectacular $150,000 hammer ($183,000 with buyers premium and GST), two hundred and sixty times estimate!

The sale began at 9:30am on Tuesday 26th November with miscellaneous Australian coins. Top price in mis-strikes went to a 194(3)S florin on a nickel blank (lot 401; est. $1750) at $3,172, and a brockage ten cents c.1966 (lot 409; est. $1,500) at $2,196. A lot of two cent rolls (50) (lot 421; est. $250) realised $1,342. Highest prices in the decimals went to the five coin gold proof set, 2007 (lot 516; est. $10,000) at $15,250 and a floral emblem set of 9 (lot 550; est. $13,000) at $20,130.

Highest priced token went to the William Allen, Jamberoo penny, 1855 (lot 845; est. $6,000) at $7,320 whilst the next highest went to the uncirculated Hogarth, Erichsen and Co. Sydney silver threepence, 1858 (lot 878; est. $1500) at $2,440. 

A German New Guinea silver five mark 1894A (lot 892; est. $1,500) realised $2,684, while the Territory of New Guinea date set, including the rare 1929 issues, ex Stephen Turner Collection (lot 893; est. $1,500)realised $2,196 to the same bidder. 

In the 7:30pm evening session the Adelaide pound, 1852 (lot 958; est. $15,000) realised $21,960, while top price went to the 1930 penny (lot 1090, est. $18,000) at $25,620. The highest graded Commonwealth coinswere generally unwanted at the suggested reserves, however collector grade issues in the eighth session on Wednesday at 11:30am were virtually all sold at better than estimate.

The afternoon sessions 9 and 10 were entirely devoted to the Mark E. Freehill Collection of world banknotes (part 2), and this collection again drew strong interest and support from overseas bidders, making itthe highlight of the auction with multiple world record prices established. A British New Guinea one pound (c.1890’s) (lot 1371; est. $1,000) realised $4,148. Early Fiji notes generally realised around estimate,a Treasury note set in top grade (lot 1402; est. $5,000) realised $6,100 and the highest price went to the issued Fiji Banking and Commercial Company Limited one pound (lot 1404; est. $1,500) at $8,540. The LomaLoma, Windward Islands one dollar (March 6th) 18(72) (lot 1416; est. $1,500) realised $3,172. A government issue one pound 1st March 1917 (lot 1436; est. $2,000) realised $6,100. Among several George V portraitnotes a five pounds 13th September 1934 (lot 1448; est. $3,000) realised $10,370 and a ten pounds 1st March 1935 (lot 1450; est. $5,000) realised $15,860. In George VI portrait issues a five pounds 1st January1941 (lot 1483; est. $1,500) realised $6,100, a ten pounds 1st August 1949 (lot 1489; est. $1,500) realised $8,540. The very rare World War II emergency overprint on New Zealand five pounds (1942) (lot 1495;est. $3,000) realised $14,030. The World War II emergency currency tokens were chased very hard, many realising five to ten times estimate, e.g. USAFIF (lot 1509; est. $300) realised $3,904, and Hotel Metropole(lot 1512; est. $200) realised $3,172. Top price in the comprehensive Fiji collection went to the Elizabeth II portrait twenty pounds, 1st January 1953 (lot 1540, est. $7,500) at $25,620.

The tenth session commenced at 4:30pm with Fanning Island issues, a one pound No 1548 (lot 1562; est. $1,000) realised $3,660, while eleven bisected pairs (lot 1564; est. $1,200) realised $7,930. The FrenchOceania series generally realised around estimate (lots 1566-1666) though a 1940 provisional overprint (lot 1603; est. $1,000) surprised when it realised $12,810. The Falkland Islands collection followed andgenerally realised estimate though a ragged one pound 14th August 1918 (lot 1607; est. $1,000) realised $2,562. A Sarawak one dollar 1st January 1940 (lot 1637; est. $800) realised $4,880.

The British Administration of Burma series of Indian notes (lots 1641-1650) were highly regarded and strongly competed for. A George V one hundred rupees 1937 (lot 1644; est. $6,000) realised $29,280, as did a George VI one thousand rupees 1938-9 (lot 1647; est. $2,000). As reported above the highest price went to lot 1649, est. $700, bringing a world record $183,000. A lot with a 100 rupees note (lot 1650; est. $250) realised $3,172.

