Sale 120 Preface

Monday, 11 March 2019

Welcome to our first auction for 2019. Once again there are a wide range of coins, banknotes, medals and related items on offer from many vendors including several deceased estates. The collection formed over many years from many sources by the late Donald Simpson is spread throughout the sale offering many historically interesting and generally affordable coins from 1300s to 1800s. Another interesting collection is that formed from purchases at our auction from the early 1980s for ten years or so by W.J. Baker of the Central Coast. An anonymous collection of high grade half sovereigns acquired in 1989 brings to market specimens not seen in a long time.

 

Highlights of the sale include the newly discovered Chain America cent 1793 of the USA (lot 2546; est. $40,000), the choice South African Burgers pond 1874 (lot 2809; est. $40,000) and a gold ducat of Johann Ludwig of the Wallmoden-Gimborn district in Hannover, Germany, dated 1802 (lot 2728; est $17,500). All three of these coins are being offered at auction for the first time. The highest estimate in the sale goes to the Ottoman Empire presentation sword (lot 3514; est. $50,000).

 

In award and military medals we again have important life-saving medals, such as the Royal Humane Society Clarke Gold Medal (lot 572; est. $15,000) and the Star of Courage and Royal Humane Society of Australasia Gold Medal pair to a Tasmanian (lot 3739; est. $20,000).

 

In banknotes there are several rarities in the Pre Federation series carrying estimates of $10,000 - $20,000 each, one of note is the Commercial Bank of Australia one pound, Sydney 1909, with Chinese script (lot 4232; est. $20,000).

 

There are excellent selections of Imperial sovereigns, New Zealand coins and notes, Irish coins, British Commonwealth coins, Ancient Greek gold and silver from a Tasmanian collector, Roman coins from the Dr. V.J.A. Flynn Collection, world gold coins from the W. Rado Collection and share scrip from the J.P. Melick Collection.

 

On behalf of the company, I would like to thank all vendors for their contributions to make this another memorable auction. Please do not hesitate to ask anyone in the company to be of assistance at the viewing and the auction. 

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