12-08-2011 – 19-08-2011
ANA World’s Fair of Money Auction
Stack’s Bowers Galleries Realizes over $57.7 Million in August
Stack’s Bowers Galleries, numismatic auction house and subsidiary of Spectrum Group International, Inc. (spgz.pk), announced that live coin auctions held in August realized a combined total of $57,733,927.
Stack’s Bowers Galleries and world division, Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio, conducted the only official auctions of the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money in Chicago August 13-20, the premier annual coin show and convention in the United States. The entire auction realized an impressive total of $40,036,290, which consisted of $29.8 million U.S. coins, $6.2 million U.S. currency, and $3.4 million foreign coins, and $385,000 foreign paper money. All realized prices indicated include buyer’s premium.
“We are extremely pleased with the results of our Chicago ANA auction and I am very happy to say that the numismatic market appears to be alive and well in the United States,” said Chris Napolitano, president of Stack’s Bowers Galleries. “The outstanding success of this auction really speaks to the level of excellence and quality of Stack’s Bowers Galleries, and what has been created in less than a year with the joint venture between the two great auction houses of Stack’s and Bowers and Merena. We have a larger customer base and a much expanded reach that allows us to bring more coins and currency to more buyers and, as we showed in this auction, breaking some records, as well.”
Lot 5055: Large Size. 1896. Silver Certificates. Bound Presentation Set of the First Educational Uncut Sheets. $1, $2, and $5. Fr-224, 247, and 268.
Top honors in Chicago went to a magnificent offering from the collection of the late Harry W. Bass, Jr. An intricately bound set of three First Educational uncut sheets, with notes numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the 1896 $1, $2 and $5 notes, sold for an astonishing $1,265,000, making it the most ever paid at auction for a single U.S. currency lot. Also making headlines was a 1975 No S Roosevelt Dime that earned an impressive $349,600 to become the highest price paid at auction for a modern (post-1964) U.S. coin.
Foreign and ancient coin highlights of the Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio August 2011 Chicago ANA World’s Fair of Money Auction include:
* Lot 20300, Chile. 8 Reales, 1755/1 J. Santiago. NGC AU-55. Realized $53,100
* Lot 20389, El Salvador. 1 Peso Pattern Struck in Silver, 1861. NGC Proof-62. Realized $26,550
* Lot 20636, Poland. Danzig. 2 Taler, 1650-GR. NGC VF-35. Realized $16,874
* Lot 21009, Argentina. La Rioja Province. 8 Escudos, 1840-R. NGC MS-61. Realized $32,450
* Lot 21129, Germany. Regensburg. 6 Ducats, 1667/6-HF. NGC AU Details. Realized $25,960
* Lot 21133, Germany. Silesia-Munsterberg-Oels. 4 Ducats, 1622-HT. Realized $16,520
* Lot 21156, Great Britain. 5 Guineas, 1701. NGC AU-58. Realized $20,060
* Lot 21169, Great Britain. Sovereign, 1880. NGC Proof-64 Ultra Cameo. Realized $21,240
* Lot 21262, Japan. 20 Yen, Year 3 (1870). NGC MS-63. Realized $44,840
* Lot 21305, Morocco. 10 Mithquals (10 Riyals), AH 1201 (1787). Madrid Mint. NGC EF-45. Realized $17,700
Lot 21344: Philippines. “Wilson” Dollar, 1920.
* Lot 21344, Philippines. “Wilson” Dollar, 1920. One of only 5 struck in gold. NGC Unc Details. Realized $32,450
* Lot 21357, Russia. 10 Rubles, 1762-CNB SP. PCGS Genuine. Extremely rare one-year type. Realized $59,000
* Lot 21359, Russia. 10 Rubles, 1802-CNB AN. NGC MS-61. Finest certified by NGC. Realized $118,000
* Lot 21454, Sicily. Catane. AR Hemidrachm (1.94 Gms), Ca. 410 B.C. NGC Choice EF. Realized $23,600
* Lot 21518, Crete. Cnossus. AR Drachm (5.49 Gms), Ca. 350-220 B.C. Nearly EF. Realized $26,550
* Lot 21601, Nero, A.D. 54-68. AV Aureus (7.33 Gms), Rome Mint. NGC AU. Realized $22,420
* Lot 21631, Septimius Severus, A.D. 193-211. AV Aureus (7.25 Gms), Rome Mint, 201 A.D. NGC AU. Realized $29,500
Stack’s Bowers Galleries will return as the Official Auctioneer of the ANA World’s Fair of Money conventions in Philadelphia in 2012 and again in Chicago in 2013.
