On the 8th of October 2007 Spink’s World Banknotes Auction will feature many great rarities including a collection of the first ever Malaysian banknotes. The banknotes were a gift presented by Ismail Mohd Ali, on behalf of the Board of Governors of Bank Negara Malaysia, to the (fourth) King of Malaysia, Tuanku Ismail Nasiruddin Shah. The lot is expected to fetch between £25,000-£30,000.

The notes are preserved in a blue leather presentation album with the title Bank Negara Malaysia and arms in gold on the front cover. The folder contains the following: 1 ringgit, blue and multicoloured, 5 ringgit, green and multicoloured, 10 ringgit, blue and multicoloured, 50 ringgit, blue and multicoloured and 100 ringgit, purple and multicoloured, all ND (1967), serial number A/1 000001, all with portrait of Yang Di- Pertuan Agong, TuAnku Abdul Rahman, first King of Malaysia, at right, all are signed by Ismail Mohd Ali, value at centre and at each corner, all notes are mounted in card with gold border (Tan M 27, 28, 29, 30, 31). There is also a second presentation album containing 1000 ringgit, ND (1968), serial number A/1 000001, purple and multicoloured, portrait of Yang Di- Pertuan Agong, TuAnku Abdul Rahman, first king of Malaysia at right, signed by Ismail Mohd- Ali, value at centre and each corner, mounted in card with gold trim (Tan M 32). (more…)

With fewer than three weeks to go before a Sept. 25 trial on the merits, chaos has been introduced to the legal proceedings brought by Christopher Cipoletti and the American Numismatic Association against its former computer services vendor, John Nebel of Computer Systems Design, and several former ANA employees that include former comptroller Wayne Abraham, museum curator Larry Lee and Information Technology director Barbara (Susie) Nulty.

The ANA’s attorney has withdrawn and the trial has been postponed until January 2008.

The law firm of Davis Graham and Stubbs LLP, and as the filed motion papers say, “(including Janet Savage, Sybil Kisken and Stephanie Ries),” have applied to the Colorado District Court “for an order permitting them to withdraw as attorneys” for the ANA and Cipoletti.

From the inception of the suit in July 2005 until August of this year — more than two years — Cipoletti and the ANA have both been represented by Janet Savage, a partner in the Davis, Graham law firm. As she explained in a court-filed document dated Aug. 30, Savage “undertook the representation of plaintiffs [ANA and Cipoletti] pursuant to Colorado Rule of Professional Conduct 1.13(e), which ‘recognizes that a lawyer for an organization may also represent a principal officer or major shareholder.’

By Numismaster

Stack’s Sept. 18 auction of U.S. coinage features a top-grade 1838 quarter.

At that grade it is the finest certified by Numismatic Guaranty Corp., said sale catalogers. The piece was once part of the Jimmy Hayes collection sold by Stack’s in 1985 and is accompanied by a letter from Mr. Hayes to a later owner of the piece.

Another top-graded piece to be offered is an 1853-C gold $5, certified as MS-64 by Professional Coin Grading Service. Catalogers cite the PCGS population report of one 1853-C $5 seen in this condition and none finer.

An 1874 Trade dollar, PCGS MS-66 with only one other graded higher by PCGS, will attract specialists. Catalogers write, “What truly makes the present coin so special is the quality of the surfaces, with just a few microscopic nicks in the fields this is much, much finer than usually encountered.”

Ponterio & Associates, Inc., will auction the David Dougherty collection of United States Coinage Sept. 25 and 26 at the Residence Inn, Los Angeles.

One item of interest is an 1861 Confederate States half dollar, Scott restrike, graded AU-58 by ANACS. Also featured is a large selection of dollars, including a 1795 Draped Bust Small Eagle, NGC XF-40; an 1801 in extremely fine; 1862 proof; 1869 proof; 1884-S in brilliant uncirculated; 1893-CC in PCGS MS-63 and 1934-S in PCGS MS-63.

Another section of interest is a large offering of pioneer and private gold. This section includes three California $50 August Humbert octagonals, nine pieces of Bechtler gold, four pieces of Mormon gold and an Oregon Exchange Company $5 of 1849.