Sale 107 realises over $5.2 million

Sale 107 realises over $5.2 million 

This outstanding auction realised $5,207,500, bringing the total for the three sales this year to nearly $12 million; a remarkable result considering the recent shocks to the investment market in Australian coins and banknotes. The sector appears to have stabilised in most areas of the Australian series and prices may gradually inflate as supply is constrained by the limited flow of material coming onto the market. The clearance of lots in this auction was 87 percent realising an average of 109 percent of estimate. 

The sale consisted of two catalogues; 107A covering Australian and world coins and banknotes (sessions 1-13) with 107B covering orders, decorations and medals (sessions 13-15). The 919 lots in 107B realised $1.82 million with a clearance of 91 percent at 120 percent of the estimate. The highest price went to lot 4650, the WWI VC, DCM group of eight to Sergeant J. W. Whittle 26 Bn AIF at $596,250 followed by the Korean War George Cross group of seven to H. W. Madden (lot 4668; est $250,000) at $262,350. The next highest priced group was the DSO group of five to Act. Lt. Cmdr. T. A. Bond, the first Australian to be decorated in World War I (lot 4654; est $20,000) at $62,010. Top prices in the militaria went to the Gallipoli Landing Bugle (lot 4434; est $15,000) at $65,588 and the Gallipoli map (lot 4435; est $2,500) at $31,005, both exceeding estimates after spirited bidding.

The sale commenced with miscellaneous Australian coins, including mis-strikes, and notable among these was a brockage penny (lot 59, est $750) realising $2,266 while a twenty percent off-centre strike of a royal wedding fifty cents (lot 88, est $150) realised $1193. Mint rolls sold strongly with six decimal rolls in one lot (lot 104; est $350) realising $1,073. In the New Zealand section Allan Sutherland’s Waitangi crown (lot 675, est $8,000) realised $8,705. In Tradesmen’s tokens the Jamberoo penny (lot 730; est $5,000) realised $7,871, the four Deeble pennies ex B. W. Holt Collection (lot 762; est $300) realised $1,550 to a collector in the room while the same collector secured the next lot, the Evans and Foster penny (lot 763; est $250) also ex B.W. Holt Collection, for $2,027 after a strong bidding contest. A Hodgson Bendigo penny (lot 799; est $240) was bought by an absentee bidder for $1,789. One of the finest known Lloyds’ Wollongong halfpennies (lot 822; est $500) realised $2,027 to another absentee bidder. Two scarce Robison pennies (lot 863; est $200) realised $1,908, almost ten times estimate. The Stead Brothers ‘arms’  penny (lot 867, est $250) realised $2,027. In the silver tokens two great rarities realised strong prices, the Macintosh and Degraves Tasmania shilling (lot 903; est $17,500) realised $23,869 and the James Campbell Morpeth threepence (lot 905; est $7,500) realised $11,925.

The fourth session commenced with a collection of convict love tokens that generated fireworks among the bidders. This was surprising as it was originally perceived that they were over-estimated for the current market. Three or four collectors clashed at certain times resulting in some spectacular results. The top price went to a determined room bidder against a phone bidder for the John Wheatley penny (lot 949; est $2,750) that finally realised $20,273. Next highest went to the Ambrose Birch penny (lot 951; est $1,800), this time to the phone bidder at $13,118. Top price in the shipwreck coins went, as expected, to the Brunswick-Luneburg thaler (lot 1051; est $9,000) at $11,329.

The fifth session highlights were the NSW holey dollar (lot 1294; est $75,000) that realised $93,015; a nearly uncirculated Adelaide pound, second type (lot 1310; est $35,000) that realised $38,160, an 1855 half sovereign (lot 1331; est $7,500) that realised $13,714 and a choice 1862 half sovereign (lot 1338; est $30,000) that realised $32,198. In proofs and patterns the highlights were a proof only year half sovereign 1898M (lot 1440; est $60,000) and a proof last issue Australian sovereign 1931M rarity (lot 1441; est $60,000) both realising $65,588. A 1921 square pattern penny (lot 1446; est $30,000) realised $33,390 and a choice 1926 proof penny (lot 1448; est $25,000) realised $31,601. A full mint red proof halfpenny of 1935 (lot 1451; est $22,500) realised $23,850. In Commonwealth currency coins all seven 1930 pennies sold well (lot 1565; est $35,000) realised $35,775, next highest prices were $21,465 each for the following two lots, then $18,484 to $18,126 for the following three while the last (lot 1571; est $14,000) realised $15,741. The top grade 1923 halfpenny (lot 1581; est $12,500) realised $13,118.