Following the completion of the Chicago auction, the Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio team flew to the other side of the world to conduct their second Hong Kong Auction. The first auction in December 2010 was a major success realizing in excess of $10.7 million, but the August 2011 auction far surpassed that with an astounding $17,697,637 in sales of Chinese and East Asian coins and paper money.
Lot 60255: China. Kiangnan. 7 Mace 2 Candareens (Dollar), ND (1897).
Top coin and paper earners in Hong Kong included a China Kiangnan 7 Mace 2 Candareens (Dollar), ND (1897) that realized $388,375, more than five times its original pre-sale high estimate, and a China-Empire Board of Revenue 50 Taels, Year 4 (1854) P-A13b that finished at $119,500, nearly four times its pre-sale high estimate.
“The demand of the Chinese and Asian numismatic market is truly sensational and shows no signs of waning any time soon,” said Rick Ponterio, executive vice president. “We are greeted with tremendous enthusiasm from very eager collectors and there is a wealth of inventory looking to trade hands. We will return to Hong Kong for two auctions in April and August of 2012, and the anticipation is already quite great.”
Highlights of the Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio August 2011 Hong Kong Auction include:
* Lot 60006, China. Anhwei. 7 Mace 2 Candareens (Dollar), Year 24 (1898). NGC MS-62. Realized $101,575
* Lot 60194, China. Hupeh. Tael, Year 30 (1904). PCGS MS-63. Realized $95,600
* Lot 60229, China. Hupeh. 1 Mace 4.4 Candareens (20 Cents), ND (1909). NGC MS-61. Realized a record-breaking $298,750
* Lot 60255, China. Kiangnan. 7 Mace 2 Candareens (Dollar), ND (1897). NGC MS-63. Realized a record-breaking $388,375
* Lot 60477, China. Kweichow. “Auto” Dollar, Year 17 (1928). NGC MS-62. Realized $131,450
* Lot 70003, China. Pattern K’uping Tael Struck in Gold, CD (1907). Tientsin Mint. NGC MS-63. Realized $131,450
* Lot 70010, China. 10 Dollars Pattern Signed “L. GIORGI”, Year 1 (1916). Tientsin Mint. NGC AU-58. Realized $203,150
* Lot 70030, China. Shantung. 20 Dollars Pattern Struck in Gold, Year 15 (1926). Tientsin Mint. NGC MS-64. Realized a record-breaking $179,250
* Lot 70079, China. Pattern Dollar Struck in Silver, 1907. NGC MS-65. Realized a record-breaking $131,450
* Lot 70084, China. Pattern Dollar Struck in Silver, ND (ca. 1910). Tientsin Mint. NGC MS-66. Realized a record-breaking $167,300
* Lot 70093, China. Long-Whisker Dragon Pattern Dollar Struck in Silver, Year 3 (1911). Tientsin Mint. NGC MS-64. Realized a record-breaking $328,625
* Lot 70381, China. Pattern Dollar Struck in Silver, ND (1914). Tientsin Mint. NGC MS-65. Realized $53,775
* Lot 70388, China. Dollar, ND (1924). NGC MS-67. Realized $53,775
* Lot 70421, China. Pattern Dollar, Year 16 (1927). NGC MS-64. Realized a record-breaking $101,575
* Lot 90189, China. 5 Jiao Pattern, 1989. NGC Proof-69 Ultra Cameo. Realized $101,575
* Lot 90276, China. 500 Yuan, 1993. NGC Proof-66 Ultra Cameo. Realized $167,300
* Lot 90410, China. 2000 Yuan, 1999. Serial Number 1. NGC Proof-68 Ultra Cameo. Realized $286,800
* Lot 90480, China. 10000 Yuan, 2009. Serial Number 1. NGC Proof-68 Ultra Cameo. Realized $316,675
Stack’s Bowers Galleries is currently preparing for the upcoming Philadelphia Americana Sale as the Official Auctioneer of the Whitman Coin and Collectibles Philadelphia Auction to be held September 13-16, as well as accepting consignments to the Official Auction of the Whitman Baltimore Expo in November. Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio is also preparing to present world lots in Baltimore in November, and is currently accepting consignments for their Official Auction of the New York International Numismatic Convention in January, and the next Hong Kong Auction in April 2012, to include the Wa She Wong Collection, Part III, and August 2012.
For a complete list of prices realized in the Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio Official Auction of the ANA World’s Fair of Money and in Hong Kong, click here.