By Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC ……
Spanish colonial rarities set high prices in Daniel Frank Sedwick’s Treasure, World, U.S. Coin and Paper Money Auction 22, held November 2-3, 2017. The event combined high-class material and international bidders with educational talks and social events. Across 2,341 lots, the sale realized $2.45 million in winning bids (all prices listed include a 17.5 percent buyer’s premium).
Three large silver bars recovered from the Atocha shipwreck, sunk in 1622 off Florida, made impressive showings in the sale. One bar (lot 217) weighing in at 89 pounds, 0.5 troy ounces was the top lot in the auction with a price of $47,587.50 USD. Another bar (lot 216), slightly larger than the first at 89 pounds, 11.68 troy ounces, came in at $30,550. Finally (lot 218), a smaller, yet higher-grade 43 pounds, 4.4 troy ounces bar earned $23,500.
Another high-performing piece was lot 1473, an ornate gold-and-pearl “Madonna” brooch recovered from the “Rio Mar” shipwreck site of the 1715 Fleet. After heavy bidding both on the floor and online, the brooch sold for $47,000 on an estimate of $15,000 and up.
The top coin sold in the auction was lot 9, a Lima, Peru, 1697H gold cob 8 escudos “PVA” variety graded NGC MS 62. In addition to being the finest and only example listed on the NGC census, the coin also came from the 1715 Fleet. It brought in $38,187.50 on a $20,000 and up estimate.
A finest known, 1732F Mexico City gold escudos denomination set (lots 144-146) consisting of the 4, 2 and 1 escudos provoked intense bidding. The 4 escudos, graded NGC MS 60 and designated as being from the 1733 Fleet, brought in $28,200 on an estimate of $20,000 and up. The 2 escudos, graded NGC AU 58, did even better and ended up selling for $30,550 on a $15,000 and up estimate. Finally, the 1 escudo, graded NGC MS 61, surpassed the others and sold for $35,250 on an estimate of $15,000 and up.
Strong prices were seen on early Mexican and Panama silver cobs. A very rare “Early series” Charles-Joanna Mexican cob 3 reales with gothic assayer “R” and three-dots denomination (lot 517) flew past its $10,000-$15,000 estimate to sell for $25,850. A Panama cob 2 reales with assayer initial X recovered from the Atocha shipwreck (lot 745) brought in the same price, this time on a $5,000 and up estimate.
Other highlights from the sale include:
- Lot 27: A Lima, Peru, 1713/2M cob 8 escudos graded NGC MS 64 and from the 1715 Fleet sold for $31,725.
- Lot 209: A gold “oro corriente” cut ingot piece weighing 80.1 grams from an unidentified early 1500s Caribbean shipwreck sold for $19,975.
- Lot 678: A Potosí, Bolivia, cob 8 reales Royal, 1652E Transitional Type I/A, with crowned-600 countermark of Brazil sold for $8,812.50.
- Lot 744: A Panama cob 4 reales, Philip II, assayer oB to left with mintmark AP above error denomination sold for $17,625.
- Lot 986: A Le Cap, Haiti 1 escalin with anchor countermark on a cut-down Lima, Peru, 1696H cob 1 real sold for $8,225.
- Lot 1293: A Panama, “Constancia de Panama” silver oval medal, Ferdinand VII, pedigreed to the Richard Stuart Collection, sold for $14,100.
- Lot 1410: A Panama, series 1941, 1 balboa “Arias” note graded PCGS Choice About New 58 PPQ sold for $6,462.50.
- Lot 1476: A 24-inches long, gold heavy-braid chain weighing 66.54 grams, from the 1715 Fleet sold for $15,275.
- Lot 1684: A France (Lyon mint), 1723-D gold Louis d’or, Louis XV, from the Chameau shipwreck (1725) sold for $3,290.
Full auction results can be viewed online at auction.sedwickcoins.com. Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC is currently accepting consignments for their Treasure, World, U.S. Coin and Paper Money Auction 23 to be held May 15-16, 2018. For more details, please contact Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC at [email protected]. A full schedule of events including consignment deadlines can be found at www.sedwickcoins.com/schedule.htm.
