IRVINE, Calif. – Teletrade, America’s largest fully automated Internet auction company for certified coins and currency, hosted a very special Friday online auction on June 27, 2008, in addition to their three regular weekly auctions. Teletrade Auction 2549, consisting of just more than 200 exclusive certified coin lots, realized an outstanding $1,050,000, bringing Teletrade’s June auction total to more than $4.75 million, a record high month for Teletrade prices realized!

This special Friday auction featured an amazing selection of certified coins highlighted by another original hoard of PCGS Green Holders, including many Wells Fargo $20 pieces, auctioned alongside a variety of other extraordinary U.S. rarities certified by PCGS and NGC. From this special selection, five exceptional coins realized in excess of $100,000 each:

1. Lot 1068 $2.5 Gold 1796 Stars NGC AU-50 $100,800
2. Lot 1084 $4 Gold Stella 1879 Proof Flowing Hair PCGS PR-62 $128,800
3. Lot 1099 $10 Gold 1795 13 Leaves NGC MS-61 $112,000
4. Lot 1100 $10 Gold 1801 NGC MS-64 $123,200
5. Lot 1121 $20 Gold 1895 Proof NGC PR-65 Ultra Cam $117,600

“This is simply unprecedented for Teletrade,” said president Ian Russell, “two million-dollar sales in the same month, and an overall record month for the entire 22-year history of the company. It is truly a testament to the direction of online auctions for Teletrade and for the industry as a whole, and I am thrilled to see Teletrade leading the way. Over $4.75 million in online coin and currency sales in a single month is just incredible.” (more…)

Dallas, TX. Market demand remained strong for significant American numismatic rarities in the June 2008 Summer FUN Signature® Auction presented by Heritage Auction Galleries in West Palm Beach, June 26-27. Total prices realized for the American coins exceeded $12 million, and the total will rise further when the concluding session and post auction buys are finalized.

“The strong market is continuing to bring great rarities — and great prices realized — onto the Heritage auction block,” commented Heritage President Greg Rohan. “We note that Lot 1960, an 1880 $4 Flowing Hair (Judd-1657, Pollock-1857) and certified PR64 by PCGS, realized: $431,250. This auction contained a wide range of rarities at many price levels, to which more than 5000 bidders responded enthusiastically.”

Highlights from Heritage’s Summer FUN Signature Auction:

Lot 1960: 1880 $4 Flowing Hair, Judd-1657, Pollock-1857, R.6, PR64 PCGS.
The 1880 Flowing Hair “stella” is one of the most famous rarities in American numismatics. Technically a pattern issue, and never authorized for regular coinage, the stella has survived and prospered as a collectible issue, and is regularly listed in A Guide Book of United States Coins alongside regular U.S. gold coin types. From the Fern E. Wagner Trust. Price realized: $431,250

Lot 2106: 1803 BD-6 Large Stars Reverse Eagle, MS62 NGC. Breen-6845, B. 1-F, Taraszka-32, R.7.
Of 33 known die varieties in the 1795 to 1804 eagle series, Harry Bass was able to obtain 32 during his many years of collecting; the only die marriage that he never owned was the 1803 BD-6 (Breen 1-F) that is offered in this lot. Price realized: $172,500

Lot 1975: 1832 Half Eagle, 13 Stars, BD-1, High R.5, MS63
The 1832 half eagle is known in only two die pairings, BD-1 and BD-2, easily distinguished by the presence of either 13 or 12 obverse stars, respectively; the 13 Stars BD-1 has a straight-base 2, and only three examples of this variety have been certified finer. From The Charleston Collection.
Price realized: $132,250 [Read the CoinLink Article on this Coin Here ]

(Dallas, Texas) – An unprecedented “lot” will be offered in conjunction with the official auction of the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money® convention in Baltimore: lunch with Heritage Auction Galleries Co-Chairman, best-selling author and acclaimed numismatic authority, Jim Halperin.

All proceeds from the winning bid, including the buyer’s premium, will be donated to the ANA’s education programs for improving numismatic resources on the ANA web site, including the successful Coins in the Classroom project that is used by teachers nationwide.

The winning bidder will have a one-on-one lunch with Halperin at a mutually convenient time and place.

