Anchored by multiple specialized collections, Ancient and World coins realized over $11,668,000 in the Stack’s Bowers Galleries August 2024 Global Showcase Auction, while World paper money added more than $928,000 to the total. With live and online sessions spanning nearly two weeks from August 12th through 23rd, the 5,000+ lots of Ancient and World coins and nearly 900 lots of World paper money held great appeal for collectors of any budget and encompassed a wide range of interests. (All prices include the buyer’s fee.)
Ancient coinage was led by a Macedonian gold Stater graded Ch MS, Strike: 5/5 Surface: 5/5 by NGC, which brought $24,000 after numerous excited bids. Other standouts included gold Aurei of the Roman emperors Vespasian and Caracalla, which realized $19,200 and $15,600 respectively. Headlining the British section was the colossal gold 1000 Pounds from the 2018 “Queen’s Beasts” series, which soared to $84,000. Top price among British vintage coins was $66,000 for an incredibly brilliant 1729 “East India Company” 5 Guineas of George II. Among the many other stars of the sale were a 1938 Czechoslovakian 10 Ducats that realized $102,000, and a marvelous Russian 12 Rubles struck in platinum that smashed its estimate selling for $78,000.
The sale’s rarest and most anticipated lots, however, were found in the sessions devoted to important collections assembled over decades. Part two of the Emilio M. Ortiz Collection featured dozens of extremely elusive Latin American Cuartillos, many of which had never been offered in a public auction. Notable lots included a stunning near-Gem from Zacatecas which brought $36,000 after fierce bidding, an 1861 Sinaloa pattern which sold for $28,800, and a fascinating and extremely rare Chilean token from 1821 that realized $24,000.
The Richard Margolis Collection offered numerous French trials, patterns, and other rarities which had not been seen in the market for many years. An astonishing 20 Francs Essai of Napoleon as Consul in PCGS SP-65+ was the clear headliner, reaching $198,000. The various Essais of Louis XVI from the 1791 Écu competition also attracted great interest, with artistic examples by DuVivier and Andreiu smashing estimates as they sold for $72,000 and $66,000, respectively.
The final live session centered on Latin American coinage and featured the breathtaking collection of S.P. Rutherford. His expansive assortment of rarities focused on “Royal” cobs of Mexico, Potosi, and Lima, as well as the most elusive varieties of “Pillar” Dollars. Notable lots included the legendary Greenland “Pillar” Dollar that brought $40,800, the early Rincon 8 Reales from Lima which realized $33,600, and an especially beautiful 1670 Bolivian “Royal” that left its estimate in the dust selling at $28,800. Other highlights from this session included a stunning and rare Bolivian 1852 8 Scudos in MS-63+ that reached $96,0000, crowning the impressive Marcos Urrutia Collection of Bolivian 8 Scudos. An extremely rare Costa Rican counterstamp on a 5 Francs of Louis Philippe captured countermark enthusiasts’ attention selling for $66,000.
World Paper Money was also well represented in the auction with a special catalog comprising an exciting selection of banknotes from the Americas which brought over $928,000. Highlights include a 100 Peso specimen note from Colombia’s Banco de Antioquia that realized $28,800, a Banco de Medellin 10 Pesos that reached $14,400, and a rare Banco de Mexico 10000 Pesos that sold for $13,800.
Other World Coin Highlights:
Lot 42071: CHINA. Gold 10000 Yuan (Kilo), 2004. Panda Series. NGC PROOF-69 Ultra Cameo. Sold for $84,000.
Lot 42258: GERMANY. Regensburg. 10 Ducats, ND (1793). Regensburg Mint. Free City (in the name of Franz II). PCGS Genuine–Graffiti, Unc Details. Sold for $78,000.
Lot 42565: RUSSIA. Platinum 6 Rubles, 1831-CNB. St. Petersburg Mint. Nicholas I. NGC MS-66 Prooflike. Sold for $60,000.
