Paramount Collection Sale features European rarities

Certified by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC), the Paramount Collection has been described as being 'one of the greatest groups of rare coins from Europe and elsewhere ever assembled'. 

23 coins from the collection realised prices over £181,448 with the centre piece of the sale being a Great Britain 1937 Edward VIII Pattern Gold 5 Sovereign that broke the record for a British coin sold at auction.

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Ten other NGC-certified coins from Great Britain and two Roman Empire gold medallions certified by NGC Ancients also surpassed the $250,000 mark, including…

A France 1640A 10 Louis d'Or Early Restrike graded NGC MS 61 which sold for £330,962. It is the largest denomination ever struck in France, and the coin itself is so large that it required NGC's Oversize Holder.

Meanwhile, an Austria 1655 20 Ducat graded NGC AU 55 realised £313,543. This extremely rare coin was struck late in the reign of Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III, who died in 1657.

Struck a few decades earlier, a Bohemia (1612) 5 Ducats graded NGC MS 63 realised £296,124. The coin shows 16th Century Holy Roman Emperors Maximilian I, Charles V and Ferdinand I. It dates to a time when the Bohemian city of Prague was the capital of the Holy Roman Empire.

Opinion: who's buying coins for millions?

OPINION | COIN SALES

As anyone who reads the numismatic press can tell you, a tremendous amount of rare coins are being sold globally, so who is making these eye-watering purchases and is it a sign that the coin market is healthier than ever? 

Other NGC-certified highlights from continental Europe that realized prices over $250,000 in the Paramount Collection sale included:

Austria

• an Austria 1690 GFN Gold Joseph I Coronation Medal graded NGC MS 61 PL (lot 30120) that realized $360,000 (about € 305,000), far above its pre-auction estimate of $100,000 to $200,000 (about € 84,800 to € 169,600)

• an Austria 1594 Salzburg 25 Ducat graded NGC UNC Details (lot 30091) that realized $288,000 (about € 244,000), far above its pre-auction estimate of $50,000 to $75,000 (about € 42,400 to € 63,600)

• an Austria 1678 25 Ducat graded NGC UNC Details (lot 30118) that realized $276,000 (about € 234,000)

France

• a France 1640A 8 Louis d'Or graded NGC MS 61 (lot 30161) that realized $300,000 (about € 254,000), far above its pre-auction estimate of $60,000 to $80,000 (about € 50,900 to € 67,800)

• a France undated Louis XIII/Louis XIV Gold Ecu graded NGC MS 62 (lot 30163) that realized $288,000 (about € 244,000), far above its pre-auction estimate of $30,000 to $50,000 (about € 25,400 to € 42,400)

• a France 1862 E 100 Francs graded NGC PF 65 Cameo (lot 30187) that realized $288,000 (about € 244,000), far above its pre-auction estimate of $40,000 to $60,000 (about € 33,900 to € 50,900)

• a France 1861* Essai Gold 100 Francs graded NGC PF 64 Ultra Cameo (lot 30186) that realized $288,000 (about € 244,000), above its pre-auction estimate of $100,000 to $200,000 (about € 84,800 to € 170,000)

• a France 1878 Essai 100 Francs graded NGC PF 66 Cameo (lot 30190) that realized $264,000 (about € 224,000)

• a France L'An 10A Gold 5 Francs graded NGC PF 62 Cameo (lot 30172) that realized $252,000 (about € 214,000), far above its pre-auction estimate of $80,000 to $120,000 (about € 67,800 to € 102,000)

Germany

• a Germany 1623 Memmingen 10 Ducats graded NGC MS 62+ (lot 30259) that realized $384,000 (about € 326,000), far above its pre-auction estimate of $30,000 to $50,000 (about € 25,400 to € 42,400)

• a Germany 1695 Hanau-Lichtenberg 10 Ducat graded NGC AU 58 (lot 30245) that realized $372,000 (about € 315,000), far above its pre-auction estimate of $50,000 to $75,000 (about € 42,400 to € 63,600)

• a Germany (1599-1633) Brunswick-Luneburg 20 Ducat graded NGC AU 55 (lot 30218) that realized $336,000 (about € 285,000), above its pre-auction estimate of $150,000 to $250,000 (about € 127,000 to € 212,000)

• a Germany 1795 Mainz 15 Ducat graded NGC MS 62★ PL (lot 30256) that realized $300,000 (about € 254,000), far above its pre-auction estimate of $20,000 to $40,000 (about € 17,000 to € 33,900)

• a Germany 1611 10 Ducats graded NGC MS 65★ (lot 30269) that realized $288,000 (about € 244,000), far above its pre-auction estimate of $80,000 to $120,000 (about € 67,800 to € 102,000)

Italy

• an Italy 1610 10 Doppie graded NGC MS 61 (lot 30364) that realized $384,000 (about € 326,000), far above its pre-auction estimate of $150,000 to $250,000 (about € 127,000 to € 212,000)

• an Italy 1663 10 Scudi d'Oro graded NGC MS 61+ (lot 30384) that realized $336,000 (about € 285,000), far above its pre-auction estimate of $60,000 to $80,000 (about € 50,900 to € 67,800)

• an Italy 1650 IBN Genoa 12.5 Doppie graded NGC AU Details (lot 30362) that realized $288,000 (about € 244,000), far above its pre-auction estimate of $30,000 to $50,000 (about € 25,400 to € 42,400)

• an Italy (1694-1700) Venice 25 Zecchini graded NGC MS 61 (lot 30388) that realized $288,000 (about € 244,000), far above its pre-auction estimate of $60,000 to $80,000 (about € 50,900 to € 67,800)

Elsewhere

• a Hungary 1637/6KB 5 Ducat graded NGC MS 63+ (lot 30345) that realized $288,000 (about € 244,000), far above its pre-auction estimate of $20,000 to $40,000 (about € 17,000 to € 33,900)

• a Portugal (1495-1521) 10 Cruzados graded NGC MS 62 (lot 30430) that realized $288,000 (about € 244,000), far above its pre-auction an estimate of $60,000 to $90,000 (about € 50,900 to € 76,300)

Prices realised include buyer's premium.