Coin auction round-up

The sale of the A.J. Simms Collection of Bank of England Issues at Spink included a blue and pale yellow Royal Bank of Scotland £100 banknote, dated 1 October 1960 with serial number F2-317. The note also featured a red-brown central panel and a beautifully designed coat of arms top in the centre flanked by a lion and a unicorn, along with two printed signatures of Ballantyne and Campbell on the lower right. The note was described as ‘scarce in this grade’.

SOLD FOR £1,800

The recent Stacks Bowers Galleries online sale of US coins and banknotes featured a range of rare examples, including a 1796 Draped Bust Silver Dollar. The coin was of the ‘small date, large letters’.

SOLD FOR £3,511

The recent World and Ancient Coins online sale at Heritage Auctions featured a large range of pieces from Greece, Sicily and Macedonia. One of the highlights was a Sicilian Syracuse, second democracy tetradrachm from c.450-440 BC. The 24mm, 17.46 gm coin features a charioteer driving walking quadriga right, kentron in right hand, reins in left; Nike flying right above, crowning horses, ketos right in exergue, and on the reverse the head of Arethusa (daughter of Nereus) facing right, wearing a wide taenia, pendant necklace and earring, with four dolphins swimming around.

SOLD FOR £678

The recent Chris Rudd auction featured a range of ‘coins that conceal little faces in the design’ with many fetching above average prices. Ancient British coins that conceal little faces in the design seem to have a special appeal for people who collect Celtic coins, according to the coin experts at Chris Rudd. Elizabeth Cottam, director of Chris Rudd Ltd said: ‘I think the people who designed these coins had a sense of humour.’ Amongst the highlights was a gold stater of Addedomaros (ABC 2514) which realised £7,500, a record price for the type.

SOLD FOR £7,500

An extremely fine noble, annulet issue, from the first reign of Henry VI (1422-61) was sold at Spink’s Coins and Commemorative Medals: Winter Auction. Minted in London, the coin showed the King standing in ship, holding sword and shield, annulet by sword arm, and on the reverse an annulet in first spandrel.

SOLD FOR £4,000

A 1729 five guineas of the popular East India Company type was recently sold at London Coins. Sealed in an NGC holder and graded AU50, the coin was described as ‘an impressive and pleasing piece with touches of red toning on the shield, and a good collectable’.

SOLD FOR £20,000

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$ to £ exchange rate correct at time of publication.