Sale 103 Realises $2.7 Million

Sunday, 01 September 2013

This sale, held in Melbourne, 13-15 August,was successful and attracted a large number of bidders (over 700) competing for the 4,091 lots of which 86 percent were sold.

The highest price realised was for the NSW holey dollar (lot 1305; est $130,000) which sold for $135,140 (made up as $116,000 hammer price plus 15 percent buyer's premium with GST on the premium added).

The next highest price was the 1930 penny (lot 1646; est $30,000) at $59,415 after a bidding war between a number of bidders.

In the first morning session the decimal proofs largely realised estimate or more, the palladium emu three coin set (lot 315; est $2,000) realised $3,262.

In the second session a 1921 star shilling ex M. Ward Collection (lot 488 est $500) went to a live on-line bidder at $1,515. A group of 1931 (3), dropped 1 (2) Indian die and 1933/2 overdate (10) pennies (lot 590; est $1,200) realised $5,942 to a floor bidder.

In the third session the New Zealand coins realised good prices, the Waitangi crown (lot 843; est $3,000) realised $6,058, the 1936 florin (lot 854, est $2,500) realised $3,495 and the 1940 florin (lot 876; est $500) realised $955.

In the fourth session the Captain Cook Courage and Perseverance medal (lot 1006; est $13,500) realised a new record price of $22,135.

The Admella medal (lot 1017; est $2,500) the front cover feature realised $16,543 after spirited bidding from various quarters.

Top price in the tokens went to the Jamberoo penny ex M.Ward Collection (lot 1136; est $3,000) at $4,427. Some sold well over estimate e.g the Davidson penny ex M. Ward Collection (lot 1162; est $400) realised $1,049, the Iredale & Co penny ex Pat Boland Collection (lot 1200; est $500) realised $955 and the Lazarus penny ex M.Ward Collection (lot 1207; est $800) realised $1,981. The Charles Harrold Birmingham halfpenny (lot 1264; est $1,500) ex W.D. Koonce and M. Ward Collections realised $2,563.

In the fifth session the Australian gold was headed up by a good extremely fine Adelaide pound (lot 1309; est $40,000) that realised $40,775. The 1855 half sovereign (lot 1335; est $30,000) sold for $32,038 and the 1858 error variety (lot 1337; est $15,000) realised a record $24,465. The first proof crown 1937 (lot 1424; est $20,000) realised $30,290 and a 1956 Perth proof penny (lot 1437; est $6,000) realised $9,320. The back cover item, the gold striking of the swan dollar (lot 1490; est $8,000) brought a new record of $22,135 after spirited bidding. Top price in Commonwealth silver went to a 1915H shilling (lot 1563; est $15,000) at $12,815 while the top priced florin was the first 1921 (lot 1519; est $3,000) at $6,641. The 1933 shilling (lot 1576; est $5,500) realised a strong price  of $9,786. In the NSW collector penny collection some strong results occurred apart from the 1930 penny already mentioned. The specimen 1920 plain penny (lot 1632; est $8,000) realised $12,815. A full red 1917I (lot 1627; est $900) realsed $3,029 and a 1920 double dot penny (lot 1634;est $900) realised $9,320 or ten times estimate. The choice Perth Mint proofs sold well, the 1955 (lot 1661; est $5,000) realised $9,786 and the 1956 (lot 1662; est $5,000) realised $10,718. The four 1930 pennies in the other properties section all sold around estimate with the third doing best (lot 1683; est $14,000) realising $20,388. 

The second morning saw the British gold and silver sell well, the William III fine work five guineas (lot 1797; est $17,000) realised $22,135 while the two George II issues realised close to their estimates $23,300 and $20,970 respectively. The Harold II penny ex Dr. John Marden Collection (lot 1848; est $3,000) realised $4,660. The ex Alan Jordan Collection Commonwealth crown, 1653 error variety (lot 1873; est $2,500) realised $4,602, while the Cromwell crown, 1658, also ex Alan Jordan Collection (lot 1876; est $3,500) realised $6,466. A plain edge proof Gothic crown, 1847 (lot 1936; est $3,500) realised $7,223, while the lettered edge issue (lot 1937; est $1,800) also more than doubled estimate realising $3,612.

