Sale 138 Realises over $4.5 Million

This sale was successful with over 90 percent of lots sold realising fifty percent over estimate overall. Highest price in the sale went to the silver tael of Hu Peh province in China (lot 1152; est $6,000) which realised a spectacular world record $195,200 ($160,000 hammer plus the buyer’s premium including GST as all following price realisations). This coin was acquired by the late Frank Wheener through myself at the November 1978 auction we conducted in conjunction with A.H. Baldwin & Sons (lot 201 where it realised $220!). Next highest price went to the Nicholas I Dr. David Williams presentation jewel brooch of 1847 (lot 326; est $75,000) which realised $75,640 and was illustrated on the front cover.

The auction commenced with miscellaneous Australian coins, mis-strikes, mint rolls and decimal coins including proofs. The best of the mis-strikes went to the Perth Mint multiple strike 1948 halfpenny still with a piece of the broken die stuck in it (lot 76, est $1,000) which realised $1,952.

In the fourth session two early Tasmanian handcrafted medals did well against estimate (lot 457; est $2,000) realised $3,660 and (lot 458; est $6,000) realised $10,980. A Victorian Humane Society medal 1875 (lot 461; est $300) realised $1,586. Top price in the Australian Commonwealth went to two 1930 pennies (lots 577, 578; each est $18,000) that realised $19,520 each.

The fifth or 7.30pm session commenced with Proclamation Coins with two Netherlands issues selling well over estimate, 1794 three gulden (lot 615; est $200) realised $854 and a Netherlands East Indies ten stiver 1786 (lot 616; est $150) ex Ken O'Brien Collection realised $1,586. The NSW Holey Dollar was bid to $170,000 and referred for after sale negotiation. The two Adelaide pounds sold just under estimate to the same buyer, (lot 621; est $16,000) realised $15,250 and (lot 622; est $14,000) realised $15,860. Top price in Sydney Mint issues went to the 1855 half sovereign (lot 654; est $15,000) at $16,470. Imperial half sovereigns also did well, 1871 Sydney (lot 692; est $5,000) realised $10,980 as did the second lot, an 1875 Sydney (lot 693; est $8,000). The cloned dies Sydney Mint two pounds sold well above estimate, the gold strike of 1887 (lot 711; est $2,500) realised $6,710 while the silver strike 1902 (lot 712; est $500) realised $5,368.

The next morning saw the sale of miscellaneous items including the Ken O’Brien Collection of Asian ceramics and bronzes, a highlight was a Sung Dynasty celadon low bowl and a wide dish (lot 740; est $150) that after a protracted bidding war was won by a room bidder against an online bidder for $6,710. The same buyer secured a Yuan/Sung Dynasty stoneware bowl (lot 742; est $200) for $4,392 and the same buyer secured (lot 758; est $1,000) for the same price. It was purchased from the Philippines National Museum.

Session 7 featured Orders, Decorations and Medals as well as Militaria. Several lots were unsold but there were some good results. A Distinguished Service Order group of five for WWI to a Major in the Royal Field Artillery sold for $2,440 (lot 923; est. $2,500). A British Empire Medal group of five for WWI and WWII for service in the RAN and RAAF sold for $683 (lot 941; est. $700). A Distinguished Flying Cross group of seven to a skilled pilot in WWII sold for $8,540 (lot 946; est. $7,000) and a Vietnam pair to a National Serviceman sold for $659 (est. $400).

World silver and bronze coins occupied the eighth session at 2.30 pm on Wednesday. A China paddle sack sycee and an oval one (lot 1147; est $300) realised ten times estimate at $3,416. A specimen pure nickel set (lot 1148; est $1,000) raced away to realise $45,140. A "birds over junk" dollar (lot 1157; est $5,000) and from the 1978 auction for Frank Wheener for $150 (lot 98) realised $26,840. A fantasy silver dollar of Emperor Kuang Hsu (lot 1159; est $500) also from the Frank Wheener Collection raced away to realise $9,150.