Lot 44275: PERU. Cob 8 Escudos, 1708-L H. Lima Mint. Philip V. PCGS MS-63. Sold for $55,200.
Lot 42685: YAP ISLAND. Stone Money “Fei”, ND (Pre-O’Keefe type, mid-late 19th Century). ESSENTIALLY AS MADE. Sold for $38,400.
Lot 42312: INDIA. Mysore. Mohur, AH 1200 Year 4 (1785/86). Patan (Seringapatan) Mint. Tipu Sultan. NGC MS-64. Sold for $31,200.
Lot 44341: BRAZIL. 20000 Reis (Dobrão), 1727-M. Minas Gerais (Vila Rica) Mint. Joao V. NGC MS-63. Sold for $31,200.
Lot 42047: BURMA. Aluminum 4 Annas Pattern, BE 2602 (1942). NGC MS-63. Sold for $26,400.
Lot 42636: SIERRA LEONE. Sierra Leone Company. Dollar, 1791. Birmingham (Soho) Mint. NGC MS-65. Sold for $31,200.
Lot 42641: SPAIN. Maravedi (Morabetino), ND (1188-1230). Likely Salamanca Mint. Alfonso IX. NGC MS-63. Sold for $36,000.
Other World Paper Money Highlights:
Lot 30217: COLOMBIA. Credito Maritimo. 50 Pesos, 1886. P-Unlisted. DP 10080. Proof. PMG About Uncirculated 50. Sold for $18,000.
Lot 30068: CANADA. Canadian Bank of Commerce. 100 Dollars, 2.1.1917. CH# 75-16-02-12. PMG Extremely Fine 40. Sold for $11,400.
Lot 30280: EL SALVADOR. Deuda Publica del Salvador. 500 Pesos, ND (ca. 1880s). P-38cts. Color Trial Specimen. PMG Choice Uncirculated 64. Sold for $10,200.
Lot 30297: GUATEMALA. Banco Central de Guatemala. 100 Quetzales, 7.7.1926. P-10s. Specimen. PMG Choice Uncirculated 64. Sold for $6,600.
Complete prices realized for the Stack’s Bowers Galleries August 2024 Global Showcase Auction are now available at StacksBowers.com. On the heels of this successful event, the firm’s World and Ancient Coin and World Paper Money departments are preparing for their Official Auction of the January 2025 NYINC. To consign to this auction or to another of the firm’s upcoming Showcase or Online auctions, email Consign@StacksBowers.com or call 800-458-4646.
About Stack’s Bowers Galleries
Stack’s Bowers Galleries conducts live, internet and specialized auctions of rare U.S. and world coins and currency and ancient coins, as well as direct sales through retail and wholesale channels. The company’s 90+ year legacy includes the cataloging and sale of many of the most valuable United States coin and currency collections to ever cross an auction block — The D. Brent Pogue Collection, The John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, The Joel R. Anderson Collection, The Norweb Collection, The Cardinal Collection, The Sydney F. Martin Collection and The Battle Born Collection — to name just a few.
World coin and currency collections include The Pinnacle Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection of World Gold Coins, The Kroisos Collection, The Alicia and Sidney Belzberg Collection, The Salton Collection, The Wa She Wong Collection, the Augustana Collection of gold rarities from across western Europe, the Richard Margolis Collection of world coins and medals and The Thos. H. Law Collection. Recently the firm was awarded the privilege of bringing the most valuable world coin collection to auction – the L. E. Bruun Collection.
The company is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, with galleries in New York, Boston and Philadelphia. Offices are also located in New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Sacramento, South Carolina, Virginia, Copenhagen, Hong Kong, Paris and Vancouver. Stack’s Bowers Galleries hosts an annual Global Showcase in August featuring United States coins and currency, Ancient coins and World coins and currency in its Costa Mesa auction gallery. They are also the Official Auctioneer for several important numismatic events, including the New York International Numismatic Convention, the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Spring, Summer and Winter Expos, the Spring and Fall Hong Kong shows, and the Maastricht Paper Money shows.
