The most important sponsor of Berlin’s Numismatic Collection collected stamps!

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Lot no. 5: 1851, 9 Kreuzer black on blue-green instead of on lilac-pink, the so-called “BADEN PRINTING ERROR”. Extraordinary fresh colours and regarding the edition, the margins are excellent, beautiful passing over numeral cancellation “41” on a small folded letter with contents. The rarest object of the Old German States’ philately. Only one other stamp with the printing error is known (since more than 100 years it is in the possession of the Postal Museum Berlin) and another one on a letter. Provenance: Ventom Auction, Bull & Cooper (1894), Philipp von Ferrari (Gilbert 1922), Alfred H. Caspary (1956), John R. Boker, Jr. (1985). Starting price: EUR 800,000. Hammer price: EUR 1,260,000.
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Philatelists are interested in coins. A good example is Erivan Haub, the most important sponsor of Berlin’s Numismatic Collection who died on 6 March 2018 at the age of 85. Back in 2004, when the boss of the Tengelmann Group was taken on a tour through the Bode-Museum, which was still under construction at that time, to decide which project he wants to sponsor, the Numismatic Collection attracted his attention. In the same year, he set up a foundation to sponsor the purchases and exhibitions of the Numismatic Collection. The initial funding of the much-used interactive catalogue of Berlin’s Numismatic Collection was also provided by the Haub couple.

Lot no. 25: 1849, 1 Kreuzer black, plate 1, horizontal block of 15 stamps with inverted stamp in position 10, so-called “tête-bêche”. Very beautiful fresh colours, at the bottom a wide margin, at the other three sides full sheet margins respectively gutter margins, unused with fresh original gum, four values including the inverted one are mint. Only two other “tête-bêche” of no. 1 are known. The block offered here only changed hands once in about 130 years. The last time it was publicly exhibited was on the International Philatelic Exhibition of 1926 in Grand Central Palace, New York. One of the most spectacular and precious pieces of the Bavarian philately and rarity no. 1 of the Old German States. Provenance: Elster Collection (Corinphila 1997). Starting price: EUR 200,000. Hammer price: EUR 500,000.

Therefore: which coin collector could have imagined that Erivan Haub was interested in coins, but collected stamps himself? And on a world class level. Germany’s leading philatelic magazine (DBZ) even described him as the “greatest philatelist of our time”. In fact, the collection is so extensive that it will be sold over a period of five years by an international consortium (called the Global Philatelic Network) of auctioneers in Germany (Heinrich Köhler), the Netherlands and Switzerland (Corinphila), the USA (H. R. Harmer) and Hongkong (John Bull).

Lot no. 158: 1859, national emblem on coloured paper: 1/3 groschen black on green. The famous block of 12 stamps as if it was printed yesterday, all sides with wide margins, unused with fresh original gum. This unique block is one of the rarest objects of the world’s philately. Provenance: Arthur Hind (1934), Maurice Burrus (1964), Tomasini (145th E. Mohrmann auction, 1976), John Boker jr. (1987). Starting price: EUR 150,000. Hammer price: EUR 320,000.

The digital platform used by the Global Philatelic Network for this auction is Philasearch; with 6,000 users per day and 60,000 registered customers, it is the largest auction platform in the philatelic world. Apart from Philasearch, the three managing directors Franz Fedra, Wolfram Eisert and Walter Christ operate two additional platforms: Numissearch for coin collectors and Antiquesearch for collectors of antique objects. Franz Fedra comments: “It is not the case that collectors only focus on one single field. By offering the full range of stamps, coins and antiques, we attract a large group of collectors who are not fixated on one field, but who are also interested in other areas. The prominent example of Erivan Haub proves that there are collectors who love stamps, but who are also excited about numismatics and invest their money in numismatic objects. Our clients from the numismatic world greatly appreciate the large reservoir of potential customers offered by our three united platforms Philasearch – Numissearch – Antiquessearch.”

If you want to know more about the auction houses and platforms, please visit their websites: Philasearch, Numissearch and Antiquessearch.

Follow this link to find out how easy it is to bid and place your auctions on the website.