Auctions

Lutz Neumann is really an old hand! Nevertheless there are sales that even impress him. Find here his report from the last Sincona sale of the most important Russian collection since Tolstoy in 1913.

With a total of 8.4 million in overall final bids, a 35 % increase, and only 277 lots still left for post-auction sale out of the approximately 5,700, Künker’s latest auction was another one for the books, full of record results. And it’s coins – be they ancient, medieval or modern era – that are currently fetching top prices.

Kolbe & Fanning Numismatic Booksellers held their 126th sale of important numismatic literature from around the world on October 4. The 1092-lot sale featured material from several different consignors and competition was strong for the early U.S. catalogues in particular.

The much anticipated public auction of part two of the Bentley Collection was held by Baldwin’s in London on the 27th September. Pre-sale interest had fuelled hopes that this incredible piece would set a new world record, and indeed, the auction sold for an incredible £2.25 million.

In the Heritage Auctions Shoshana Collection of Judaean Coins, Part 2 event ancient Roman gold brings $203,150, five times the estimate. The whole auction which took place during the Long Beach Coin and Collectibles Expo on September 5, 2012 brought over $1.5 million.

Stack’s Bowers and Ponterio conducted the Official Auction of the August 2012 World’s Fair of Money from August 4-10 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center selling over $3.7 million. Highlight was a high grade Oxford mint Triple Unit sold for $161,000.

On July 3-4 2012 Morton & Eden hold their Ancient, Islamic, British and World Coins and Medals Auction. Besides others the sale featured part 1 of the James Everett Seaver Collection of Ancient Coins.

On June 20, 2012, Gorny & Mosch, Giessener Münzhandlung held its 206th auction in Munich. The highlight was again the Waltz Collection, with its 49 objects spanning Greek prehistory right through to Byzantine times.

The prize piece of the Künker summer auctions, which took place from June 18th to 22nd in Osnabrück, was without a doubt the 1803 ducat of Prussian King Frederick Wilhelm III. But among the over 6,500 numbers there were many other interesting objects, too.

There were numerous rarities hidden among the offerings in auction house Numismatik Lanz’s auction catalogue 154, and collectors didn’t fail to find them. They were also clearly willing to spend a bit more in the process.