Stack’s Bowers Galleries continues its legacy of record breaking success with the results of the first auction offering of coins from the L. E. Bruun Collection, held on September 14th in Copenhagen, Denmark. The sale took place in the ballroom of the Odd Fellow Palace in front of a packed gallery of avid buyers as well as a worldwide audience that participated live via the Stack’s Bowers Galleries website. When the last of the 286 lots crossed the block, €14,820,900 (over $16.5 million U.S.) in Scandinavian coins had been sold to collectors and dealers worldwide. (All prices include the buyer’s fee.)
Leading this event was the extremely rare Danish 1496 King Hans Gold Noble graded NGC AU-55 which doubled its pre-sale estimate, selling for €1.2 million, a new world record for any Scandinavian coin at auction. Unique in private hands, the King Hans Gold Noble is the crown jewel of Scandinavian numismatics, being one of the oldest Scandinavian gold coins, the first gold coin struck by Denmark and one of the most beautiful Gothic coins produced in Scandinavia.
“The L. E. Bruun Part I auction was truly a landmark event for the world coin market,” stated Stack’s Bowers Galleries President Brian Kendrella. “The auction took place in front of a live crowd of over 250 excited bidders and attracted Internet participation that was extraordinary.” He continued: “The quantity and enthusiasm of the bidders, combined with the incredible quality of the material, led to over eight hours of heated competition, numerous rounds of applause, dozens of record prices, the first Scandinavian coin to cross the €1,000,000 mark, and prices realized totaling nearly €15,000,000.”
Additional significant coins from Denmark included the 1623 Gluckstadt 10 Ducats graded NGC AU-53, which nearly doubled its presale estimate soaring to €504,000. The undated (1668-69) 10 Ducats of Frederik III also doubled its presale estimate as heated competition powered the bidding to €444,000.
The superb selection of rarities from Norway was led by the €432,000 realized by the (1661) 2 Speciedaler, graded NGC AU-58 that is also believed to be unique in private hands. The 1660-FG Ducat graded NGC AU Details exceeded expectations at €384,000, while the 1644 PG 4 Speciedaler graded NGC AU Details went to a new home at €228,000.
Swedish coins saw heavy bidding across the board with the 1657 Karl X Gustav Ducat in NGC-64 realizing €85,000, and the undated (1633-34) Riksdaler of Axel Oxenstierna in NGC MS-63 more than doubling its presale estimate at €80,000. The 1838 Karl XIV Johan 4 Ducats from the Stockholm Mint in NGC MS-64 went through the roof at €55,000, nearly four times the presale estimate.
Stack’s Bowers Galleries will be continuing its auction presentations of the L. E. Bruun Collection for several years, with the next installment in spring 2025. For more information on future events please visit stacksbowers.com or contact the firm by email at info@stacksbowers.com.
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.
