Sale 108 Realises $3.2 Million

This auction sale which was held on the 24th to the 26th of March in the Dixson Room of the State Library of New South Wales was well supported. The total realised was $3.2 million which includes the buyer’s premium and GST on the premium payable by all purchasers. Highlights in the Australian coins were the cracked die Adelaide pound (lot 1250; est. $110,000) which realised $110,903 and the 1916I mule halfpenny (lot 1637; est. $60,000) which realised $64,395.

The sale began with miscellaneous Australian coins and mis-strikes. A twenty cent mule with a Fiji reverse (lot 74; est. $3,000) easily exceeded estimate, finally realising $21,465 after a bidding war from $3,000. A fifty cents struck on a twenty cents blank (lot 78; est. $750) realised $5,009. The crown hoard was keenly contested with most crown lots bringing the equivalent of almost $40 for each coin in lots of 50 (lots 262 to 277; est. at $1,000 each lot) mostly realising $1,968 each.

In the second session the 'dairy' hoard of florins generally did well against estimate, e.g. 1910 florins (63) in (lot 302; est. $380) realised $1,550.

In the third session a proof-like five mark of German New Guinea (lot 599; est. $1,500) realised $3,101. The New Zealand Waitangi crowns (lots 619; est. $4,000 and 620; est. $2,750) realised $5,724 and $5,486 respectively. A proof 1964 New Zealand threepence (lot 646; est. $200) realised $1,431.

In Australian historical medals the highlight was a George III Resolution and Adventure medal in bronze from the second, uncracked, reverse die (lot 683; est. $10,000) that was bought by a collector for $13,118. A Boer War tribute medal 1901 (lot 740; est. $350) realised $1,550. A collection of Coles Book Arcade medals (83) (lot 705; est. $500) realised $2,743.

In the evening session the two holey dollars from the Jon Saxton Collection were keenly contested; the 1798 Mexico City (lot 1241; est. $30,000) realised $42,930 and the 1805 Potosi (lot 1242; est. $35,000) realised $46,508. An 1855 Sydney Mint sovereign in good extremely fine condition (lot 1254; est. $30,000) realised $35,775. An error legend 1880 Sydney sovereign (lot 1301; est. $750) easily beat estimate realising $2,624. A 1922 Melbourne sovereign (lot 1346; est. $15,000) realised $19,080 and a 1918 Perth half sovereign (lot 1391; est. $3,000) realised $5,724. In the patterns and proofs the W. J. Taylor Port Phillip shilling in silver with plain edge (lot 1392; est. $45,000) realised $50,085, the 1911 milled edge threepence (lot 1394; est. $50,000) realised $48,893 and the square penny, 1921 (lot 1397; est. $27,000) realised $28,620. The two decimal trial fifty cents (lots 1441 and 1442; est. $1,000 each) realised $14,310 and $19,080 respectively.

The top priced florin went to the 1932 (lot 1480; est. $8,000) at $12,522. The top priced shilling went to the 1928 (lot 1514; est. $1,750) at $5,724. The top priced sixpence went to the 1922 (lot 1538; est. $2,500) at $5,009. The top priced threepence went to the second 1915 (lot 1560; est. $5,000) at $5,724. A 1923 threepence in choice uncirculated condition greatly exceeded estimate (lot 1575; est. $2,000) at $5,009. One of Jon Saxton's 1930 pennies easily beat estimate (lot 1614; est. $11,000) at $20,273.

In British coins, a 1726 guinea of George I (lot 1652; est. $600) realised $2,624 and an 1887 five pounds (lot 1671; est. $2,200) brought a local record of $6,201. The Cromwell shilling 1658 (lot 1691; est. $2,000) realised $5,724, a pattern farthing 1665 in silver (lot 1696; est. $1,000) realised $1,670, a 1714 farthing (lot 1721; est. $2,500) realised $2,981. The 1847 Gothic crown (lot 1763; est. $2,500) realised $4,293.

In the World coins the Czech two ducaty 1938 (lot 1896; est. $10,000) realised $53,663. A choice USA eagle 1900S (lot 1958; est. $1,000) realised $2,624. A Canadian fifty cents 1898 (lot 1979; est. $150) took off and finally realised $5,009. A China Fengtien dollar (lot 2000; est. $200) realised $2,862 and a Hunan Province dollar (lot 2018; est. $750) realised $3,220. A visitor from Russia tried to obtain (lot 2068; est. $250) which included a choice half rouble of 1861 however he missed out when the lot sold well over estimate at $2,385. A Hong Kong twenty cents 1892H (lot 2081; est. $100) realised $2,147 and a lot of Indian quarter annas from Jon Saxton's Collection (lot 2088; est. $100) realised $1,312. An album of mostly crown size silver coins that included a China Sun Yat Sen dollar (1912) ex D.S. Gray Collection (lot 2205; est. $750) really took off bringing $9,540.

In world banknotes three Ethiopian notes did particularly well with strong bidding from at least two quarters (lots 2640, 2641; each est. $400, 2642; est. $120) realising $1,670, $2,624 and $3,101 respectively. Two Korean notes sold well (lots 2709, 2710; est. $1,000, $750) realising $2,862 and $2,624 respectively. A USA one thousand dollars 1934 (lot 2810; est. $2,000) realised $3,578, the highest price in the USA series.

In Australian notes a Lachlan and Waterloo Mills Sydney set of sixteen notes by S. Clayton (lot 2843; est. $15,000) realised $16,695. In Australian Commonwealth pre-decimal a 1927 Kell/Heathershaw one pound (lot 2954; est. $1,000) went well over estimate to $4,174 and a choice consecutive pair of 1952 Coombs/Wilson ten pounds (lot 3036; est. $12,500) realised top price of $13,714. In the specimens section the 1966 double set of ten notes (lot 3055; est. $35,000) realised $39,353. In star notes a 1967 Coombs/Randall five dollars (lot 3074; est. $3,000) realised $5,486 and a trio of 1966 Coombs/Wilson ten dollars (lot 3075; est. $3,000) realised $6,917.

On the third morning top results in the ancient coins went to a gold stater of Lysimachus (lot 3206; est. $8,000) at $8,109 and a bronze Aes Grave as (lot 3327; est. $2,000) realised $2,862. In numismatic literature a copy of Spalding's World of the Holey Dollar (lot 3414; est. $500) realised a record $1,193.

In military medals a Melbourne Volunteer Rifle Regiment Medal 1858 (lot 3603; est. $6,000)  ex Kevin Foster Collection realised $9,302. The Towner VC gold All Tivoli Theatres Life Pass (lot 3610; est. $20,000) realised $22,658. Top price went to the only ANZAC in the air over Gallipoli DSO group of six to Major A.H.K Jopp (lot 3626; est. $35,000) at $41,738. The New Zealand trio to a journalist, the only NZ ANZAC sentenced to death at Gallipoli (lot 3635; est. $2,500) went home at $6,559, and the rare set of Gallipoli slides (lot 3638; est. $6,000) went to a museum at $11,329. The Anzacs in armoured cars collection of photos and documents (lot 3748; est. $15,000) realised $23,850 to a private collection. Finally the aviator's long coat (Kingsford Smith's) (lot 3927; est. $200) realised $2,027 after a long bidding duel online.