04-04-2016 – 07-04-2016
Noble Numismatics Sale 111
Noble Numismatics Sale 111
Noble Numismatics Sale 111 for 5th to 8th April estimates top $5 million. Noble Numismatics founder and director, Jim Noble is pleased to announce that the two catalogues for this auction sale are now online and hard copies have been mailed. Catalogues are available from the Sydney and Melbourne offices at $50 each plus postage. The sale is being held in the Dixson Room in the Mitchell Library building, part of the State Library of New South Wales complex opposite the Noble office in Macquarie Street, Sydney. Jim said the response to the request for consignments for this 40th anniversary sale has been more than gratifying, with the result being a four day sale of over 5,400 lots estimated to hammer at $5,500,000.
Lot 4972: VICTORIA CROSS, 1918, with brooch suspender bar. Officially engraved. Very fine. Estimate: $500,000.
The honour of the single highest estimate goes to the Australia World War I Victoria Cross, awarded posthumously to Lance Corporal Lawrence Carthage Weathers for his bravery at the Battle of Mont St. Quentin on the 2nd of September, 1918. This Victoria Cross is one of only about four Australian Victoria Crosses not already in the Australian War Memorial or other museums. The estimate is $500,000.
The next highest estimate goes to a most attractive and well struck NSW five shillings or holey dollar, 1813, with a long provenance of owners from the early 1930s. It is rated by Jim Noble as being one of the top twenty known out of a total population of three hundred.
Lot 3736: TURKEY, Ottoman Empire, Mehmed V (1909-1918), State Notes of the Ministry of Finance, specimen fifty thousand livres, AH1332 (1916), No. 00, unsigned. Light handling marks and minor toning around the edges, otherwise good extremely fine and of the utmost rarity. Estimate: $100,000.
The third highest estimate is shared by two excessively rare specimen 50,000 livre banknotes of Turkey under the Ottomans in the middle of World War I. They are estimated at $100,000 each. They are part of a unique collection originally housed in a red leather album with gold inscription. The album and all 146 notes are offered in individual lots with estimates totalling $645,300. To do justice to the extensive offering of banknotes in the sale a separate catalogue 111B has been published.
Highlights in a sale of thousands of items include the collection of New South Wales fifteen pence pieces or dumps, 1813, formed by the late Dr.W.J.D. (Bill) Mira. Dr. Mira devised the die identities on these coins first published in 1974 in the Report of the Australian Numismatic Society, founded in Sydney in 1913. Most of his specimens were used in illustrating his works. One special coin to Bill was the copper example struck from Mira dies D/2 on a thinner flan. Was this a fraud perpetrated by the trusted convict coiner William Henshall?
Lot 1118: QUEEN VICTORIA, first type, 1855. Original mint bloom in the lettering and devices, good very fine and extremely rare in this condition, probably the fifth or sixth finest known and an outstanding rarity of the series. Estimate: $35,000.
The collection of Australian gold half sovereigns and Queen Victoria sovereigns formed by Ray Kaleda will attract a lot of interest. Many of Ray’s coins are close to, if not the finest known after he spent decades improving the grade as suitable examples rarely appeared on the market. A Canberra and Yass area collector has consigned his collection of sovereigns from 1902 to 1931 that complements the Kaleda Collection. This collector has continually improved each specimen whenever the opportunity arose, resulting in the very highest standard for this series in any collection.
The Australian Commonwealth collection formed by David Fryer is complete and one of the finest fresh collections to come on to the market. The banknotes have been purchased from a wide range of dealers over many years, the results will be a good guide to collectors wishing to build a collection. The George VI to Elizabeth II series has not been broken up into individual lots for practical reasons but also to keep what must be the best condition sets offered at auction. The original costs to the owner have been recorded in the description as a guide to the quality of a particular lot.
Lot 421: GEORGE V, Waitangi crown, 1935. Underlying proof-like mint bloom, lightly toned, uncirculated and rare. Estimate $5,000.
Proclamation coins are extensive with the bulk coming from a longstanding Sydney collector, who has consigned his entire collection following his recent retirement. His Australian gold, silver and bronze is essentially a collection of types as is his British collection, with strong emphasis on reigns (every reign from Alfred the Great is represented) and shillings, groats and silver pennies. His world crowns include New Zealand’s Waitangi crown, 1935.
A Perth collector has consigned his favourite collection, known as the Decades Collection as it was his aim to represent each decade from 600BC, with Ancient Greece to modern. One unusually well represented area in this collection, rarely seen in Australia, is the multiple thaler issues of German Brunswick-Luneberg and Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel, a great reminder of the valuable silver mines in the region in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Lot 1824: BERKSHIRE, Reading, I.B. Monk’s gold forty shillings or two pound piece, 1812, by Halliday for Edward Thomason. About as struck with mirror surfaces, FDC with much original mint bloom and extremely rare, probably the finest known. Estimate $15,000.
Another Sydney collector has consigned the only two British gold tokens ever struck, the Berkshire Reading forty shillings, 1811 with portrait of Alfred the Great and the half guinea, 1812, of Sheffield in Yorkshire. The same collector has consigned some good quality Ancient Greek silver issues in a rationalisation of his collection.
Australian banknotes include important private bank issued notes from the collection formed by S.N.Agnew of New Zealand; the rarest is an early date Union Bank one pound, pre-gold rush, dated 1845. Mr Agnew has also included some New Zealand Trading Bank issues.
In British coins there is an attractively toned series of milled silver coins formed between 1946 and 1952 and held intact until being offered now. Nearly all the coins have Seaby tickets and many are from the R.Carlyon-Britton’s Collection. The collection was formed by a Mrs. Fulton of New Zealand and Jim Noble’s conservative estimates should easily be exceeded by enthusiasts.
A Victorian collector has consigned a choice series of British Historical Medals from the 19th century concentrating on exhibitions and Queen Victoria’s Jubilees together with Australian exhibition. The military section of course is highlighted by the Victoria Cross.
Lot 4995: GROUP OF FIVE: Military Cross (GRI), with two Bars; British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45. Mounted on display board, cleaned, very fine. Estimate: $30,000.
Other outstanding groups include the MC and two bars group of five to Australian Captain Andrew King Cowper, an air ace with the Royal Flying Corps credited with 19 aerial victories and causing mayhem to German ground forces with his accurate bombing attacks. The estimate is $30,000. A KCVO, DSO, MC group of nine to Major Charles William Clanan Marr for service with 1st Wireless Squadron in Mesopotamia in World War I and his post war career as a Federal politician. He was in charge of the Duke of Gloucester’s tour to Australia in 1934 and after this he received his knighthood (estimate $20,000).
A DFC group of eight for World War II service to Group Captain Hugh Milton ‘Smokey’ Birch. After the war he had a distinguished career with Qantas (estimate $5,500). A Boer War QSA, 1899 with four clasps to Father Francis Timoney for his service as a Catholic Padre to the NSW Bushmen Third Contingent. He was known as ‘Father Tim’ (estimate $5,000).
In this session there is an extensive offering of significant Australian military books, including rare editions of Unit Histories.
This auction will be conducted live online so bidders can participate from anywhere in the world. Lots will be available to view in the Sydney office between 9:30am and 4:30pm Wednesday to Friday, 30th March to 1st April, and Monday 4th of April open only to country, interstate and overseas viewers.
To view all lots please click here.