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Heritage Auctions: $15.6 Million Sales in World Coins Caps Near $67 Million Week

A stunningly rare Japanese Proof set, sold as individual pieces, took center stage as Heritage’s January 8 – 9 World Coins Signature Auction was completed at the New York International Numismatic Convention (NYINC). Overall, this auction was a huge success, with sales exceeding $15.6 million USD. Other Heritage auctions taking place during the week of January 4-10 at the Florida United Numismatists (FUN) convention in Fort Lauderdale included US coins at nearly $42.4 million, US currency at over $7.4 million, and world currency in excess of $1.3 million. Overall, the week saw numismatic material valued at close to $66.8 million change hands. All prices include a 17.5% Buyer’s Premium.

Japan: Meiji gold Proof 20 Yen Year 13 (1880) PR64 Cameo NGC. Images courtesy Heritage AuctionsThe star of the NYINC show was the Meiji 13 (1880) proof set of Japanese coinage, from the Commander Collection. The Meiji 13 proof set is among the most significant numismatic items in the world, not only because of the incredible rarity of each of the set’s components, but because of its presentation role, undeniably gifted to heads-of-state or high-ranking foreign liaisons during this infancy period of Japan’s opening to the western world. From a numismatic and historical standpoint, this set can be considered as comparable to the American King of Siam set.

In most cases, fewer than 10 examples of the constituent coins are known.

This offering consisted of 11 individual lots of proof coins from the 1880 set, plus a lot consisting of a custom presentation case and three “replacement” coins. These 12 lots sold for a total of $1,310,947.50, with the gold 20 yen, at $305,500, and the gold 10 yen, at $270,250, providing the two highest results of the auction. Each of these coins was graded PR64 by NGC. Three other coins from this set – the gold 2 yen, the gold 5 yen, and the 10 sen – achieved figures in excess of $100,000.

The D. Moore Collection, split out into two specialized catalogs, achieved impressive results as it brought its consignor in excess of $4.2 million. 127 lots of Russian material, highlighted by an incredibly rare 1755 Gold Pattern 5 Roubles graded PR64 * Cameo by NGC combined to sell for over $1.1 million. These coins were assembled over a period of 20+ years, with many acquired privately and thus fresh to the auction marketplace.

While the greatest concentration from the D. Moore collection was Russian coins, the offerings from the rest of the world were every bit as impressive, with 392 coins combining to sell for close to $3.1 million. The individual highlight from among these coins was a British gold proof 1893 5 Pounds graded PR67 * Ultra Cameo by NGC, which realized $152,750. Additionally, a classic Cuban six piece gold proof set dated 1915, pedigreed to the Eliasberg collection and graded PR64 to PR66 by NGC, sold intact to a lucky bidder for $199,750.

A few of the many other individual highlights of this auction included:

 

Heritage Auctions
Heritage Auctionshttps://www.ha.com/
Heritage Auction Galleries is one of the world's largest collectibles auctioneers. Besides offering rare and valuable U.S. and world coins and currency, Heritage offers ancient coins, exonumia, antiques, comic books, sports memorabilia, and many other collectibles. The firm is based in Dallas, Texas.

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