SINCONA’s October Auctions Shining With Gold

SINCONA AG will be holding their auctions 58 to 62 from 21 to 24 October 2019 in Zurich. The layout for the catalogues is done and the texts are printed. Lovers of numismatics will be pleased about the beautiful catalogues – hardcover editions, of course – which will later find a worthy place in the numismatic library.

The five catalogues deal with the following subjects: Russia, world coins and medals, bullion auction, Switzerland and Swiss Confederation, Swiss shooting medals and banknotes.

Auction 58: Russian Coins and Medals (Monday, 21 October 2019)

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This fall, SINCONA AG’s auction week starts once again with a catalogue of Russian coins and medals and all tsars are well represented. Auction 58 comprises 650 catalogue numbers, and about 100 of the lots are gold and platinum coins. As usual, the text is written in English and Russian. And, also as usual, next to great rarities and extraordinary fine pieces some fractions and rare copper coins can be found. The estimate is 2.1 million Swiss francs.

• Lot 1: Russia. Peter I, 1682-1725. 2 ducats 1701 (Kadashevsky Mint). Extremely rare. Traces of mounting. NGC AU Details tooled. Estimate: CHF 200,000
• Lot 6: Russia. Peter I, 1682-1725. Rouble 1705 (Red Mint). Extremely fine showpiece. Estimate: CHF 12,000
• Lot 21: Russia. Peter I, 1682-1725. Rouble 1714 (Red Mint). Extremely rare and extremely fine. Estimate: CHF 10,000
• Lot 66: Russia. Peter II, 1727-1730. Rouble 1729 (Kadashevsky Mint). Very rare in this extremely fine quality. Estimate: CHF 25,000
• Lot 127: Russia. Elizabeth, 1741-1761. Rouble 1756 (Red Mint). Showpiece NGC MS65+. Estimate: CHF 20,000
• Lot 155: Russia, Catherine II, 1762-1796. Silver medal 1763 commemorating the enhancement of the monetary system. Showpiece with beautiful patina. Estimate: CHF 4,000
• Lot 177: Russia, Catherine II, 1762-1796. 10 roubles 1769 (St. Petersburg). Beautiful, uncirculated showpiece. Estimate: 15,000 CHF
• Lot 251: Russia, Paul I, 1796-1801. Rouble 1796 (St. Petersburg). Very rare. Estimate: CHF 17,500
• Lot 272: Russia, Paul I, 1796-1801. Gold medal, undated (1798) commemorating the Imperial Medical and Surgical Academy in St. Petersburg. Extremely rare. Estimate: CHF 30,000
• Lot 312: Russia, Alexander I, 1801-1825. Poltina 1809 (St. Petersburg). The rarest poltina of this type, uncirculated. Estimate: CHF 30,000
• Lot 349: Russia, Nicholas I, 1825-1855. Gold medal 1828 of 50 ducats. Commemorating the peace treaty with Turkey. Extremely rare. Estimate: CHF 65,000
• Lot 371: Russia, Nicholas I, 1825-1855. 12 roubles 1834. Platinum (St. Petersburg). Extremely rare, only 11 specimens minted. Showpiece. Estimate: CHF 100,000
• Lot 495: Russia, Alexander III, 1881-1894. Gold medal 1883 commemorating the consecration of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow. Only 300 specimens minted. Estimate: CHF 45,000

Auction 59: World and Swiss Coins and Medals – SINCONA bullion auction (Tuesday, Wednesday, 22/23 October 2019)

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SINCONA’s so-called general catalogue, which contains world coins from Egypt to Cyprus, is catalogue Auction 59. It is divided into three parts: World coins and medals made of gold and silver, the popular SINCONA bullion auction (78 positions) and Swiss coins and medals.

The main focuses of this catalogue are gold coins, especially those from the 19th century, high-quality coins of the USA, a series of Czech medals, mainly from Prague, numerous modern piedforts and a large collection of coins of the Ottoman Empire. Also in this auction, a series of orders and decorations will be offered. Regarding Swiss coinage, you can find important series of coins from Bern, containing an impressive amount of 22 gold coins, from Zurich, with more than 100 lots, and, of course, from the Swiss Confederation including shooting medals. All in all, there are 2,400 lots with a total estimate of CHF 2.3 million.

