29-11-2013 – 01-01-1970
Vente aux Enchères de Monnaies de Prestige
Gadoury auctions off unique collection of coins from Genoa in Monaco
Monaco is always worth a visit. That holds particularly true at the end of November, when the sky is drab and the weather is depressing in our country. In Monaco, in contrast, the sun is still shining – and in five-star hotel Fairmont, located right beside the harbor, the latest auction sale of Éditions Victor Gadoury will be conducted on 30th November 2013. One day prior to the “Grande Bourse”, Monaco’s international coin fair, there will be 875 lots on offer, with rarities from all around the world, from ancient times to the present. And that is almost an even better reason than the bright sun to come to Monaco!
And for all those, who are unfortunately not able to take part personally, Gadoury offers live bidding. Please, sign in for live bidding in time.
31: Roman Republican coins. Julius Caesar, + 44. Sear 1395. Good very fine. Estimate: 4,500 euros.
Antiquity starts with ancient coins – Greek, Roman, Byzantine. The admirers of inexpensive aurei (estimates starting as low as 1,500 euros) and Roman bronze coins with an untouched patina in particular ought to have a look at the catalog. The range of offers makes the heart of every connoisseur beat faster.
The one who adores the rare coins form early medieval times will find plenty of material to dream about in the section “Monnaies barbares”. Available for sale are, amongst others, coins of the Merovingians as well as a triens of Gundobad – who, as patricius of the Roman Empire and King of Burgundy – became a key figure in the fall of the Western Roman Empire, …
271: Migration Period. Lombards. Desiderius, 757-773. Tremissis Castelseprio, 757-773. MIR 128. Very rare. Extremely fine. Estimate: 7,500 euros.
… and a tremissis of Desiderius, the last king of the Langobards who was shut away in a cloister by Charlemagne.
283: Monaco. Antonio I, 1701-1731. Écu 1707. G. 95. Very rare. Very fine. Estimate: 30,000 euros.
The ancient coins are followed by the Monégasque coins. It goes without saying that Gadoury is able to present very exquisite rarities here. The highlight of this section is a particularly rare écu of Antonio I from 1707. That prince has been a personal favorite of the Sun King before his lack of money exiled him to his own principality. The very fine écu is estimated at 30,000 euros.
294: South Africa. George V, 1910-1936. Pound 1924A. Mintage 3.184 specimen. Very rare. PCGS: MS66. Estimate: 10,000 euros.
The numismatic tour’s section of world coins covers the entire range from Africa to Yemen. Already the very first object is a showpiece: it is a pound of George V from 1924 from South Africa. Only 3,184 specimens have been struck, and the specimen offered by Gadoury is in fact the only one rated MS 66 by PCGS.
After a rich selection of French gold coins from the late Middle Ages and the so-called féodales Italy takes over, coming up with the unique collection of Genoa.
To Historians and perhaps also to numismatists, Genoa is a bit overshadowed by its old rival Venice although it probably was the Republic that was more important for European economic history. The rise of the city had only begun when it took part in the crusades, and in 1139, King Conrad III granted the city the coin minting privilege. It is highly likely that this happened thanks to some money given by the diligent bankers of the commercial city who were later to secure the continuation of the Spanish world empire of the House of Habsburg to such an extent that the historian Braudel called the period between 1557 and 1627 the ‘Age of the Genovese’.
With its 300 lots comprising Genovese coins Gadoury is able to present a marvelous sample of this city’s coinage, from the granting of the minting privilege in 1139 to the merging of the city in Napoleon’s Ligurian Republic. To name only a few, especially spectacular pieces: an extremely rare genovino n. y., minted during the government of the Guelphs between 1318 und 1333 (EF; estimate: 5,000 euros); a likewise extremely rare genovino n. y., this time issued under the government of the Ghibellines, 1334-1336 (EF; estimate: 6,000 euros); a genovino of Doge Barnaba di Goano, who ruled for only a few months (EF; estimate: 10,000 euros); …
464: Italy. Genoa. Government of the eight Capitani di libertà. Ducato. CNI 1. Very rare. Very fine / extremely fine. Estimate: 10,000 euros.
… a ducat from the short reign of the eight Capitani di libertà from 1442 until 1443 (VF/EF; estimate: 10,000 euros); a ducat of Louis XII, King of France and Lord of Genoa (VF/EF; estimate: 7,000 euros) and an écu au soleil of his successor Francis I (EF/FDC; estimate: 7,000 euros).
Of course, there are not only coins available for four- and five-figure sums. Numerous silver coins for as low as 50 euros are on offer, too. The meaningfully assembled multiple lots are particularly likely to interest keen collectors of Genovese coins.
There is even more to come in terms of Italian highlights. With roughly 600 lots, Naples and Sicily are well represented.
Italy. Kingdom of Sicily. Ferdinand I and Isabella, 1476-1504. Ducat, Naples, 1503-1504. MIR 114. Very rare. Very fine. Estimate: 8,000 euros.
The item that stands out the most is a ducat, minted 1503-1504 in Naples under the rule of the Catholic majesties Ferdinand and Isabella (VF; estimate: 8,000 euros). Another very rare specimen is a ducatone of the second type struck for Carlo Emanuele I in 1588 in Turin (VF; estimate: 8.000 Euro).
792: Russia. Catherine II, 1762-1796. 10 rubles, St. Petersburg, 1766. Diakov 123. Very fine / Extremely fine. Estimate: 3,000 euros.
23 reasonably estimated lots with Russian coins and medals from Peter the Great to the Soviet Union surely will attract great interest, as well a large series of US American fractions and gold coins in splendid states of preservation.
Also remarkable is a small number of coins issued during the American administration of the Philippines between 1935 and 1946. All specimens come with a PCGS grading.
No matter what you are interested in, ordering a catalog will pay off at any rate, but you may also have a look on the internet. The catalog can be ordered at Éditions Victor Gadoury, 57, rue Grimaldi, 98000 Monaco; phone: +377 93 25 12 96; fax: +377 93 50 13 39; email.
On the internet, he can be found at Auction Gadoury and Sixbid.