Bowers and Merena will conduct the Official auction of the June 2010 Whitman Coin & Collectibles Baltimore Expo. Scheduled for June 16-20, 2010 at the Baltimore Convention Center, the sale will present nearly 3,500 lots of United States coins, exonumia and related items.

According to Bowers and Merena president Steve Deeds: “We have a wonderful sale planned for the June 2010 Baltimore Expo anchored by several important collections and Registry Sets.

In the category of Registry Sets we are featuring the Close to Perfect Collection, #1 All-Time Finest Lincoln Memorial Cents Basic Set on the PCGS Registry and the Weston Collection, PCGS Registry Set #8 in the category Capped Bust Half Dollars Major Variety Set without Reeded Edges.

The Close to Perfect Collection includes many low-pop condition rarities, including some stellar-quality MS-69s and MS-70s from the 21st century, while the Weston Collection features many original collector coins in VF, EF and AU.”

“Among U.S. gold coin offerings,” continued Deeds, “bidders will find the Windermere Collection and its fantastic array of rare-date Liberty Double Eagles and Territorial gold. Leading the way are 1855-O $20 NGC AU-55, 1859-O $20 NGC AU-55, 1860-O $20 NGC AU-58, 1861-O $20 NGC AU-55, 1861-S Paquet $20 NGC AU-50 and an 1852 Augustus Humbert $50 Gold, Reeded Edge, 880 THOUS, PCGS AU-55.

The Fab Five Collection of Early Half Eagles will also entice gold enthusiasts with a selection of five early Half Eagles, a fresh consignment recently certified by our company for the first time and making its first appearance in a major numismatic auction. A historic 1795 Small Eagle Five in NGC MS-61 leads off the Fab Five Collection, and it is an example of the scarcer BD-8 die marriage.”

Concluded Deeds: “Numerous other important rarities can also be found scattered throughout our June 2010 Baltimore Auction. We have a beautiful and rare 1930-S Double Eagle in PCGS Secure MS-65+, a top-of-the-pop 1917 Doubled Die Obverse Lincoln Cent, FS-101, PCGS Secure MS-67 RD from The Holdings of Ron Groszmann, a well-known 1794 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar rarity in a PCGS Genuine holder and countless other highlights from Colonial coinage through Territorials. Plus, a complete set of Proof Barber dimes, as well as nearly complete sets of Indian cents, Mercury dimes, Standing Liberty quarters, and a type set with key coinage, all collected in the 1950s and 1960s. No matter what your area of specialization, I am confident that the Bowers and Merena June 2010 Baltimore Auction holds many important bidding opportunities. Enjoy the sale, and good luck with your bids.”

Additional highlights in the Bowers and Merena June 2010 Baltimore Auction include:

• 1926-S Buffalo Nickel, NGC MS-65
• 1937-D Buffalo Nickel, 3-Legged, PCGS MS-65, CAC
• 1797 Draped Bust Half Dime, 16 Stars, NGC MS-64, CAC
• 1800 Draped Bust Half Dime, PCGS MS-64
• 1807 Draped Bust Dime, NGC MS-65, OH
• 1795 Flowing Hair Silver Dollar, Three Leaves, PCGS MS-62
• 1795 Capped Bust Right Eagle, 13 Leaves, NGC AU-55
• 1872 Liberty Eagle, PCGS Proof-64 DCAM, Ex: J.F. Bell Collection
• MCMVII (1907) High Relief Saint-Gaudens Double Eagle, Wire Rim, NGC MS-66
• A Complete 1871 Standard Silver Pattern Proof Set, Half Dime through Dollar, Ex: Garrett
• 1872 Pattern Commercial Dollar, Judd-1217, PCGS Proof-64 RB
• 1849 Mormon $2.50 Gold, K-1, PCGS VF-35, CAC—Gold Label, OGH—First Generation
• 1849 Oregon Exchange Company $5 Gold, K-1, NGC AU Details—Tooled
• 1883 Hawaii Eighth Dollar, PCGS Secure Proof-63 Cameo (more…)

Ponterio & Associates, Inc., the world and ancients auction division of Bowers and Merena Auctions, will conduct its Baltimore Auction of World and Ancient Coins and Paper Money as part of Bowers and Merena’s Official Auction of the June 2010 Whitman Coin & Collectibles Baltimore Expo.

The two-session sale will be conducted June 18 and 19 at the Baltimore Convention Center. More than 2,300 lots will be offered, including approximately 1,500 lots of Ancient and foreign coins and 825 lots of world paper money.

Executive vice president, Rick Ponterio states, “Our June 2010 Baltimore Auction is sure to see strong bidder participation—and competition—among specialists in many areas of foreign coins and paper money. Featured among the coin offerings in this sale are important rarities from many periods of history, ranging from Ancient Greece to the modern era.”