• Lot 1218: Germany, Saxony, Albertine line, Frederick Augustus II, 1733-1763. Ducat 1754 EDC (Leipzig). Very rare and extremely fine piece. Estimate: CHF 5,000
• Lot 1443: France, 3rd Republic, 1871-1940. 100 francs 1896 A (Paris). Only 400 specimens minted. Extremely fine to FDC. Estimate: CHF 12,500
• Lot 1603: Italy. Victor Emmanuel III, 1900-1946. 5 lire 1914 R (Rome). One of the most beautiful and the rarest coins of the 20th century. Almost FDC. Estimate: CHF 8,000
• Lot 1644: Italy, Naples/Sicily, Charles II of Spain, 1665-1700. Ducat 1689 (Naples). Extremely rare, especially in FDC. Estimate: CHF 15,000
• Lot 1654: Italy, Retegno, Antonio Tolomeo Gallio Trivulzio, 1708-1767. Ducat 1724. Very rare original striking. Estimate: CHF 10,000
• Lot 1887: Holy Roman Empire, Ferdinand II, 1618-1637. 2 ducats 1629 (Prague). Extremely rare. Estimate: CHF 5,000
• Lot 1994: Holy Roman Empire, Joseph I, 1705-1711. Silver medal 1700 commemorating the construction of Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna. Extremely fine with beautiful patina. Estimate: CHF 4,500
• Lot 1958: Holy Roman Empire, Franz Joseph I, 1848-1916. 100 korona 1907 (Kremnica). Commemorating the 40th coronation anniversary. Proof, PCGS PR64. Estimate: CHF 12,500
• Lot 1972: Holy Roman Empire, Prince-Bishopric of Brixen, Leopold Maria Josef v. Spaur, 1747-1778. Ducat 1768 (Salzburg). Commemorating the Prince-abbot’s golden primiz (first mass). Very rare. Estimate: CHF 4,000
• Lot 2019: Sweden, Charles XII, 1697-1718. Silver medal 1714 commemorating the return from the Turkish exile. Very rare, extremely fine piece. Estimate: CHF 2,000
• Lot 2109: Czech Republic, Archdiocese of Prague, Ferdinand Count of Khüenburg, 1713-1731. Silver medal 1729 commemorating the canonisation of John of Nepomuk. Very rare. Estimate: CHF 1,000
• Lot 2159: Czech Republic, Příbram. Silver medal 1729 commemorating the yield of the mine. Extremely fine with beautiful patina. Estimate: CHF 1,000
• Lot 2389: Ottoman Empire. Abd al-Azîz. 5 riyals 1287 H. (Tunis issue/Paris or Birmingham Mint). Probably unique, no references. Extremely fine to FDC. Estimate: CHF 1,000.
• Lot 2519: USA, 1 dollar 1868 (Philadelphia). NGC PF66+ Ultra Cameo. No specimen was ever graded higher. Estimate: CHF 20,000
• Lot 2682: Empire of Brazil. Imperial Order of the Rose, grand cross set containing a gold grand cross jewel and a gold-plated silver star body. Extremely fine. Estimate: CHF 7,500
• Lot 2688: Persia, order of the sun, breast star approx. 1880. Extremely fine. Estimate: CHF 5,000
• Lot 2704: Tanzania / Sultanate of Zanzibar. Illustrious order, first class set. Jewel and breast star with brilliants and rubies. Extremely fine. Estimate: CHF 5,000
• Lot 3002: Switzerland, Aargau, Abbey of Muri, Placidus v. Zurlauben, 1684-1723. Ducat 1720. Very rare. PCGS AU55. Estimate: CHF 7,500
• Lot 3036: Switzerland, Diocese of Basel, Joh. Konrad II v. Reinach-Hirzbach, 1705-1737. Taler 1716. Very rare, almost very fine. Estimate: CHF 7,500
• Lot 3109: Switzerland, Bern, 4 ducats 1798. Very rare. NGC MS63. Estimate: CHF 25,000
• Lot 3183: Switzerland, Geneva, écu pistolet 1580. Very rare. Estimate: CHF 1,500
• Lot 3261: Switzerland, city of St. Gallen. Double ducat 1621. Very rare and extremely fine. Estimate: CHF 12,000
• Lot 3413: Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. 1 rappen 1853 B (Bern) with narrow cross. Very rare, very fine +. Estimate: CHF 2,000
• Lot 3467: Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. 20 francs/vreneli 1922 B (Bern). Parts of die missing. Unique, almost FDC. Estimate: CHF 4,000

