Sale 116 Realises $3.25 Million

Wednesday, 01 November 2017

Sale 116 Realises $3.25 Million


This twenty session, four day and night sale of 5,570 lots was very successful with its total realised being  $3.25 million at 112 percent of estimate for lots sold and a clearance rate of 85 percent of all lots. The highest priced lot went to the five shillings note illustrated on the back cover at $77,513 (lot 2686; est $70,000). The front cover lot, the George IV proof crown 1826 (lot 1740; estimated at $7,500) ex C.S. Hodgson Collection, doubled its estimate realising $17,291.


The front cover lot in the military catalogue 116B (lot 5451; estimated at 10,000) realised $10,136 and the back cover lot, the George Medal group for Vietnam (lot 5228; estimated at $25,000) realised the top price for that catalogue at $25,043.


The first day was devoted to Australian coins, tokens and historical medals. Miscellaneous coins, decimal coins and proofs were a virtual sell-out. In the second session the Australian gold was a sell-out. In historical medals the engraved convict token to Frederick Morgan in 1825 (lot 654; estimated at $8,000) realised the top price at $13,118 and the next lot, to Mary Ives (lot 655; estimated at $6,000) realised $10,733. A private collector secured the River Murray medal (believed to be ex Ray Jewell Collection) (lot 658; estimated at $10,000) at $8,944.


The stamps, which concluded the third session, virtually sold out, nearly all to a determined bidder in the room. A Victoria ten pounds duty stamp (lot 786; estimated at $500) realised $1,908 and a trio of high values (lot 788; estimated at $500) ex Brian Maloney Collection realised $2,147. Top prices in the Sydney Mint series went to an 1862 sovereign (lot 1198; estimated at $5,000) at $6,082 and the 1855 half sovereign (lot 1212; estimated at $3,000) at $8,348. In Imperial an 1886 Melbourne Shield reverse sovereign (lot 1229; estimated at $8,000) realised $9,302. Top price went to the 1926 Sydney sovereign (lot 1263; estimated at $45,000) at $52,470. A good extremely fine 1875 Sydney half sovereign (lot 1268; estimated at $1,000) easily exceeded estimate, realising $4,055. A common date sovereign, 1892 Melbourne realised a record price of $3,697, as it was in gem uncirculated condition (lot 1250; estimated at $750).


In proofs a 1927 Canberra florin (lot 1291; estimated at $10,000) realised $17,291 and a PCGS PF65 pair of 1935 penny and halfpenny (lot 1293; estimated at $30,000) realised $39,353. Choice florins of 1914 (lot 1313) and 1921 (lot 1325) each estimated at $3,500 realised $4,055 and $4,532 respectively. Top price in Commonwealth silver went to the 1933 shilling (lot 1368; estimated at $6,000) at $7,871. The 1922/1 threepence easily exceeded estimate of $1,500 (lot 1404) realising $3,101. A gem uncirculated 1916I penny (lot 1419; estimated at $2,000) doubled estimate at $4,770. A fine/good fine 1930 penny (lot 1430; estimated at $20,000) realised $26,235. A 1923 halfpenny (lot 1448; estimated at $5,000) realised $5,366.


The second day saw strong results in the British series with lots from the Dr V.J.A. Flynn Collection exceeding estimate. An Edward VI silver crown, 1552 (lot 1559; estimated at $2,000) went to a buyer in the room at $5,724. A Charles I Oxford Mint silver pound, 1643/2 (lot 1612; estimated at $8,000) realised $13,118 and an Exeter Mint silver crown with doubled date ex H.E.G. Paget Collection (lot 1613; estimated at $2,500) realised $4,293. Both Commonwealth crowns 1653 and 1656 (lot 1614; estimated at $3,000 and lot 1615; estimated at $5,000) each realised $5,486 to a collector in the room. Among the twentieth century issues a presentation proof set, 1936 (lot 1848; estimated at $10,000) was good value at the $19,080 it realised.


In historical medals a James II coronation issue in silver, 1685 was keenly bid for to realise $1,789 (lot 1910; estimated at $850). A Royal Wedding 1981 in gold (lot 1962; estimated at $5,000) realised top price in the section at $7,274.


In British gold coins the Edward III noble (lot 1965; estimated at $3,500) realised $5,724 and a William IV half sovereign, 1835 (lot 1975; estimated at $1,500) realised $2,624.


In the miscellaneous section a Mikimoto pearl necklace and bracelet (lots 2074, estimated at $500, and 2075, estimated at $250) each realised $1,729 after spirited bidding to a buyer in the room. Top price went to a ladies gold bangle (lot 2077; estimated at $3,500) for $4,532.


The outstanding results in world banknotes went to the Fiji high values, the 1942 ten pounds (lot 2306; estimated at $5,000) realised a new record price for the type of $19,080 to a bidder on the phone after spirited bidding. The twenty pounds, 1948 (lot 2307; estimated at $4,000) realised $13,118 to a collector in the room while the Elizabeth II twenty pounds 1954 (lot 2313; estimated at $10,000) realised $23,850 to the phone bidder against the collector in the room. A Western Samoa one pound 1957 (lot 2497; estimated at $500) realised $3,339 after a bidding duel in the room between two collectors.


