Premier collection of World and Ancient coins draws bidders from around the world
An auction of 701 lots of World and Ancient coins reached $41,941,592 USD as The Paramount Collection shattered world records during a once-in-a-lifetime event held by Heritage Auctions.
The March 25-27 event will go down in numismatic history as the most valuable World & Ancient coins auctions held anywhere in the world, said Cristiano Bierrenbach, Executive Vice President of International Numismatics.
The quality and rarity of World and Ancient coins drew intense bidder interest. The sale set world auction records for the most valuable coins across 12 different countries or issues.
“It was a triumph,” Bierrenbach said. “Everybody who watched the sale was simply blown away by the prices realized. More than 2,000 participants watched record after record fall for coins from several countries.”
A total of 132 lots sold for more than six figures each. A grouping of 100 German States coins realized a combined $6,618,000 and coins from Austria added $4,344,840 to the total. The 67 Ancient coins in the collection realized $2,341,560, far exceeding expectations and hitting an average sale price of $34,949 per lot.
The sale recorded winning bidders from 28 countries.
Every coin offered from the collection was graded by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) and presented with a pedigree label.
Coins from Great Britain rarely offered at auction (or seen for a generation or more) swept the sale’s top lots, including a 1662 Charles II gold Proof Pattern Crown, PR63 Cameo NGC, which sold for $780,000. A 1773 George III gold Proof Pattern 5 Guineas, PR64 Cameo NGC, ended at $750,000.
A stunning 1731 George II gold Proof 5 Guineas, PR64+ Cameo NGC, also realized $660,000 and 21 bids pushed the auction price of a 1820 George III gold Proof Pattern 5 Pounds, PR63+★ Ultra Cameo NGC, to $504,000.
A World of Nations
- An Australian 1887-S Victoria gold Proof 5 Pounds, PR64 Cameo NGC, one of two in private hands, sold for $660,000, garnering mainstream media headlines across the continent.
- An extraordinary 1640-A Louis XIII gold Early Restrike 10 Louis d’Or, MS61 NGC, a rare royal gambling piece and the largest denomination struck in France, sold for $456,000.
- An exceptionally rare 1655 Austrian Ferdinand III gold 20 Ducat, AU55 NGC, garnered 27 bids before it ended at $432,000.
- From Bohemia, a circa 1612-1619 Matthias II gold “Three Emperors” 5 Ducat ND, MS63 NGC, realized $408,000.
- A unique 1623 German States, Memmingen. Free City gold Medallic 10 Ducat, MS62+ NGC, sold for $384,000.
- An Italian, Guastalla. Ferrante II Gonzaga gold 10 Doppie from 1610, MS61 NGC, ended at $384,000 after 23 bids.
“Managing the cataloging, marketing, and sale of this collection was never a chore,” said Sam Spiegel, Director of International Numismatics. “Just to handle these special, historic pieces and bring them to auction will certainly be a highlight of my career.”
The thoughtfully-prepared catalog for The Paramount Collection was designed to not only highlight the breadth, quality, and rarity in advance of the auction, it was also created to stand on its own as an important reference book to one of the most important collections ever offered at auction, said catalog editor Roxana Uskali, Heritage’s Director of World & Ancient Coins, Chicago.
“Editing the Paramount Catalog was an honor for me,” Uskali said. “From ensuring that our descriptions were clear and concise, to working on the cover design and layout, this project was a significant challenge that was incredibly rewarding.”
An archive of prices realized and high-resolution images of each lot from The Paramount Collection Signature Auction will remain available free of charge on Heritage Auctions’ website.
