Sale 131 Preface

Welcome to auction Sale 131, our third and final sale for the year. Once again it is a broad sale of almost 4,000 lots. Highlights are important Australian gold coins, including both types of Adelaide pounds 1852, a new to the market extremely fine example of the very rare 1855 Sydney Mint half sovereign, a complete collection of half sovereigns 1855-1918 from the David Ross Collection, many originally from the R. & C. Pratley Collection in Sale 27 and the Sharps Pixley Collection in Sale 30. Some significant sovereigns are headed up by choice uncirculated 1862 and extremely rare 1926 Sydney issues. 

In the afternoon at 2:30pm is a session on Australian Historical medals, including convict love tokens, the G. D. Guthrie medals of Bendigo Pottery and a silver Shipwreck Relief Society for a 1939 rescue in Darwin harbour. 

The 4:30pm session has a small selection of proof and choice Australian Commonwealth issues, including three 1930 pennies. The highlight is possibly the finest known pattern square halfpenny 1921. The fifth session at 7:30pm on the first evening opens with Proclamation coins followed by a Holey Dollar 1813 and seven fifteen pence dumps 1813 and the best of Australian gold.

The second day in the afternoon sees the offering at 2:30pm of Chinese coins followed by the Gary McCue Collection of Tibetan coins. The British series commences with Ancient British through to modern follows at 4:30pm. A superb Cromwell halfcrown and shilling 1658, and a nearly FDC Gothic crown 1847 are highlights.

A good series of Isle of Man and Channel Islands issues follows, from the Malcolm C. Johnson Collection. In this sale are all his British coins, tokens, and paper money. 

British and world gold are offered in 7:30pm session. The third day opens with Ancient gold coins, Greek silver and bronze, Roman Imperial, Roman Provincial, and Byzantine, followed by Indian coins in gold, silver and bronze. Items of interest include a choice stater 500-450BC of Cyzicus, an aureus of Nerva, and a solidus of Constantine the Great from the C.S Bement Collection Then Australian banknotes occupy the last two sessions, with the highlight being a trial of the first Australian banknote, a ten shillings of 1912. 

On the final day the Orders, Decorations and Medals complete the live in room auction by about 4pm. There are a large number of groups and singles including many wounded in action, killed in action and POW groups as well as a MID group to a Nursing Sister. Of particular interest are a Seringapatam Medal 1799 and a Sultan’s Medal for Egypt 1801 pair to Captain George Molle who in 1813, now a Lieutenant-Colonel, was appointed the Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales under Governor Lachlan Macquarie.

There are also British single medals awarded to soldiers in units posted to colonial NSW and a Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) group for the Crimea to an Australian born soldier serving in a British unit – probably the first DCM awarded to an Australian born.

The timed online only component of this auction features world silver and bronze coins, world banknotes, Australian decimal and decimal proof coins, militaria, and miscellaneous items. 

On behalf of the company I wish to thank all our participants, whether as vendors or as buyers.