In Australian pre-decimal banknotes a superscribed one pound (1910) on the National Bank of Australasia (lot 2607; estimated at $3,500) realised $9,063. Top price went to the fifty pounds (1918) (lot 2678; estimated at $8,000) at $18,484. The Hay Internment Camp threepence (lot 2679; estimated at $1,500) realised $4,293 and the Tatura Camp sixpenny canteen coupons (strip of three) (lot 2680; estimated at $1,000) realised $2,743 to the same buyer in the room after spirited bidding.


The third day was devoted entirely to world coins. In the eleventh session the Chinese coins sold well above estimate, a Chihli Province fifty cents (lot 2912; estimated at $300) realised $7,751 and a Hupeh Province silver tael (lot 2921; estimated at $2,000) realised $21,465 after a long drawn out bidding duel. The Kiang Nan silver dollars realised ten times estimates (lot 2922; estimated at $500 and lot 2923; estimated at $1,500) realising $5,486 and $17,888 respectively. The Szechuan dollars ex Dr V.J.A. Flynn Collection (lots 2947 and 2948; estimated at $100 and $150) realised more than ten times estimate, bringing $1,789 and $1,908 respectively. An outstanding result came with one of the Sun Yat Sen Memento dollars from a small hoard (lot 2958; estimated at $100) realising $2,266 to a floor bidder. A Danzig ten gulden 1935 (lot 2996; estimated at $500) realised $1,073. The top price in French coins went to an attractive Napoleon five francs year 12A (1803-4) (lot 3038; estimated at $2,200) at $2, 624. A French Indo China tael (1943) (lot 3100; estimated at $2,000) realised $4,174.


In the German series,  which occupied all of the twelfth session,  nearly all of the nineteenth and twentieth century issues were from the world collection we have been offering, this being part 3. Highest prices went to Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel proof five mark 1915A (lot 3147; estimated at $5,000) at $4,770, Hesse-Darmstadt proof three mark 1917A (lot 3164; estimated at $7,000) at $6,559 to a floor bidder and a Saxe-Coburg-Gotha five mark 1895A (lot 3213; estimated at $5,500) at $4,770.


A Hong Kong silver dollar 1867/6 overdate (lot 3394; estimated at $1,000) went to a floor bidder at $3,458. A Swiss shooting festival five francs, 1855 (lot 3762; estimated at $6,000) realised $5,963. A Thailand two baht of Rama IV (lot 3788; estimated at $2,000) realised $3,339. A pair of Liberty seated half dollars 1865S and 1871S ex Dr V.J.A. Flynn Collection (lot 3804; estimated at $150) realised $1,550. In world gold coins a contemporary forgery of the veld pond by Meister (lot 4039; estimated at $2,000) realised $4,174.


The fourth and final day commenced with ancient coins, exclusively in three sessions. Gold aureii of Galba and Titus (lots 4145 and 4146; estimated at $9,000 each) sold for $9,540 each. A silver tetradrachm of Messana (lot 4204; estimated at $2,500) sold for $2,981 and an Agathokles tetradrachm (lot 4209; estimated at $1,500) sold for $2,862. The best Athenian owl tetradrachm (lot 4285; estimated at $2,500) sold for $4,055. In Roman Republic a lot of two denarii went way over estimate (lot 4401; estimated at $200) realising $1,670 to a bidder online.


Most of the Roman coins were from Dr Flynn’s Collection and generally sold just below or at estimate. A Julian of Pannonia antoninianus (lot 4939; estimated at $1,500) realised $1,670 from an absentee bidder.


The nineteenth session at 4:30pm saw the auction of orders, decorations and medals being offered. The top price for a single went to a New Zealand Medal 1869 to a soldier present at the Eureka Stockade Rebellion (lot 5124; estimated at $7,500) at $14,906, a record price for such a medal. A China War Medal 1900 to HMS Protector (lot 5151; estimated at $5,000) realised $9,540, a trio for the Protector (lot 5185; estimated at $5,500) realised $10,136. A World War I Memorial Plaque to a naval officer killed in action in German New Guinea (lot 5165; estimated at $1,000) realised a record $3,458. An Egypt Sudan group of five to NSW Naval Contingent (lot 5173; estimated at $8,500) realised $11,687. A casualty trio to the AE1 (lot 5193; estimated at $15,000) went to an absentee bidder at $19,080. A killed in action group of six (lot 5208; estimated at $750) realised $2,862 to a floor bidder after a bidding war. In foreign medals a Netherlands Resistance Cross for Europe 1940-1945 (lot 5291; estimated at $500) realised $2,147.


The final session saw the sell-out of the Christopher Stoyles Collection of pickelhauben with most exceeding estimate, e.g. (lot 5361; estimated at $2,500) realised $5,724 and (lot 5441; estimated at $1,500) realised $3,339, however the highest price went to the Japanese suicide boat pilot helmet (lot 5528; estimated at $3,500) sold after a sharp bidding duel to an absentee bidder at $11,329.


The next sale will be held in Sydney 17th -20th April, already included are further selections from the Dr V.J.A Flynn Collection, the fourth part of a world collection being North and South America and the Brian Bolton Collection of Roman gold, silver and bronze coins, many in high grade.

 

Jim Noble

 

November 2017

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