A truly memorable opportunity awaits you as Stacks will offer the Vermeule, Ward and Mexico Maxico Collections. Showcasing ancient and world coins and medals.—with most coins being “new to the market.” Our title could be expanded to a full paragraph, so fine and so memorable are the consignments!

The late Dr. Cornelius Vermeule, once on Stack’s staff, went on to have an internationally recognized and honored career as curator of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. He collected widely, and with a connoisseur’s eye and outlook. During his lifetime he favored us with many important items from his personal collection, including his United States coins which we sold for record prices in 2001. His biography appears on page 6. In this sale we offer the first part of his collection of Roman Provincial Coins and Medallions, including an unpublished bronze Medallion of Severus Alexander from Aegae in Aeolis. Further offerings from the collection will be offered in our April 2010 Coin Galleries sale.

The Clinton Sherwood Ward Collection of ancient and world coins is, in a word, remarkable. This was chiefly formed in the 1960s, with some acquired earlier and others added after that decade. The collection includes a wide offering of gold coinage of the ancient and modern worlds, with some ancient silver included for good measure. The United States coinage from the collection will be offered in our January 2010 New York Americana Sale. Highlights include a wonderfully high-grade gold Octadrachm of Arsinöe II of Egypt, numerous mid-grade but rare Roman aurei, and representative gold coins of the world.

The Mexico Maxico (Magical Mexico) Collection includes gold treasures from the Mexican Republic. Other distinguished consignors and important estates have furnished other ancient and world coins as well as an important presentation of world paper money.

Included from the estate of Vera Easling are ancient and world coins and medals, including the impressive, nearly 3-ounce gold Catherine II Russian medal of the St. Petersburg Foundling Home. Earlier we auctioned the United States portion of this highly important collection. The Georgia Sea Islands Collection of French 40 Francs Coins is a comprehensive offering of over 50 third-party graded coins from Napoleon to Louise Philippe I, including a wide variety of dates and mints.

An incredible collection of gold rarities of the world, formed in our own era, includes many unique and extremely rare pieces, with most concentrated in Austria, Germany and Italy from the Renaissance era to the 19th century. This collection is particularly strong in multiple ducats and other “multiples,” including the massive Venetian 50 Zecchini of Alvise Mocenigo IV, which brought a record-breaking price at our sale of the Eliasberg Collection a few years ago.

The Securitas Collection of Roman Aurei features a nearly complete set of the 12 Caesars in gold, including a wonderful Otho Aureus with Securitas reverse. The Craig and Ruanne Smith Collection of Ancient Greek Coinage comprises a well-rounded offering of over 50 coins, with a particularly extensive group of coins of Olympia celebrating various Olympiads of the 5th and 4th centuries B.C.

Our auction begins at 10:00 am on Monday, January 11, with auction lot viewing (also at 110 West 57th Street) the previous week. Our sale will be the capstone for many of you who have been in New York City the past week, participating in the International Coin Convention at the Waldorf-Astoria and also in the Gala held by the American Numismatic Society honoring our colleague Victor England. Or, perhaps you have been in the South attending the Florida United Numismatists (FUN) convention last week. Busy times! Lots to do! And many dynamic events to start the new year!

Related posts:

1. January 2010 George Frederick Kolbe Public Auction Sale: The Stack Family Numismatic Library
2. Ponterio & Associates, Inc 2010 Auction Schedule Starts with New York International Numismatic Convention
3. Chicago International Coin Fair Starts Today
4. Stack’s 74th Anniversary Coin Sale Starts Today in Baltimore
5. Stack’s Sells $5 Million in Americana Rare Coin Sale!
6. Stack’s Shatters Records at Philadelphia Americana Coin Sale! Nearly $9 Million Sold
7. Stack’s Autumn Sale Boasts Array of U.S. Rarities
8. Stack’s January 26th – 27th Americana Sale to Feature Paper Money
9. New Auction Records Set at Stack’s CoinFest Sale!
10. Stack’s Autumn Sale Nets over $2 Million!