by Greg Reynolds for CoinLink
This is Part 4 of my review and analysis of the auction of the Millennia collection of world coins.

The main purpose of Part IV is to cover the structure of, and the plan for, the Millennia collection. Several more coins from the collection will be discussed and related to the plan, with emphasis upon types that were not discussed in the first three parts.

The Millennia collection contained coins of many nations, and this collector never intended to complete a series of coins ‘by date.’ Also, there was not a plan to construct a type set of all denominations of any one nation.

Generally, for each nation or coin-producing society represented, there is a carefully selected group of high quality Crowns (large silver coins), plus a smaller number of gold coins, if any. Curiously, all the Belgian coins in the Millennia collection were gold coins.

A 4.22 gram (0.15 ounce) Belgian coin, a ‘lion of gold,’ which was minted in Bruges, is noteworthy. It is not extremely rare. It is important in an artistic and cultural sense. The growling lion and other symbols are carefully chosen and placed. It was probably minted in the 1450s, and it provides clues regarding the independent and defiant, as well as flamboyant, personality of the reigning Duke, ‘Philip the Good.’ It is also one of the few coins of the period that is not overcrowded with design elements. This coin has sizeable, carefully balanced fields. It is NGC graded MS-62, a high grade for a Belgian coin from the 1400s. It sold for $5750.

For Britain and for a few Latin American societies, there were more gold coins than Crowns in the Millennia collection. A substantial percentage of the gold coins that circulated worldwide from the 1730s to the 1850s were minted in Latin America within the Spanish Empire or by former Spanish colonies that became independent. It is thus logical that there were a large number of Latin American gold coins in the Millennia collection. To a meaningful extent, Ira Goldberg intended for the Millennia collection to reflect the large coins that were widely used, and characteristic of their respective societies, over the last two thousand five hundred years. Large coins usually weigh more than one-half an ounce. (more…)

by Greg Reynolds for CoinLink
This is Part 3 of my review and analysis of the auction of the Millennia collection of world coins.

British coins, Dutch coins and particularly the coins of the Spanish Empire are tremendously well represented in the Millennia collection largely because these were widely used in international trade or relate to world events in other ways. Though many of the European coins are of high quality and/or are historically important, the Millennia collection will probably be best remembered for its Latin American coins.

I will not list the Latin American coins in the Millennia collection that brought the highest prices nor will I list the rarest. I do mention the three most famous Latin American coins in part 1.

The purpose here it to review a selection of the Latin American coins in ways that are clear to a large number of readers, especially to those who are not collecting Latin American coins. My emphasis here is upon coins that are historically important, pertinent to collecting pursuits, and/or interesting to people who know little, if anything, about Latin American coins.

The coins in the Millennia collection tend to be of very high quality for their respective issues. Collectors should keep in mind, however, that lesser quality coins of the same issues tend to be much less costly, often less than one-tenth as much. Besides, even the poorest of collectors can enjoy reading about and studying coins that are aesthetically pleasing, are of historical significance, and/or are interesting in curious ways. (more…)

By Greg Reynolds for CoinLink
This is Part 2 of my review and analysis of the auction of the Millennia collection of world coins.

At the auction, coins minted before 1300 AD, including but not limited to ancients, seemed to be of interest to a very specialized group of bidders. Coins minted afterwards captured the interest of a large number of floor bidders, even those who know little about them.

I observed that collectors and dealers of U.S. coins were attracted to many of the high quality European and Latin American coins. More so than at any other sale that I have attended, coin buyers seemed happy to venture out of their usual coin domains and bid on coins that grabbed their attention.

Andy Lustig bought a Brazilian 1810 silver coin, lot #972, for his personal collection, even though he does not collect Brazilian coins and has no intention of doing so. This coin is now “the only Brazilian coin” in his collection. Its “very unusual die break” initially got his attention, and he “found this coin to be very intriguing” overall. Lustig felt that he “just had to have it.” Andy paid $7188.

An especially choice 1854 large gold Bolivian coin captured the attention of Dr. Robert Hesselgesser as he was browsing auction lots. It is NGC graded MS-63 and is certainly at least a mid range 63. It is very sharply struck. Further, it has reflective surfaces and a cool look overall. Hesselgesser does not, and is not planning to, collect Latin American gold coins; he admits that he “just could not resist” buying it.

At the sale, I did not notice any Russians venturing far from their coin domains. Indeed, they seemed very focused on Russian coins. (more…)