In world gold a South Africa ZAR pond 1895 in nearly extremely fine condition (lot 2124; est $1,200) and ex L. Filacouridis Collection realised $2,330. In world silver Chinese once again sailed past estimates, an Empire silver ten cents (1908) (lot 2219; est $500) realised $2,330 and a Kiang Nan dollar (1908) (lot 2224; est $200) realised $3,495. A People's Republic ten yuan 1983 Year of the Pig (lot 2246; est $500) realised $1,864. A Germany thaler of 1595, (lot 2294; est $450) realised $1,608. A Netherlands, West Friesland silver rider, 1673 (lot 2388; est $1,000) realised $2,330 and a Poland taler 1633 , (lot 2404; est $750) realised $1806. A Russian Peter the Great rouble 1721 (lot 2410; est $600) realised $1689, a Sweden riksdaler, 1576 (lot 2450; est $500) realised $2,097 and a Transylvania taler 1593 (lot 2457; est $750) realised $2,854. All the preceeding mentioned were ex Alan Jordan Collection . A USA silver dollar 1798 ex Alan Jordan Collection and earlier ex Richard Williams Collection (Sale 45B, lot 3373) doubled estimate realising $2,330 (lot 2496; est $1,000). The US commemoratives' collection realised estimate overall with local bidders dominating.

The ninth and tenth sessions were devoted to banknotes. The best result in the New Zealand issues went to the Lefeaux fifty pounds, 1934 (lot 2730; est$8,000) at $15,145. In world notes top price went to the Shanghai specimen ten dollars 1914 (lot 2873; est $2,500) at $2,913 while an East Africa pair of number one notes, (1964) (lot 2878; est $400) more than doubled estimate realising $1,049.

A feature lot in the Australian series, the consecutive pair of presentation ten shillings, 1913 (lot 3064; est $250,000) did not find a new owner on this occasion even though they realised $248,145 in April last year in Sale 99. A consecutive pair of choice uncirculated Riddle/Sheehan (1933) one pounds (lot 3116; est $8,000) realised $12,815 and a consecutive pair of Coombs/Watt (1949) five pounds (lot 3177; est $10,000) realised $10,776. The Phillips/Wheeler (1974) specimen set (lots 3230-5; est totalling $22,000) realised $31,106 for the six notes .

A crisp nearly extremely fine Sheehan/McFarlane five pounds (1939) (lot 3157; est $350), the best example from a Sydney family hoard, realised $1,095.

The third morning witnessed the offering of ancient coins. In the Greek gold most estimates were exceeded, the Sicily gold drachm of sixty litrai (lot 3387; est $9,000) realised $11,650, the Macedon, Phillip II gold stater (lot 3388; est $2,500) realised $3,379, the Lydia electrum trite or third stater (lot 3393; est $2,000) realised $3,262, and the Persian gold daric (lot 3394; est $1,500) realised $3,029. This and the previous two mentioned are ex Alan Jordan Collection. A Bactria gold stater of Diodotos II (lot 3395; est $12,000) realised $11,650. The Roman gold attracted some good bids. The Bruttium Rhegion silver tetradrachm (lot 3439; est $11,000) sold for $11,068. A Siculo-Punic silver tetradrachm (lot 3458; est $1,200) more than doubled estimate realising $2,796.

In the documents an early Ballarat gold license of 1853 (lot 3686; est $1,400) brought a record $3,029.

The last session was devoted to orders, decorations and medals, militaria and stamps. A three clasp QSA to 1st Queensland Mounted Rifles (lot 3834; est $400)) set a new record realising $2,680. A 1914-15 star with gold tribute fob and gold photo frame (lot 3836; est $250) finally realised $1,165 after a bidding war. A world War I Memorial Plaque to a Tasmanian born near Chudleigh (lot 3839; est $250) realised $1223. A World War I DCM group of four (lot 3851; est $6,000) realised the highest price $8,854. The World War I MC trio (lot 3853; est $6,250) realised $7,864. A White Russian emigree badge (lot 3900; est $1,500) realised $3,495 to a live on-line bidder. An Australian Commonwealth Horse, 1st pattern collar badge pair (lot 3946; est $100) realised $990. A Gallipoli evacuation original order document (lot 3915; est $100) attracted strong bidding and finally realised $1,864.

Last but not least, in the stamps section some outstanding prices were realised for the booklets e.g. Victoria 1911 (lot 4004; est $200) realised $4,194 and Australia 1920 (lot 4011, est $300) realised $3,262. In the 2000 Olympics series the Grant Hackett error sheetlet (lot 4058; est $200) realised $1,631.

The next sale takes place in Sydney on Tuesday 26th to Thursday 28th November 2013 at the State Library of NSW in Macquarie St., opposite the Noble Numismatics office. Consignments for this sale close on the 20th September.

Jill Pearson

August 2013

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