Sale 131 Realises $3.3 Million

This, our third and last auction sale for the year, was again a successful one with the total sold being at 117 percent of estimates overall and over 80 percent of lots were sold. It took the total of the three auctions for the year to almost $15 million.

The top price for the sale went to the first type (or cracked die) Adelaide pound 1852 (lot 597) at $140,000 (or hammer price of $114,750 plus buyer’s premium including GST as are all the following total prices realised). In the first session in misstrikes a 1955 shilling pressed with a threepence (lot 60; est. $3,000) realised $6,710 as did a Great Britain quadruple struck penny (lot 64; est. $3,000).

Outstanding result in the New Zealand section went to the mule threepence 1965 (lot 119; est. $3,000) at $10,980. In Australian tokens, a Hodgson Bros Bendigo penny, 1862 (lot 137; est. $350), realised $2,196 after a bidding duel online. In Australian Historical medals, a Melbourne International Exhibition, 1880 in gold (lot 368, est. $1,750), realised $4,392. In Australian Commonwealth pre-decimal a 1922/1 overdate threepence (lot 524; est. $2,500) realised $5,124, while the best 1930 penny (lot 547; est. $30,000) realised $30,500.

In the night or fifth session the Proclamation coins sold out followed by strong results for the holey dollar (lot 589; est. $40,000) at $58,560 and the best dump (lot 590; est. $50,000) at $56,120. A type 2 Adelaide pound (lot 599; est. $25,000) realised $25,620. The best of the two 1855 half sovereigns (lot 620; est. $40,000) realised $61,000, the other (lot 621; est. $20,000) realised $29,280. The best result for a second type Sydney mint half sovereign went to the 1861 (lot 631; est. $7,500) at $10,492. Top priced Imperial sovereign went to the 1926 Sydney (lot 712; est. $35,000), realised $34,160. Top priced half sovereign went to the gem uncirculated 1882 Melbourne (lot 729; est. $4,000) at $12,810. The George V 1918 Perth half sovereign (lot 771; est. $4,000) realised $7,320.

Session eight at 2:30pm on the second day comprised Chinese coins (including the James Gardiner Collection) and Tibet coins and currency from the Gary McCue Collection. Outstanding results were achieved by the small round banking ingots (lot 1143; est. $200) realised $9,150, (lot 1147; est. $200), realised the top price of the four lots from the Gardiner Collection at $10,370. The Empire dollar (1908) (lot 1156; est. $1,500) also realised $10,370. A military uniform portrait dollar (1914) (lot 1193; est. $1,200) realised $6,710. A Tsao Kung silver medal (1923) (lot 1208; est. $400) realised $4,148. In Tibet coins, a silver five sho (1919) (lot 1264; est. $300) realised $5,368, a similar coin (1927) (lot 1266; est. $300) realised $4,148. The large silver one srang (1909) (lot 1267; est. $5,000) realised the top price for the collection at $17,080, while the 1919 issue (lot 1268; est. $5,000) realised the next highest price $10,370.

In the early British silver, an Alfred the Great penny cut down to a halfpenny (lot 1306; est. $150) did well realising $1,159. Top price in the hammered coins went to an Oxford Mint silver pound of Charles I (lot 1337; est. $10,000) at $18,300 going to a room buyer after spirited bidding. Top price in the British coins went to the Gothic crown, 1847 (lot 1373; est. $30,000) at $51,240. Top price in Malcolm Johnson’s Isle of Man series went to the John Murrey penny 1668 (lot 1462; est. $1,500) at $2,440. An album of 18^th century tokens (233) from the Malcolm Johnson Collection was well contested before finally realising $2,928 (lot 1485; est. $1,000).

In the tenth or night session of the second day, in world gold coins a South African krugerrand 1967 (lot 1640; est. $2,500) sold for $5,124 and a USA ten dollars 1869S (lot 1658; est. $1,100) raced away from its estimate in an online bidding war to realise $6,100. The next morning commenced with ancient coins and the highest price went to a Thebes silver stater ex Dr Jacob Hirsch Collection (lot 1731; est. $5,000) at $20,130 after an online bidding duel. Another stater from Thebes with infant Herakles on the reverse (lot 1735; est. $5,000) realised $9,150. A new style Athens tetradrachm (lot 1746; est. $1,500) was keenly bid for finally going to a floor bidder at $2,928.

In the 2:30pm session the Indian coins saw some outstanding results for the Awadh princely states, a gold ashrafi (lot 2026; est. $2,000) realised $5,124, another (lot 2035, est. $2,000) realised $5,612, however the outstanding result went to the unique trial striking in copper of Lucknow Mint (lot 2029; est. $500) finally realising $25,620 after a protracted bidding war.

In pre decimal banknotes in the final night session, good results were $14,030 for a square ten pounds (lot 2292; est. $12,000) and a gold period ten pounds (lot 2294; est. $14,000) at $15,860. Prior to these the emergency pound (lot 2234; est. $16,000) realised $26,840. The specimen trial ten shillings (1913) (lot 2313; est. $90,000) realised top price of $85,400.

The final three room sessions were devoted to Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria commencing at 9:30am. A British nursing group of eleven (lot 2379; est. $8,000) realised $8,540. In Australia singles a spectacular result went to a BWM 1914-18 to a medical doctor of Tasmanian association (lot 2449; est. $150) at $3,172 or twenty times estimate. Another great result went to a Victory Medal 1914-19 to a WIA Tasmanian (lot 2453; est. $150) at $4,148. In Australian groups the DCM for Crimea group of four (lot 2476; est. $5,000) easily exceeded estimate realising $15,250. A MC & MID trio (lot 2515; est. $4,000) realised $6,954. A WWII POW in Changi group of six (lot 2542; est. $400) realised $2,074. Top priced badge went to the Geraldton Rifle Volunteers helmet plate (lot 2643; est. $1,200) at $4,148.

In the online only session top prices for world notes went to two specimen notes (lot 3640; est. $1,500) at $8,540 and (lot 3654; est. $1,500) at $9,150. In Malcolm Johnson’s Channel Island and Isle of Man notes, top price went to the Internment Camps set of three (lot 3526; est. $900) at $2,806. The next sale will be held on the 28th-31st of March 2023, consignments close Friday 13th January.

Jim Noble