Sale 126 realises $2.6 Million

Sunday, 18 April 2021

This sale was very well supported with nearly one hundred floor bidders and over six hundred successful internet bidders. Clearance of lots was at nearly 90 per cent at 127 percent of estimate overall for all lots that sold.


In the first session mis-strikes did well with the 1919 reverse brockage penny (lot 52; est $1,250) bringing $2,400 hammer or $2,928 with buyer's premium as are all the following quoted prices. The sixty percent off centre 1921 halfpenny (lot 53; est $1,500) realised $3,172. In the decimal mis-strikes a double struck fifty cents, 1976 (lot 67; est $750) realised $3,538 while the reverse brockage with three planchets (lot 68; est $1,000) topped the bill for the section at $5,124. In decimal proofs a scarce year, 1991, Platinum proof set (lot 167; est $2,100) realised $3,904. In pre decimal a small lot of halfpennies (9) dated 1945-7 from an old collection (lot 317; est $150) realised $1,342, while lot 316 (est $150) comprising five 1944 halfpennies from the same collection went to an internet buyer at $2,013.

A strong result in the British commemorative medal section, was for a bronze medal with ephemera for the opening of the New Coal Exchange, London, 1849 (lot 449; est $1,200) bid up to $6,100, certainly a new record.

In the miscellaneous section a 3.5 carat diamond ring (lot 476; est $12,000) went to a floor bidder at $18,300; an Egyptian stela (2040-1782 BC) (lot 566; est $1,000) may have been well bought at $7,930; all nine David Boyd oil paintings sold well above the estimates, for example (lot 635; est $1,500) realised $13,786, (lot 639; est $3,000) realised $14,640.

Highlight of the British gold coins was the Edward III noble (lot 715; est $3,500) at $11,590. A Royal Mint gold 2012 proof set (lot 742; est $6,000) realised $10,248. A German New Guinea five mark 1894 (lot 743; est $2,500) doubled estimate realising $6,100. In Australian Historical Medals, Products of NSW 1854 by L.C. Wyon (lot 809; est $800) doubled estimate realising $1,952.

In the evening session the NSW fifteen pence (dump) (lot 928; est $30,000) realised $45,140, an 1859 Sydney Mint sovereign (lot 934; est $8,000) realised $11,956 and an 1858 half sovereign (lot 948; est $5,000) realised $10,492. In patterns and proofs a proof Melbourne Centenary florin (lot 1027; est $28,000) realised $28,060 and a proof Royal Visit florin 1954 (lot 1037; est $32,000) realised $32,940 both to the one buyer. The 1930 penny (lot 1131; est $10,000) realised $13,420, and a 1946 penny from an old collection, (lot 1140; est $300) realised $2,074.

The next morning opened with world silver and bronze coins, notable results were British North Borneo plantation tokens, (lot 1172; est $400) realised $2,440; a Nyassa Company twenty reis 1894 H (lot 1201; est $500) realised $1,220. The important Mark Freehill Collection of Ceylon Estate tokens were keenly bid for with some results over estimate e.g. (lot 1213; est $50) at $671, (lot 1230; est $200) at $976, (lot 1244; est $150) at $976, and best of all (lot 1248; est $300) at $2,928, followed by (lot 1250; est $500) at $2,440. China issues followed with some impressive results, a Kirin dollar (lot 1268; est $200) realised $3,660, a Yuan Shih-Kai plumed hat dragon dollar (lot 1272; est $1,500) realised $10,370 and a Kweichow bamboo dollar (1949) (lot 1275; est $1,000) raced away to realise $26,840. Indian coins followed, the two bronze Queen Victoria minors from Dhar Princely States from the Freehill Collection (lot 1362; est $200) realised $1,708. Another lot of 18 Indian coins, 1835-1930, also from the Freehill Collection (lot 1370; est $300) realised $1,952. Keeling Cocos Islands celluloid or bone tokens were keenly sought (lot 1404; est $200) realised $854 and (lot 1405; est $50) realised $610. From North Africa the Freehill Egyptian tokens sold well commencing with the Suez Canal trio (lot 1424; est $500) realised $1,586 and a lot of four pieces (lot 1434; est $200) realised $1,830, next in price was, (lot 1440; est $240) at $1,708. Top price in South African coins went to the ZAR Paul Kruger five shillings 1892 with double shaft (lot 1458; est $3,000) at $9,760. The first South African token from the Freehill Collection (lot 1466; est $200) realised $732; the Cyphergat Coal Co trio (lot 1475; est $750) realised $1,342 and the top price went to the Daniel & Hyman set of four (lot 1517; est $1,500) at $2,196. A lot of Siamese porcelain gambling tokens (lot 1548; est $300) soared away to realise $1,708, and the larger lot 1549 (est $450) also raced away to realise $4,392. The two Tibet lots ex Mark Freehill Collection sold in the last sale (both not paid) realised prices (lots 1551, 1552; est $400 and $500 respectively) of $14,030 and $6,710. A miscellaneous lot of US coins (40) estimated at $350 (lot 1554) sold for $1,830 followed by 19 Walking Liberty half dollars (lot 1555; est $2,500) at $4,270. In world gold coins to conclude the morning session a USA double eagle, 1924 St. Gaudens in MS66 (lot 1698; est $2,700) realised $4,270.