Auction 60: Werner Pfister Collection – Confederate coins of magnificent quality (Wednesday, 23 October 2019)

Werner Pfister is really what you call a passionate collector. During the last decades he collected, among other things, Swiss Confederate coins – what mattered to him was not the completion of his collection but the individual coin itself. And this intention is reflected in the title of the auction sale: Swiss Confederate coins of magnificent quality. Over the years, he gathered pieces that simply do not exist in better quality on the market in terms of their condition and especially their patina. Therefore, one encounters in this catalogue even pure nickel coins with iridescent plays of colours. By the way, there are also two specimens from 1896 – it is extremely rare to find coins from that year. Many of the 448 pieces have been graded by the American grading companies. The total estimate is CHF 226,000.

• Lot 4074: Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. 10 rappen 1899 B (Bern). First strike with perfect patina, FDC. Estimate: CHF 350.
• Lot 4179: Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. 5 francs 1928 B (Bern). First strike with beautiful patina. PCGS SP65. Estimate: CHF 17,500.

Auction 61: Stephen H. Corn Collection – Swiss shooting medals (Wednesday, 23 October 2019)

It has long been known that Swiss shooting talers and medals are not only collected intensively in the country they stem from – no, they are also very popular in other countries such as Japan, China and the USA. Stephen Corn from Florida, who died in 2018, can be described as the actual pioneer of Swiss shooting medal collectors; his collection has grown over the many years and comprises now more than 700 lots with a total estimate of CHF 275,000.

• Lot 5050: Confederate free shooting tournament in Basel. Gold medal 1844. Extremely rare; only 8 specimens minted. Estimate: CHF 6,000.
• Lot 5095: Confederate Schützenfest in Bern. Gold medal 1885. Extremely rare. Estimate: CHF 7,500.

Auction 62: Banknotes (Thursday, 24 October 2019)

This year’s catalogue of banknotes comprises 725 lots with interesting pieces from Afghanistan to Cyprus. The offer ranges from old individual pieces from the 18th century to large lots for dealers and to modern issues from this decade – you can find anything, and there is certainly an attractive piece for any specialist among the offered objects. The total estimate – as usual calculated with expertise and caution – amounts to CHF 230,440.

The section of German coins is a large chapter with more than 125 lots, ranging from banknotes of the German States to rare issues worth trillions of Swiss francs.

Also the modern banknotes from Italy are especially worth mentioning. Special collectors that have been searching for a long time for specimen banknotes (“campione”) and for the rare substitute notes will certainly find some rarities here that are usually hard to find – and, of course, in perfect quality.

Already one year ago, SINCONA offered a gorgeous series of banknotes from the Austrian Empire. In this year, there is a new collection of almost 80 spectacular lots on offer. The bidding battles will definitely be very exciting.

Obviously, there are a lot of Swiss banknotes on offer. As an example, we would like to mention a piece that probably cannot be exceeded in terms of quality, a 100 francs banknote 1918 with the depiction of William Tell in a medallion.

Other rarities from different countries that are worth mentioning are for example: Greenland’s issues from 1803 and 1804, 8 specimen banknotes from Iran from the time of the Pahlavi dynasty and 3 Dutch banknotes 1909 “old style” that are not listed in the Pick catalogues. Another example that will attract many collectors is a particularly rare Chinese banknote of 400 cash CD 1909 from the Sinkiang Provincial Bank.

Lot 6060: China. Sinkiang Provincial Bank. 400 cash CD 1909. Multicoloured, richly decorated banknote with printed text in Chinese and Turkish. Extremely rare. Estimate: CHF 10,000.

• Lot 6593: Switzerland. Swiss National Bank. 100 francs 1918. Very rare in this quality, extremely fine +. Estimate: CHF 3,000.

On the SINCONA website all current auction catalogues are available online.