Continued Ponterio: “An example of the diversity in this sale can be found in two of the more important highlights. The first is a very rare Zeugitana, Carthage AV Trihemistater, or 1 ½ Shekel, that dates to the early period of the First Punic War (ca. 264-260 BC). The coin is attributed alternatively as Jenkins & Lewis Group IX Pl.18#392 (same dies) and Muller-Pg.86#66, and has been certified by NGC as AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5.”

“We will also present a Yuan Dynasty Zhi Yuan 50 Tael Sycee Ingot that is extremely rare and historically significant,” Ponterio added. “It is dated the 14th year of the Zhìyuán era (1273 A.D.), inscribed with the denomination at upper left and the ruler’s name and date at lower center, Khubilai Khan, the fifth Great Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan (1260-94). It is among the earliest known Chinese 50 Tael Sycee ingot.”

MORE THAN 825 LOTS OF WORLD PAPER MONEY TO BE OFFERED

“We have received a wide array of important world paper money consignments for this sale,” stated Bowers and Merena’s director of currency auctions, Matthew Quinn. “A splendid selection of Iranian notes from the 1920s and 1930s figure prominently among the highlights in this auction, and they include a stunning Choice Uncirculated 1 Toman note dated 1.6.1920 and attributed as P-1b. Also of note is a China, Republic, 5 Yuan dated 4.10.1914 and attributed as P-34. The note grades Very Fine and is significant because examples of this type are usually seen only in remainder form without signatures and perforated ‘canceled,’ which is a fate this note escaped. We anticipate strong bidder competition for these and other important world paper money lots in this sale.” (more…)

by Greg Reynolds for CoinLink

On March 4, in Baltimore, B&M auctioned a 1901 San Francisco Mint quarter dollar, which was then PCGS certified “MS-68,” for $327,750, an auction record for a Barber quarter and for any business strike Barber coin. John Brush, acting on behalf of DLRC, was the successful bidder. While bidding, he was talking to John Feigenbaum, the President of DLRC, on the phone.

On March 25, this quarter was featured at the PCGS announcement of the SecurePlusTM program in Fort Worth, and had been regraded “MS-68+.” On March 26, Bill Shamhart negotiated with Feigenbaum to buy this quarter. During the following week, it was CAC approved, and Shamhart placed it in a private collection. Other than the Olsen-Hawn 1913 Liberty Nickel that sold during the FUN Platinum Night event, this is the most ‘talked about’ coin in 2010, so far.

I. This 1901-S sells at Auction and then Privately

Early in 2010, this 1901-S quarter remained in an NGC holder, with an MS-68 grade, and was submitted by B&M to PCGS for consideration as a ‘crossover.’ It did, in fact, ‘cross,’ meaning here that the PCGS also graded it as MS-68.

John Feigenbaum explains that, soon after this 1901-S was auctioned on March 4, the “PCGS was looking for a trophy coin to display during their announcement; so they contacted me to inquire if I would be willing to put this coin in their new holder. I was happy to oblige.” Technically, there is a new SecureShield insert in the same type of holder. This quarter became the first coin to be PCGS graded “MS-68+,” under the new system that allows for ‘+’ grades. On March 25, David Hall included this coin in his presentation, in Fort Worth, at the formal announcement of the SecurePlusTM program.

When PCGS officials contacted Feigenbaum about arranging for this coin to be a showpiece, “there was no discussion of the ‘+’ designation,” Feigenbaum reports, “that was a complete surprise. Frankly, I didn’t even know it was an option.”

On Friday, March 26, at the ANA Convention in Fort Worth, Bill Shamhart, [www.numismaticamericana.com] a New Jersey dealer and CAC consultant, arranged for one of his clients to purchase this 1901-S quarter from Feigenbaum, subject to verification of its grade by the CAC. During the following week, the CAC placed a sticker on the holder, and this quarter thus traded again. The CAC approved the MS-68 grade; the CAC will not accept or reject ‘plus’ grades. Shamhart’s client is a “lifelong collector” who desires American coins of “amazing quality.”

At auction on March 4, the firm of David Lawrence (DLRC) acquired this 1901-S quarter for inventory largely because the firm has specialized in Barber Coinage for more than a quarter century. Barber coins were minted from 1892 to 1916. John Feigenbaum’s deceased father, David Lawrence Feigenbaum, founded DLRC in 1979. David authored three books on Barber coinage, one book on each denomination, dimes, quarters and half dollars. In the late 1990s, father and son co-authored a fourth book that focused on Mint State and Proof Barber coins that were certified by the PCGS and the NGC. DLRC sells Proof, Mint State, AU and circulated Barber coins. (more…)