15-01-2014 – 17-01-2014
Auction 18
Steve Album opens the year with a successful sale
Spirited bidding was seen in the recent sale by Stephen Album Rare Coins on January 16-18, 2014 at their Santa Rosa, Calif. Offices. Their 18th auction included 2470 lots of Ancient, Islamic, Oriental, Indian, and general World Coins, as well as Numismatic Literature. Hundreds of book, floor, telephone, and internet bidders all helped to create a very successful sale. The total price realized came to $1,047,521 (including buyer’s fees).
Some highlights from the auction include (prices realized include buyer’s premiums):
- Lot 151: ARAB-SASANIAN: Glass vessel stamp (17.04g), ca. 680s-720s, B-, peacock-like bird standing, facing right, with fan-shape tail, holding an undulating tendril in its beak, with the Arabic legend ‘amara Allah above, light tannish-green, a few small spots of devitrification, magnificent large piece, VF to EF, RRR. Realized $3,760 on a $850-950 estimate.
- Lot 813: KHOQAND: Muhammad ‘Ali Khan, 1823-1842, AV tilla (4.51g), Ferghana, AH1246, A-3054A, Z-69772, lovely strike, EF, RRRR. Realized $3,760 on a $2,000-2,500 estimate.
- Lot 895: CH’ING: Guang Xu, 1875-1908, AE palace cash, Board of Revenue mint, curtain-hanging money, tian xia tai ping (heaven below great peace), VF, ex Ernest A. Ikenberry Collection. Realized $4,465 on a $275-325 estimate.
- Lot 1187: MUGHAL: Jahangir, 1605-1628, AV portrait mohur (10.74g), NM, AH1020 year 6, KM-179.4, BMC-315 (same dies), bust of Jahangir left, radiate, wearing turban with egret, holding goblet in right hand & book in left hand, Persian legend either side reading shabih jahangir shah akbar shah at left and sana shesh julus to right, the regnal year is indicated by the Persian word shesh for the numeral 6 / lion to right surmounted by sun, Persian legend under, hijri and 1020 in numerals, within double circles with dots between, NGC graded AU58, RRR. Realized $88,125 on a $60,000-80,000 estimate.
- Lot 1188: MUGHAL: Jahangir, 1605-1628, AV portrait mohur (10.67g), Ajmir, AH 1023 year 8, KM-179.5, BMC-318 (same dies), on the obverse; a small figure of Jahangir, nimbate, seated cross-legged head to left on Mughal throne, holding a wine goblet in right hand, left hand on a Koran resting on his left knee, all within beaded inner circle, Persian legend around be-ru-yi sikke-ye zar dad chandin zeb o zivar – shabih shah nur al-din jahanshah ibn-e shah akbar (‘On the face of the golden coin, ornament and grace gave – The picture of Shah Nur-ad-din Jahangir, son of Akbar Shah’), dotted border on the reverse; a lion at right surmounted by sun, with date 1023 below, all within beaded inner circle, Persian legend around, zad be-zar in sikka dar ajmer shah-i din-panah – shah nur al-din jahangir ibn-e akbar padishah (‘The Shah, refuge of the faith, struck this coin of gold at Ajmir – Shah Nur-ad-din Jahangir, son of Akbar Padishah’), dotted border, NGC graded AU58, RRR. Realized $116,325 on a $60,000-80,000 estimate.
- Lot 1751: BRITISH INDIA: Victoria, Empress, 1876-1901, 3 coin set, 1879(b), early restrike proofs, includes; AV mohur obverse B, SW-6.7, KM-496, graded PF-63; AV 10 rupees SW-unlisted, KM-495, graded PF-63, AV 5 rupees obverse D, SW-6.26, KM-494, graded PF-62, all graded by NGC, in original case of issue, a very rare and desirable set! RRRR. Realized $65,800 on a $50,000-60,000 estimate.
- Lot 2011: HEJAZ & NEJD: ’Abd al’Aziz b. Sa’ud, 1925-1953, AR riyal, Makka al-Mukarrama (Mecca), AH1348, KM-12, very rare specimen strike!, hairlined Proof, RRR. Realized $4,230 on a $650-750 estimate.
- Lot 2185: BIAFRA: AR one crown (28.66g), 1969, KM-5, bust of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, chief of staff during Biafra’s brief independence 1967-1970 / coconut palm tree, NGC graded AU58, RRR. Realized $15,275 on a $3,000-4,000 estimate.
‘There were quite a few lots in the auction which saw a lot of competition, which shows a lot of strength in the market,’ said Paul Montz, the firm’s Director of World Coins.
Plans are already underway for their Auction 19, to be held May 15-17, 2014. They are actively seeking consignments for this auction through March 1, 2014.
For more information, go to Steve Album Rare Coins.