Islamic and Asian Rarities at Stephen Album
Stephen Album Rare Coins will hold its Auction 35 on September 12-14, 2019 at its offices in Santa Rosa, California. The auction is comprised of exactly 2,800 lots of Ancient, Islamic, Chinese, General World, and Indian Coins, as well as a small selection of Numismatic Literature.
Some featured collections in the sale include; The Jerry D. Williams Collection of Elephant Coins & Medals, The Axel Wahlstedt Collection of Indian & East-Asian Coins, and The Christian Rasmussen Collection of Ilkhan Coins. The firm’s CEO Joseph Lang has commented that, “This is probably one of our best catalogs. There are numerous interesting coins across all categories, many of which you will not find offered at other auction houses.”
Both internet and floor bidding are available for this sale. Some highlights from the sale follow:
Lot 175: Mughal. Jahangir, 1605-1628, silver ½ rupee, Ahmadabad, AH1027 year 13, KM-138.2, zodiac type, Leo (lion left), with the sun rising behind, attractive original tone, an extremely rare denomination for this series, perhaps the only piece offered at public auction, PCGS graded EF40, RRRR, ex Dr. Axel Wahlstedt Collection. Estimated Value $10,000 to $15,000.
Lot 269: Sikh Empire. Gold mohurs (8 pieces), Amritsar, VS1843 year GN31x, group of 8 specimens of this extremely rare mohur of the Misl period, struck in the Bhangi Misl, centered at Amritsar, then under the rule of Ghulab Singh Bhangi; the earliest known Sikh Empire coin struck in gold, attached to a necklace (the necklace itself is almost certainly not original), all in EF condition, lot of 8 coins attached to a necklace, RRR. Estimated Value $14,000 – 16,000.
Lot 460: Seleukid Kingdom. Demetrios I & Laodice IV, 162-150 BC, silver tetradrachm (16.24g), Seleukeia on the Tigris mint, SC-1686, struck circa 161-150 BC, jugate heads right of Demetrios, wearing diadem, and Laodice, wearing stephanos, within fillet border // Tyche holding scepter in extended left hand and cradling cornucopia in right arm, seated left on throne supported by tritoness right; monogram and palm frond to outer left, lovely quality for type! NGC graded choice EF, strike 5/5, surface 3/5, RRR. Estimated Value $10,000 – 15,000.
Lot 1096: Turkey. Abdul Mejid, 1839-1861, gold medal (90.92g), Kostantiniye, AH1255 year 5, cf. Pere 1087, cf. Sultan 3237, cf. Eldem pg. 154, 50mm, Commemorating the Establishment of the New Imperial Mint at Constantinople; tughra of Abdul Mejid at center; rose branch to right; all within grain-ear wreath with crossed quivers at base // iste tashihi ayar sikkaye sarfi himmet kildi hani ‘abd al-majid (“the amendment of setting coin to strike it the khan, Abdul Mejid”) in Ottoman Turkish, all within floral wreath; above, regnal year on ornate tablet flanked by branches; below, Hejri date on ornate tablet flanked by branches, medal alignment, a few small reverse digs, mount very expertly removed, very bold strike, plain edge, EF, RRR. Estimated Value $14,000 to $16,000.
Lot 1669: Qing. Tong Zhi, 1862-1874, AE cash coin tree, Board of Revenue mint, Peking, Hartill-22.1125, East branch mint, intact cash coin tree (qianshu) of 38 coins, a lovely example! VF-EF, ex Master Sergeant L.B. Whittier Collection. Estimated Value $10,000 – 15,000.
Lot 1725. Chihli. Kuang Hsu, 1875-1908, silver dollar, Peiyang Arsenal mint, Tientsin, year 24 (1898), Y-65.2, L&M-449, dragon eyes in relief, a superb quality example with bright white original mint luster, PCGS graded MS63. Estimated Value $14,000 – $16,000.
The firm is now taking consignments for its Auction 36 on January 23-25, 2019.
More information can be found on the Stephen Album website.
And here you can browse through the online auction catalogue of sale 35.