Held in Sydney at the end of April, and celebrating the company’s 50th anniversary, Noble Numismatic’s Sale 141 saw the highest price for a rare coin go to an Aboriginal threepence token from 1860, which sold to a collector in the room for $68,320 (all prices include 22% buyer’s premium). The next highest price was for a 1919 Pattern Penny Square that brought $50,020, followed by an 1852 Adelaide pound that sold for $31,720.
The threepence token was by the jewellery firm Hogarth, Erichsen & Co, who operated in Sydney from 1852 to 1863. Julius Hogarth had the die-sinking skills and Erichsen, who was the technician, was apparently in the habit of: ‘Striking a few whenever he felt in need of refreshment.’
Convict love tokens – made by convicts around the time of their sentencing and given to loved ones and friends as mementoes – were top of the list for collectors happy to pay more than double estimate prices, with two selling for $5368 and $5124 respectively. A double estimate bid of $5124 was also needed to secure a 1932 Australian florin.
Top price for theatre tickets went to Theatre Royal Drury Lane, when a proprietor’s silver ticket (estimate $1000) sold for $2928. Silver tickets admitted a certain number of people to the theatre boxes. The same collector bought all ivory tickets at around the estimate. A white metal Chinese Exhibition medal from 1843 that was estimated at $500 surprised after strong online bidding to realise $3416.
The market for world coins was also very strong, with a record $40,260 being bid for a British Queen Victoria India copper pattern rupee 186-(1860) that was estimated at $10,000. A Republic 50-cent coin and a Yunan 50-cent coin (estimate $150) realised a staggering $9150 after an online bidding duel and a1923 Republic of China silver dollar sold for five times its estimate at $18,300 after strong online bidding. A 1799 USA silver dollar realised more than 16 times its estimate when it sold for $16,470.
In ancient coins, the top price of $40,260 was bid for a Rhegium silver tetradrachm after online and phone bidding that saw it reach four times its estimate. The town of Rhegium (today Reggio di Calabria) was one of the first Greek cities in Italy. Founded in the 8th century BCE, the silver tetradrachms of Rhegium are recognised today as some of the finest in the world.
With a sales total of $3.6 million, company director Jim Noble said that overall, the sale of rare coins, banknotes and medals realised expectations to the satisfaction of buyers and sellers. The next Noble Numismatics sale is scheduled for July 27th to 31st and consignments close on June 12.