The second day commenced with British silver and bronze coins. A William I two stars type penny of Stamford Mint, ex J.M.Day Collection (lot 1593; est $1,000) realised $3,458 and a Paxs type of the same mint, also ex Day (lot 1596; est $900) realised $1,908 as did an Edward VI threepence (lot 1621; est $1,000). Top price went to the Charles I Oxford Mint silver pound (lot 1650; est $12,000) at $11,925, the same price was achieved  by the Cromwell crown (lot 1658; est $9,000). The liveliest area was when the Scottish countermarked dollars came up, the first, a Forster and Corbett five shillings ex Nobleman, Brand, Norweb, Noble and Hicks collections (lot 1847; est $2,750) realised top price of $8,825; a Thistle Bank five shillings ex Hagley, Noble and Hicks collections (lot 1849; est $2,000) realised $7,155; a Paisley, W. Langmuir five shillings ex Noble and Hicks collections (lot 1855; est $2,000) realised $7,751; a Cromford five shillings (lot 1859; est $1,200) realised $6,797; finally a Cark Cotton Works five shillings and sixpence ex Pastor Rowlands, Noble and Hicks collections (lot 1860; est $2,500) realised $7,155.

In the British gold that followed in the seventh session, the front cover coin, a Queen Anne five guineas 1706 (lot 1909; est $20,000) went to a local collector for $35,775.

In world coins, one of the best results against estimate went to the Transylvania taler of 1589 ex Prince Michael Andreevich of Russia Collection (lot 2323; est $2,500) at $4,174.

In world banknotes a 1993 Hong Kong set of notes with same solid serial numbers (lot 2601; est $500) realised $1,789 as did a Singapore set (1999) that included a one million note (lot 2672; est $500). In Australian decimal notes a lot of thirty Coombs/Randall one dollars (lot 2715; est $3000) realised $5,724 and a set of Coombs/Randall one to twenty dollars, five notes (lot 2724; est $500) realised $3,101. In Australian private bank issues, two Bank of New South Wales notes were hotly contested between a floor and phone bidder, the latter prevailed in each case; lot 2851 (est $7,500) realised $11,925 and lot 2852 (est $12,000) realised $19,080. A National Bank ten pounds specimen 1st May 1908 (lot 2876; est $7,500) realised $10,136, while the highest price went to  the choice Western Australian Bank pound issued 1st Jany 1896 (lot 2881; est $15,000) at $22,658. In the pre-decimal series a choice Riddle/Heathershaw ten shillings (lot 2889; est $5,000) realised $7,155, a very fine Collins/Allen five pounds (lot 2983; est $5,000) realised $10,136 and a choice consecutive pair of Sheehan/McFarlane five pounds (lot 2990; est $5,000) realised $9,540.  The rare ten pounds, Collins/Allen (lot 3007; est $7,000) realised $10,733 and a choice Coombs/Watt ten pounds (lot 3017; est $750) surprised when it realised a strong $4,055. However the highlight arrived with the nearly very fine one hundred pounds (lot 3028; est $100,000) that realised the highest price for any coin or banknote in the sale at $107,325, while a similar note graded very good (lot 3029; est $30,000) realised $33,390.  The specimen notes realised around estimate or above and the solid number notes often doubled estimate. The star notes generally realised seventy percent or more of estimate, the highest being the two dollars Coombs/Randall (lot 3154; est $2,500) that realised $5,963 and the five dollars Phillips/Randall (lot 3157; est $4,000) that realised the highest price of $11,329.