The comprehensive collection of Ceylon followed (lots 1656 to 1741). The General Treasury issue 1827-56 (lot 1656, est. $1,000) realised $6,170, the Government issue one rix dollar 1816 (lot 1657; est. $4,000)realised $12,810. An issued Asiatic Banking Corporation, one pound, Kandy 1st November 1865 (the Pick Plate note) (lot 1660; est. $4,000) realised $8,540; a set of four Oriental Bank Corporation specimen notes1881 (lot 1662, est. $6,000) realised $32,940, whilst similar sets for Galle (lot 1663; est. $6,000) and Kandy (lot 1666; est. $6,000) realised $31,720 each. A Government issue ten rupees, Colombo, 1st September1894 (lot 1682; est. $1,000) realised $14,030 as did the next lot of three (lot 1683; est. $1,500) to the same bidder. A 100 rupees 8th December 1919 (lot 1688; est. $1,500) realised $12,200, another hundred 1stJune 1926 (lot 1700; est. $2,000) realised $10,980. A George VI, 1951 issue pair of one and ten rupees (lot 1717; est. $600) realised $3,904, as well as the next lot of five issues of Elizabeth II 1952-54 (lot1718; est. $1,000). The four lots of POW notes of the Boer War period for Diyatalawa and Ragama (lots 1734-37) were strongly contested for and went to the same online bidder for a total of $35,868 (est. total $6750). Overall, the Ceylon collection realised approximately $360,000 while the Burma collection realised $250,000. 

The 11th or evening session on Wednesday was devoted to British gold, silver and bronze. The highlight was a Charles I, Oxford mint silver one pound 1642 (lot 1776, est. $15,000) realised $26,840, and the Gothiccrown 1853 (lot 1821; est. $20,000) realised $24,400. The next morning in World gold coins, a China, Republic, Yunnan, five yuan (1919) (lot 1952; est. $3,000) realised $9,150. In silver a China, Soviet silverdollar (1932) (lot 2066; est. $1,000) realised $7,930. A Southern Rhodesia collection (lot 2181; est. $1,250) and ex Stephen Turner Collection realised $4,392. From the same collection top price for the serieswent to the Straits Settlements and South East Asia lot of 87 coins (lot 2187; est. $4,000) at $9,150. 

The 14th session was devoted to the orders, medals, and decorations and commenced at 2:30pm with three television stations in attendance. Several lots were unsold but there were some good results. A NavalGeneral Service Medal with the scarce clasp Blanche 19th July 1806 to an Assistant Surgeon, who later migrated to Australia and opened a medical practice in Melbourne, sold for $12,810 (lot 2289; est. $7,000). AVictory Medal 1914-19 to a Senior Petty Officer who died when the Australian submarine AE1 vanished in New Guinea waters, during World War I, sold for $2,440 (lot 2387; est. $900). Unfortunately, the VictoriaCross from Australia group did not sell after being bid to $980,000, but an All Tivoli Theatres VC Recipient’s Life Pass in gold sold for $24,400 (lot 2475; est. $15,000)

The 15th session commenced on Thursday, at 4:30pm with World Banknotes. Here the highlight was a British specimen one pound (lot 2502; est. $500) that realised $8,540. At 7:30pm Australian Private Bank issues saw some reasonable results, top price went to the Van Diemen’s Land currency note for one shilling, B. Walford, 1822 (lot 2697; est. $5,000) realised $6,100, a Thos Stace sixpence 1826 (lot 2702; est. $1,000) realised $2,196. The pre-decimal Commonwealth notes sold at around estimate, an error five dollars from sale 14 (lot 2819; est. $2,000) realised $3,172. In documents in the seventeenth session on Friday 29th November, a New South Wales Land Grant issued by Governor Macquarie with his signature in 1819 (lot 2948; est. $250) realised $3,416.

The final session commenced with ancient gold coins and was the best attended session, with about fifteen collectors in the room. A Lesbos hecte ex D.G.L Worland collection (lot 2971; est. $1,000) doubledestimate reaching $2,440, while top price went to the Lydia electrum trite (lot 2975; est. $4,000) at $5,368. A Lysimachos silver tetradrachm of Magnesia on the Meander Mint, ex D.G.L. Worland collection (lot2995; est. $1,800) realised $3,172. A Boeotia Thebes stater (lot 3013; est. $2,500) realised $5,368. In Roman coins a denarius of Mark Antony and Octavian (lot 3053; est. $800) realised $1,098 and a Tiberius‘Tribute penny’ (lot 3057; est. $600) realised $793. In antiquities top price went to a Mesopotamian bead necklace 2000-1000 BCE (lot 3123; est. $200) at $1,464. Stamps concluded the auction at around 1pm on theFriday. 

Our next sale is scheduled for 17-21 March 2025 with consignments closing on the 17th January.

Jim Noble

December 2024