The afternoon session commenced with world historical medals, those of Ceylon were hotly contested between two internet bidders, (lot 1704; est $500 for 14 pieces) realised a staggering $6,710, the next (lot 1705) comprising 8 pieces estimated at $350 realised $3,660 and a lot of 4 pieces (lot 1708; est $200) realised $2,318. A Shanghai Russian Regiment sports award 1935 ex Dr. W.J.D. Mira Collection (lot 1712; est $200) realised $1,159. A Hong Kong Royal Naval Dockyard Police medal ex Freehill Collection (lot 1725; est $100) realised $1,220. The Mark Freehill British India medals generally realised over estimate, the highest prices went to the gold Coronation Visit 1911-12 medal (lot 1757; est $2000) at $3,416. A pair of unawarded bronze medals of Mauritius dated 1859, 1887 (lot 1781; est $300) realised $1,708. A Singapore Centenary medal in silver 1919 (lot 1792; est $300) realised $1,952. A West Africa, Gambia Native Chief's Certificate of Honour medal (lot 1813; est $600) realised $2,684. To conclude the medals a copy of a Hong Kong Opium Licence Bond from the late Brian Bennett’s Police Badges Collection (lot 1876; est $100) surprised with a bidding duel yielding $4,392. Stamps concluded the afternoon session, with a China series from the late John Melick's Collection being the highlight (lot 1959; est $2,000) realised $12,200, (lot 1967; est $500) realised $7,076, and a series of communist issues (225) (lot 1970; est  $500) realised $17,080 followed by a further 105 stamps in lot 1971; estimated at $500 bringing $3,904.

Top prices in the Robert Tonner New Zealand banknotes went to an 1874 Bank of Australasia one pound rarity, (lot 1989; est $11,500) at $13,664, a Bank of New Zealand fifty pounds 1926 (lot 1997; est $25,000) at $21,960, a ten shillings 1932 (lot 2012; est $8,000) at $10,004, a Union Bank of Australia one pound 1903 (lot 2038; est $12,000) at $13,542 and a Southland Treasury note five pounds (c 1863) ex Robb Collection (lot 2053; est $4,000) at $5,490. World bank notes followed with several Malaysia issues bringing outstanding results for the vendors beginning with an ABNC specimen ten units 1929 (lot 2160; est $100) realising an amazing $8,540 to live online bidding only, a 1941 five dollars (lot 2165; est $1,000) realising $2,928, Buffalo ten dollars 1961 (lots 2175 and 2176; est $300 each) realising $1,952 and $2,196 respectively and finally the  1981 one thousand ringgit (lot 2179; est $1,000) realising an amazing $34,160 at the end of an online only bidding duel. A Sarawak one dollar 1938 (lot 2198; est $200) realised $1,830 and a 1940 ten cents (lot 2199; est $1,000) realised $2,074, a Straits Settlements ten cents 1919 (lot 2220; est $700) realised $6,710, a one dollar 1930 (lot 2221; est $1,500) realised $4,148 and a 1935 one dollar (lot 2222; est $600) realised $3,660. The USA five dollars silver certificate 1899 (lot 2236; est $2,000) realised $2,928. Miscellaneous world bank note lots often went way over estimate e.g. lots 2258, 2262, 2264; ests $200, $100, $150 respectively realising $1,952, $1,830 and $2,684.