A China, Japanese Puppet State, Manchukuo pattern set in bronze (lot 1162; est $500) was bid for strongly in pre bidding online and finally was knocked down to realise $58,560. The best result in China bronze charms went to (lot 1181; est $300) at $2,196 comprising 16 pieces from the Ken O'Brien Collection. A France silver five francs (1795) (lot 1212; est $800) ex Frank Wheener Collection realised a record $6,710 and the same buyer secured the Napoleon "hundred days" five francs 1815 (lot 1214; est $1,500) for $4,392. The two Hong Kong rarities of 1941 (lots 1226, 1227; est $5,000 and $1,500) were secured by the same buyer for $20,130 and $12,810 respectively and both were from the Stephen Turner Collection. The album lots from the same collection realised strong prices over estimate, one mil, one cent, five cents (lot 1220; est $700) realised $12,200; ten cents (lot 1228; est $2,000) realised $10,980; twenty cents and fifty cents (lot 1229; est $5,000) realised $20,740; one dollars up to ten dollars (lot 1231; est $1,250) realised $10,980. The three lots of South Africa from the Stephen Turner Collection (lots 1274, 1275, 1276; total est $6,000) realised a total of $13,176. In the USA lots a chopped trade dollar (lot 1290; est $200) realised $915 as did an iridescent toned Morgan dollar 1886 (lot 1298; est $100).

World gold coins were offered in the 4.30 pm session 9, and here a China, fantasy cash coin (lot 1379; est $1000) realised $10,370. A gold two escudos of Colombia ex the 1715 Treasure Fleet Wreck (lot 1382; est $1,500) realised $7,320. A Hungarian, Maria Theresa ducat 1752 (lot 1424; est $1,000) realised $3,904. Highest price went to the India EIC mohur 1841 (lot 1431; est $7,500) at $19,520. A Mexico, Maximillian twenty pesos 1866 (lot 1452; est $5,000) and ex Frank Wheener Collection realised $13,420.

The 7.30 pm evening session saw the sale of all British items, commencing with gold. The Charles II 1664, elephant below, two guineas (lot 1600; est $15,000) realised $39,040 to a bidder on the phone. The same buyer secured the Queen Anne two guineas 1709 (lot 1601; est $15,000) at $29,280 and both from the Frank Wheener Collection. The 1738 two guineas (lot 1602; est $6,000) realised $9,394. The 1823 two pounds (lot 1618; est $5000) realised $9,760. The George V, 1911 proof two pounds (lot 1651; est $5,000) realised $10,370. The George VI proof two pounds 1937 (lot 1658; est $5,000) realised $8,418 and the proof sovereign 1937 (lot 1659; est $6,000) realised $9,760. In silver a choice crown 1818 (lot 1710; est $1,500) realised $3,660. Highest price went to the plain edge Gothic Crown (lot 1732; est $6,000) at $21,960. A Scottish merchant's countermarked dollar of five shillings (lot 1769; est $2,000) realised $5,368. Assorted minting medals etc ex Mark E. Freehill Collection (lot 1787; est $3,000) may have been reasonable at $6,710 realised.

The next day offered the Jack Grace Collection of predominantly gold fob medals and medals in four sessions and prices achieved were generally just over estimate with almost every lot sold. The best result went to the Sheffield Shield trio to the cricket all-rounder M.A. Noble (lot 1994; est $2,200) realised $5,124 to a "cricket tragic". Another cricket buyer purchased the Sheffield Shield Holders badge to J.Worrall (lot 1996; est $900) for $1,586. However, the most popular sport was Rugby League (lot 2136; est $700) for 1st grade premiers Eastern Suburbs in 1913 realised $2,928. Soldiers were also popular, a departure fob presented by Henderson Sweets (lot 2229; est $600) realised $1,464. In the fourteenth session 1901 Commonwealth of Australia medal (lot 2427; est $1,900) realised $3,172 being awarded by the Governor of NSW 4.9.1902. Dept of Agriculture Victoria gold medals realised consistent prices eg. (lot 2439; est $900) realised $2,074. The Grace Collection realised $366,000 on pre-sale estimates of $250,000 for 775 lots sold.

