The Central States auction of world and ancient coins from Heritage Auctions is a perennial favorite, and this year’s auction is filled with an array of rarities. This auction opens Thursday morning, May 6, with a special session of Brazilian coins, which includes two notable collections. That evening, we will hold a Platinum Night session–the first of its kind to be offered in conjunction with the Central States auction–with numerous high-end, sought-after rarities. Finally, the auction will conclude on May 7 with our Signature Internet session which encompasses a wide selection of ancient and world coins.
The Brazilian session, featuring the Vila Rica and Pernambucana Collections, is filled with conditional rarities that cover a wide spectrum of coinage, from the early colonial period to the 20th-century Republic, many of which are important types that rarely come to market.
Among the earliest issues in this session is a fully uncirculated 1645 Pernambuco Klippe 12 Guilders—the largest denomination of this popular colonial series, as well as the first example of the denomination that we have offered for the date.
A key date of Pedro II’s 960 Reis series, the 1834/3, boasts a small mintage of just 154 pieces, with no other certified survivors as fine as the MS61-graded representative offered herein.
An 1816 Bahia-minted 640 Reis serves as another important highlight, representing only the third example of this extremely scarce issue to come to market in decades.
Among the ancient coins in this auction are numerous highlights—from a Syracuse decadrachm, to an entire set of the 12 Caesars in gold, with a selection of gold coins that include Macedonian staters, Byzantine solidi, and even more aurei.
The Signature Internet section hosts a magnificent selection of Kushan Kingdom gold and plenty of “star” designation specimens, along with a herd of Julius Caesar elephants and a parliament of Athenian owls.
As we move into more modern times, the selection of rare and beautiful coinage is vast. For the first time in our history, we are pleased to offer an example of the exceptionally rare “Ormonde” Pistole (c. 1646), a stellar relic of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, a key to the series, and one of perhaps only two specimens in private hands.
Within the British section are two “Una and the Lion” 5 Pounds: one certified PR63 Deep Cameo by PCGS, the other PR62+, as well as an exceptionally preserved 2 Guineas of George I, graded MS65 by NGC, which currently ranks as the only certified multiple-Guinea of the king’s reign to meet the lofty Gem grade designation.
Another top selection in the auction, a Friesland gold 28 Stuivers of 1688, appears to be the first example of its type seen at auction in decades.
This auction is open for bidding now at Coins.HA.com.