“The rarity of this offering cannot really be overstated. I don’t recall ever in our 21 years working together of having lunch one-on-one with Jim,” quipped Heritage President Greg Rohan.

The lunch date lot will be offered during Heritage’s Platinum Night sale, Wednesday evening, July 30, 2008, in the Baltimore Convention Center. Bids will be accepted in person and online at www.HA.com.

The first bid already has been received. Numismatic author and former ANA Vice President, Scott A. Travers of New York City, has opened the bidding at $1,500. Travers suggested the fund-raising auction after exchanging e-mails with Halperin about a recent charity auction involving a lunch date with renowned investor Warren Buffett, a subject of personal interest to Halperin. (more…)

A unique discovery note will be auctioned by Spink’s in its Asian Banknote Sale to take place in Singapore on July 5th.

Sale 8014 Lot 0A: The $1000 “Government of the Straits Settlements” of 17 March 1911 has serial number A/1 000001. It is grey & black with crowned arms top centre flanked by a lion and a unicorn. The $1000 value in located in a black tablet at center of the note. The signatures of currency commissioners Brockman, Michell and David are visable and the notes value is also translated into  four languages, English, Chinese, Malay and Arabic around the edges of the note.

The Straits Settlements were a collection of territories of the British East India Company in Southeast Asia, which were given collective administration in 1826 as a crown colony,They were distinct from the native princely states, some of which later formed the Federated Malay States.

Initially, the Straits Settlements consisted of Penang, sometimes officially named Prince of Wales Island, Singapore with about a score of islets of insignificant size lying in its immediate vicinity, the islands and territory of the Dinding, Province Wellesley, the town and territory of Malacca and the islands of Labuan.

The colony was dissolved in 1946, when Singapore became a separate crown colony (ultimately independent), while Penang and Malacca joined the Malayan Union, which eventually became Malaysia.

The note was discovered by the consignor with an envelope titled SPECIMEN/ON HIS MAJESTY’S SERVICE and listing the serial number of the note in ink. (more…)

Bowers and Merena Auctions, America’s leading rare coin auction house, will host their Baltimore Rarities Sale in July at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, just prior to the ANA World’s Fair of Money. The auction of nearly 1,300 lots will be presented on Saturday, July 26, with lot viewing scheduled for Thursday to Saturday, July 24-26, and lot pick-up on Sunday, July 27. The catalog includes approximately 1,100 coin and 200 currency lots.

At the top of the highlights list is an impressive 1866-S No Motto Liberty Double Eagle graded MS-60 by NGC. It is described as a High Condition Census example, one of only three Mint State examples known to PCGS and NGC, and the type of Mint State rarity that is not often available to collectors for purchase. Although Winter and Crum were unaware of any Mint State examples of the 1866-S No Motto in numismatic circles, PCGS and NGC have since certified a few coins at that level. The total is limited to just three pieces, however, the finest of which grades only MS-61. Clearly a very rare coin from both absolute and condition standpoints, the BU example that Bowers and Merena is offering represents a fleeting bidding opportunity for the advanced collector of 19th century U.S. gold coinage.

“Bowers and Merena just returned from a very successful June auction in Baltimore where we realized over $6.2 million, and there was already a lot of talk and enthusiasm among attendees to return to Baltimore in July,” said Steve Deeds, president of Bowers and Merena. “We have a fantastic selection of very special coin and currency lots and we are looking forward to presenting an exceptional rarities auction that serious collectors will really appreciate.”

Additional highlights of note include an 1808 Capped Bust Left Quarter Eagle, BD-1, HBCC-3017, the only known dies, Rarity-4, graded MS-61 by NGC. This is an elusive and significant One-Year Type, one of no more than 150 Capped Bust Left Quarter Eagles that are estimated to remain to meet the demand of both early gold specialists and type collectors, the latter group, in particular, representing an ever-growing segment of the numismatic market. Also, notable is a lovely prooflike 1795 Capped Bust Right Half Eagle, Small Eagle, BD-8, HBCC-3041, Miller-10, Rarity-5+, graded MS-63 PL by NGC, a nice coin, and a rarer die pairing of this historically significant and extremely popular federal gold issue. (more…)