Error notes generally brought above estimate; a mismatched serial five pounds (lot 3165; est $500) realised $1,908. In the folders and uncuts, an uncut sheet of thirty-two paper one hundred dollars (lot 3194; est $7,000) realised $8,228.

The third day saw all the ancient gold coins sell in the morning.  The twelfth session saw a complete clearance of lots from the Hungarian collection of Roman coins, mostly over estimate. Top price in the Roman went to a floor bidder for the Caligula denarius (lot 3,672; est $2,000) realising $4,293. Highest price in the ancients went to the Nero Claudius Drusus gold aureus (lot 3204; est $22,000) at $22,658 followed by the Titus aureus (lot 3206; est $15,000) at $15,503.  The Lydia trite doubled estimate of $2,200 being hammered down at $4,400 to realise $5,247 (lot 3203). The collection formed in Hungary in the 1930s comprising 536 lots realised $181,415 with no lots unsold.

The Orders, Decorations and Medals catalogue commenced at approximately 4:15pm with ‘Other Countries’ the Kevin Foster Collection. Seven display mounted medals of China (lot 4029; est $250) realised $2,624, a Russian 2nd Class Order of St Anne (lot 4072; est $2,000) realised $4,770.  An unnamed USA Medal of Honor type 1 (lot 4100; est $2,000) realised $3,578.

Following a five minute break the fourteenth session commenced at 5:00pm. A George Medal, (GVIR), Royal Shipwreck Relief Humane Society Gold Medal and Order of St. John Bronze Life Saving Medal trio for a Mascot Airport rescue attempt in 1945 (lot 4170; est $5,000) realised $13,118, after spirited bidding to a phone bidder. A gold police medal for Western Australia ex Kevin Foster Collection (lot 4246; est $8,000) realised $14,310. The Scouting material, which was exceptional, sold at multiples of estimate; a display board of six different awards (lot 4303; est $250) realised $4,770.

With only fifteen minutes break the final session began at 7:40pm, commencing with Australian singles from the Kevin Foster Collection. A Melbourne Volunteer Rifle Regiment Medal in silver (lot 4519, est $7,500) realised $7,155 and a gold Commonwealth Military Competition Cadets Medal, among a series of silver varieties (lots 4528-4537) realised $7,751 as lot 4533 (est $1,500).

In Australian groups, a group of six to an Antarctic Expeditioner (lot 4624; est $10,000) realised $27,428 to a room bidder after spirited bidding.  A Meritorious Service Medal group of four to the Australian Flying Corps ex J. & J. Edwards Collection (lot 4657; est $4,000) realised $8,944. An MM Group of four for Korea ex J. & J. Edwards Collection (lot 4689; est $10,000) realised $14,906.

There was strong bidding from the UK throughout the British singles and groups that concluded the sale. A Knights Grand Cross collar chain set of St Michael and St George ex Kevin Foster Collection (lot 4715; est 4,000) realised $9,659. An Albert Medal, 2nd Class ex Kevin Foster Collection (lot 4744; est $5000) realised $11,567. A Polar Medal (EVIIR) with Antarctic 1907-09 clasp to B. Day, Nimrod made a spectacular amount against estimate when two absentee bidders clashed (lot 4879; est $1500) realising $48,893, making it far and away the highest priced single medal from the Edwards Collection. A CGM group of five for a Bomber Command Airman ex Kevin Foster Collection (lot 4893; est $9,000) made $19,080 to a phone bidder in the U.K. A local phone bidder secured the MGS, Waterloo pair (lot 4895; est $5,000) at $13,118. An MC, MM group of five for operations in France (lot 4910; est $1,000) realised $8,558 after many bids were received. 

This sale established many outstanding results and was well-supported throughout. We are pleased to conclude the year on a positive note and with confidence in the strength of the Australian numismatics market. We look forward to seeing you at our first sale next year, 24-26th March 2015 which will feature the Jon Saxton Collection. Consignments close 30th January.

On behalf of all of us at the company I wish to extend the compliments of the season and we look forward to being of service in the new year.

Jim Noble

December 2014