The evening session commenced with a Blaxcell Sydney 1814 currency note ten shillings (lot 2269; est $2,000) that realised $3,294. The important Bank of Van Diemans Land share 1824 (lot 2274, est $3,000) from the late Dr Bill Mira's Collection realised $3,660. Top price in pre decimal issues went to the 1927 ten pounds (lot 2330; est $6,000) at $5,734. The TAA "theft" specimen set (1983) (lot 2346; est $25,000) realised $27,450 the highest figure in the Australian notes offered. A Coombs/Randall one dollar star note (lot 2359; $3,000) realised $5,856 and a consecutive pair of Coombs/Randall two dollars star notes (lot 2364; est $5,000) realised $7,320.

The third day morning session began with ancient Greek silver and bronze coins; highlights were a Sybaris silver nomos (lot 2544; est $3,000) at $4,026; a Croton silver nomos (lot 2545; est $3,000) at $3,416; a Gela tetradrachm (lot 2551, est $4,000) at $8,540; and Siculo-Punic tetradrachms (lot 2561; est $5,400) and (lot 2562; est $8,000) at $9,150 and $19,520 (this after a two-horse race in the room between two floor bidders). A late (c 195 BC) Lysimachos tetradrachm (lot 2593; est $2,500) realised $4,636.

The twelfth session followed on with ancient gold coins, a Carthage gold trihemistater (lot 2836; est $40,000) realised the top price for ancient coins in the auction at $47,580. Top price realised in Roman gold went to the aureus of Aelius as Caesar (lot 2838; est $8,000) at $9,150. In the Byzantine gold a solidus of Anastasius II (lot 2870; est $5,000) realised $4,392 and a solidus of Nicephorus I (lot 2873, est. $2000) realised $3,660 after a short bidding duel between two determined bidders. In Roman silver denarii of Augustus (lot 2901; est $1,500) and Galba (lot 2927; est $2,500) realised $2,196 and $3,050 respectively and incredibly a Marcus Aurelius denarius featuring Armenia (lot 2982; est $250) realised a record $2,196 after a bidding war with a floor bidder prevailing.
 
The final session commenced at 2.30pm and was devoted to Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria. In Australian singles a QSA to Capt. Anderson NSW M.R. (lot 3121; est $1,000) sold to a room bidder for $2,928. A specimen Queensland LS&GC Medal 1895 (lot 3140; est $500) realised $2,440. Highlight was the George V Polar Medal with Antarctic 1930-31 clasp (lot 3143; est $3,000) at $11,956 after several bidders vied for the prize lot. In Australian groups a QSA / KSA pair to Queensland I.B (lot 3147; est $1,000) realised $4,880 as did the AFC group (lot 3157; est $2,500). Top price lot went to the family group for the Walker brothers in WW1 (lot 3176; est $20,000) at $26,840. In British singles the Rorke's Drift Zulu War Defender (lot 3228; est $80,000) was referred at $58,000. Most of the Zulu War medals sold slightly over estimate e.g. (lot 3233; est $900) realised $1,708. An Arctic Medal 1818-1855 unnamed as issued (lot 3265; est $1,400) realised $2,562. In badges top price went to RAN Bridging Train hat badge (lot 3282; est $1,000) at $2,928. Finally, a WW1 trench art bracelet-style dog tag to a Sapper in "ANZAC.W.LESS" (lot 3334; est $100) realised $1,037.

Our next sale takes place in Sydney at the State Library of NSW on the 27th to the 30th of July and consignments are being received until the 30th of May.

Jim Noble
April 2021

Auction news