World and Australian banknotes occupied the entire fifteenth session at 7.30 pm. A pack of Zimbabwe 100 trillion dollars (lot 2705; est $4,000) brought a new record for us at $14,030. A specimen pair of paper one hundred dollars presented by the Governor of the Reserve Bank (lot 2777; est $8,000) realised $7,930.

The next morning was for the ancients and the session was keenly contested with collectors bidding in the room. Best result went to the silver stater of Korkyra (c400 BC) (lot 2862; est $11,000) at $12,810. A Thebes silver stater ex BCD Collection (lot 2865; est $2,000) doubled estimate realising $5,368. A Myrina silver tetradrachm ex Bunker Hunt Collection (lot 2880; est $6,000) brought a record $8,540. In Roman, a Mark Antony silver denarius (lot 2929; est $260) realised $1,708, a patinated Trajan sestertius (lot 2940; est $600) realised $2,928 and an extremely fine Marcus Aurelius sestertius (lot 2949; est $1,300) realised $4,880.

The final two sessions at 11.30 am and 2.30 pm were entirely occupied by part 3 of the Mark E. Freehill Collection of British Commonwealth and world banknotes. The 391 lots were nearly all sold out realising $1,342,000 on pre-sale estimates of $470,000 with many new records established. The highlights were Egypt fifty piastres 1899 (lot 3055; est $3,000) at $29,280, Ethiopia (lot 3081; est $300) at $4,392, and (lot 3083; est $1,000) at $5,368 (to a room bidder), Algeria (lot 3086; est $800) at $5,124, Libya (lot 3088; est $600) at $5,856, Boer War siege vouchers (10) (lot 3104; est $1,000) realised $6,710. A South Africa one hundred pounds 29.1.1952 (lot 3128; est $1,000) realised $5,612 as did a Southwest Africa lot of 5 (lot 3132; est $600) and another Southwest Africa lot of 5 (lot 5134; est $1,000) realised $9,760 to a room bidder. A Zambia specimen one pound, Elizabeth II (lot 3158; est $3,000) realised $10,980. An East Africa ten florins or one-pound 1920 (lot 3176; est $8,000) realised $30,500. A British West Africa specimen one hundred shillings or five pounds 1919 (lot 3237; est $2,000) took off to eventually realise $65,880. A Seychelles emergency one-rupee 1919 (lot 3265; est $3,000) realised $21,350 and fifty rupees 1928 (lot 3279; est $2,000) realised $31,720. The final African lot was a Zanzibar five rupees 1916 (lot 3307; est $1,500) that soared to $43,920.

An Antigua Royal Bank of Canada five dollars 1938 (lot 3308; est $800) realised $8,540 and a Barbados trio from the same bank (lot 3334; est $2000) realised $7,320. A Bermuda one pound (lot 3340; est $2,000) realised $6,710. A George VI British Caribbean Territories, 1950-57 group of 11 notes (lot 3360; est $2,800) realised $20,130 and an Elizabeth II 1953 group of 8 notes (lot 3365; est $3,000) realised $15,250 while the one hundred dollars 1954 (lot 3366; est $300) realised $14,030. Two British Honduras one-dollar notes of George VI, 1947 and 1952 (lot 3394; est $1,500) realised $7,320 and four Elizabeth II twenty-dollar notes, 1960, 1961, 1971, 1973 (lot 3406; est $2,800) realised $11,590. Finally, a group of 32 notes of Guernsey (lot 3425; est $1,500) realised $8,540.

Our next sale is scheduled for 28th July to 1st August with consignments closing 16th May. Already included are part 4 of the Mark E. Freehill Collection of World Banknotes, ancient and later gold coins from the pre-war Collection of the Czech family of Rudolf Pekarek, Indian and African Peace medals from the John J Ford Collection, as well as extensive Australian and world gold coins.

Jim Noble

March 2025