Sale 134 Preface

Welcome to Sale 134, our third and last general auction of the year. Once again, the scope is very broad with several specialized collections included. Highlights are Anglo Saxon pennies from the S. J. Green Collection, a comprehensive series of Roman Republic and Imperial from the Dr. Hugh Preston Collection, English crowns from 1551 in silver and gold from the Frank Madzia Collection, an old private collection of Russian coins in gold, silver and bronze, and the Nik Sharplin Collection of concentration and internment camp money. 

Among several consignments of Chinese coins, ancient and modern, are some interesting lots from the Ken O’Brien Collection and the Barry D. Scott Collection. One lot (lot 2206; est. $6,000) consists of over 1200 pieces and is offered intact to preserve the integrity of the collection the way it had been housed and carefully attributed by Barry Scott. The outstanding Kwangtung province silver issues of 1889 by Birmingham Mint are offered from a very old collection and have not been on the market previously (lots 2171; est. $2,500, 2174;  est. $60,000) as is the ‘birds over junk’ dollar in high grade (lot 2194; est. $25,000). From the same collection there is a quality offering of German Empire silver coins from the 19th century through to the Weimar Republic. Throughout the sale you will notice many lots of coins and banknotes from the collection of the late John J. Veltmeyer, the recent President of the Australian Numismatic Society. 

The outstanding highlight of the Australian gold coins is a choice first issue Adelaide pound 1852 (lot 1284; est. $150,000) purchased by the owner from our company forty two years ago, as was the holey dollar 1813 (lot 1282; est. $120,000). A curious feature of the Australian Commonwealth is a consignment we have called the Mayor’s Hoard as it was collected by a country Mayor who passed away in 1973. He had been collecting coins out of the banks from the 1950’s on to sort through, but was obviously too reluctant to return any unwanted coins into circulation. Hundreds of kilograms of coins were so hoarded. 

Among many lots of decimal notes is a collection formed by a collector over several decades of radar numbers and solid numbers together with a unique split ten shillings. First and last prefixes abound in some lots, more of this material than we have ever had before. 

Highlights of orders, decorations and medals being sold at 11:30 am and 2:30 pm on Thursday 23rd November, include a large number of groups and singles including many wounded in action, and killed in action groups as well as bravery groups and individual bravery awards. Also on offer is a DSO and Mentioned-in-Despatches (3 times) group to a senior medical officer who served at Gallipoli and the man known as ‘Simpson and his donkey’ was one of his stretcher bearers and after Simpson was killed he officiated at his burial (lot 2779; est. $10,000). Other highlights include a RMS Carpathia/SS Titanic Medal group that includes a rare medal commissioned by two survivors of the sinking of the SS Titanic (lot 2687; est. $10,000).

The final day, Friday 24th November, sees the offering of 400 lots of ancient coins at 9:30 am and 11:30 am to conclude the auction in the early afternoon. Highlights include a rare type aureus of Trajan (lot 3464; est. $9,000) and a very rare aureus of Septimius Severus (lot 3465; est. $12,000). A didrachm (quadrigatus) in attractive condition is bound to attract attention (lot 3643; est. $800), as well a portrait denarius of Julius Caesar (lot 3756; est. $4,000), both from the Dr. Hugh Preston collection. 

The first day of the auction is an online only e-sale closing from 9:30 am on Monday 20th November commencing with Militaria (359 lots) followed by miscellaneous items, documents, stamps, numismatic and other literature (179 lots). 

On behalf of the company, I would like to thank all the vendors for their support and patience, and our cataloguing and production team to enable us to create another major auction. 

Jim Noble