Sale 102 Preview
Our 102nd sale will take place from 9 to 11 April 2013 at the Hotel InterContinental, 117 Macquarie St, Sydney, it includes an important NSW holey dollar that coincides with the 200th anniversary of the issue.
The next sale of Noble Numismatics, Sale 102, is a three day event to be held at the Hotel InterContinental from 9 to 11 April 2013 and is expected to exceed 4,000 lots. For the 200th anniversary of the holey dollar and dump there is on offer a NSW holey dollar struck from an 1804 Mexico eight reales, originally in the Hon H.C.Dangar’s Collection in very fine condition and estimated at $140,000 and three NSW dumps in very fine condition estimated at $32,000 - $35,000 each.
The Australian gold coins on offer include a cracked die Adelaide pound 1852 in extremely fine condition estimated at $100,000 and three second type Adelaide pounds 1852, the first in nearly uncirculated condition estimated at $25,000. Of extreme rarity is a Port Phillip Kangaroo Office gold quarter ounce 1853 in fair condition estimated at $10,000. A nearly uncirculated first type Sydney Mint half sovereign of 1856 is estimated at $35,000. Choice Imperial type half sovereigns include a gem 1900 Sydney estimated at $15,000 as it is probably the finest known.
A specimen 1926 Sydney sovereign from the last assayer at the Sydney Mint, Charles William Miller (died 1958 aged 71) obtained the day the Mint closed in 1926, is one of the few struck ceremoniously on the last day. Being among the finest known of this rarity it is estimated at $40,000.
The Australian Commonwealth section is highlighted by a uniface pattern florin 1937 struck by the Royal Mint after the Edward VIII portrait was tooled out following his abdication. This rarity is estimated at $100,000.
Proofs are highlighted by a choice proof 1927 Canberra commemorative florin estimated at $45,000. Other early proofs include choice Perth Mint proof penny 1952, proof penny 1953, proof halfpenny 1954, proof penny and halfpenny 1955 and proof penny 1956.
A single owner collection of pennies and halfpennies has been divided up into individual lots with many coins illustrated. There are two 1930 pennies and several high grade 1923 halfpennies, with a good extremely fine example estimated at $15,000.
British coins include a choice groat of Richard III, a Cromwell crown 1658 and a Charles I silver pound 1642, Shrewsbury Mint in nearly extremely fine condition estimated at $20,000.
The highlights of the New Guinea and New Zealand coins are a gold twenty mark 1895 of German New Guinea, a Waitangi crown 1935 and previously unrecorded Royal Mint decimal pattern and test pieces of the 1980s.
World coins are highlighted by a silver fifty reales of Philip IIII of Spain dated 1636 and issued by the Segovia Mint. This previously unknown example of an extremely rare coin comes from the collection of a World War I veteran and is being sold on behalf of his grandson who has had it tucked away for over forty years with his grandfather’s service medals. Other world coin highlights are novodel roubles of Peter the Great (1705) and Peter III 1762.
Ancient coins in the sale include the collection of Greek and Celtic coins formed by Robert Rossini of Sydney and the Bruce R. Brace Collection of Roman Republic. Ancient gold includes aureii of Tiberius, Titus, Vespasian, Matidia, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius and Julia Domna.
Banknotes and paper currency are in three sections, New Zealand, World and Australia. The New Zealand section includes Reserve Bank specimen banknotes in sets from 1967, some previously unseen. The world includes early or mulberry issues of China and two rarities of East Africa, George V 1920 fifty florins or five pounds and twenty florins or two pounds, both issued banknotes offered for the first time anywhere. They are estimated at $28,000 and $17,000 respectively. There is also a rare French Equatorial Africa WWII emergency issue one thousand francs, one of only a few known to exist. Also, there are some scarce specimen banknotes from The Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation.
Australian banknotes include a series of Perkins Bacon proofs of country towns from their archive sale in 1995. Commonwealth banknotes are highlighted by a Rainbow pound estimated at $15,000+, a Riddle/Sheehan ten pounds 1933 (R.56) in fine condition and a Cerutty/Collins five pounds in good very fine. There is also a previously unrecorded set of three Hay Internment Camp notes in nearly uncirculated condition.
In medals, the sale features an excellent variety of world historical medals, mostly European including an interesting collection of Imperial Russian commemorative and prize medals and in the military medal section of the sale there are some interesting singles and groups, several with a Tasmanian connection. Included is a RN group which includes a Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899 with the Defence of Ladysmith clasp, scarce to RN, later saw service in WWI and in Tasmania in WWII with the RAN, the whole family doing their bit and later retired there. There is also a pair to James Boag IV of the Boag Brewery family. Another medal sure to create interest is a Waterloo Medal, one of three on offer. This one with an estimate of $9,000 is to Lt William Neilly, 40th Foot Regt, who was in charge of the guard on a convict ship to Tasmania in 1824, then becoming Ordnance Storekeeper for the Colony and later retired to his property, the historic, convict built, Rostella and was instrumental in the construction of the Anglican Church at Winderemere, later his burial place.
There are some interesting memorabilia items on offer including letters from a young Queen Mother to an Australian soldier, other letters from Winston Churchill during WWI, a letter note from Prince ‘Ted’ later King Edward VII, a bestowal document signed personally under seal by William Wickham, the British master spy and some souvenir pieces made from the scrap of one of the midget subs that raided ships in Sydney Harbour in 1942. Not rare but these pieces are virtually brand new which indeed is rare. There is also a collection of trophies and memorabilia of Alfred Gollin, formerly Commodore of the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria and owner of the famous yacht, Sayonara.
We look forward to your participation in our 102nd sale by personal attendance at the InterContinental sale venue or by internet or mail bidding. Catalogues are expected to be available by mid March and online about one week prior.