Heritage to Present 3400+ Lot Signature® Currency event, Sept. 9-13

One of the largest offerings of Continental currency and Colonial paper money to be auctioned off in decades will highlight the Official Currency Auction of the September 2009 Long Beach Coin, Stamp & Collectibles Expoconducted by Heritage-Currency Auctions of America, Sept. 9-13, at the Long Beach Convention Center, 100 S. Pine Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90802. The auction will consist of four floor sessions along with one online-only session. The lot viewing will take place in Room 104A and the auction itself will be held in Room 103C.

“We have four fine collections anchoring this auction,” said Dustin Johnston, Currency Consignment Director at Heritage, “all of which, taken together, offer an excellent survey of American Currency from the Colonial era through current Federal Issues. We’re quite excited to offer these great examples.”

The Midnight Ride Collection includes an extensive quantity and variety of Colonial material, including many rare pieces. Numerous scarce and seldom seen Texas Nationals are included in the Lone Star Collection, while the notes in the Kim Fisher Collection include a wide variety of material. The small size holdings in particular include many finest known, only known and highest serial number known examples. Many of the Mexican Specimen notes being offered from the Giana Lynn Samantha Rose Collection are unlisted in the Krause price guide.

Session One, Wednesday evening, Sept. 9 at 6 p.m. PST, consists of 981 lots of Colonial material and features the aforementioned Midnight Ride Collection, an important assemblage of Continental Currency and Colonial Notes and one of the largest collections of Colonial material ever offered at auction.

“The Continental set is complete, and many of the Colonial notes are rarely seen at auction,” said Johnson. “All of the notes have been third-party graded, with a large number of finest knowns represented. Included in the collection are a number of notes from the popular North Carolina April 2, 1776 Issue, an Issue with 56 different varieties, the largest number of varieties seen in any issue of American paper money.”
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A wide selection of rare ancient and world coins will be offered in Bowers and Merena’s Official Auction of the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money® at the Los Angeles Convention Center and online, August 2 – 8, 2009. Ponterio & Associates, Inc., a division of Bowers and Merena, will present the world sessions on Saturday, August 8.

One of the many highlights among the over 1,300 lots of desirable and appealing world coins is a Japanese undated (1860 – 1862) Manen oban (10 Ryo, 112.26 gms) with security edge (Fr. 7; JNDA-09-11; C24a2) in Extremely Fine condition.

“This is a beautiful specimen,” said Richard Ponterio, executive vice president of Bowers and Merena. “This Manen oban is the only type that was produced using machinery. Prior to this type obans were hand made. The use of obans halted shortly after the time of Commandore Perry forcing Japan to open its trade with the west in the mid 1800s.” (www.BowersandMerena.com).

Two other marquee coins in the ANA auction are a rare Year 3 (1911) “Long Whisker Dragon” Tientsin Mint China Pattern Dollar (L&M-28; Kann-223; KM-Pn-304), graded NGC AU-58, and a Macedonia Mende silver Tetradrachm (16.88 gms) ca. 425 B.C.

“This was struck from the same dies as described in the Noe-ANS Monogram #27 of 1926, “The Mende (Kaliandra) Hoard #70. It has a well struck reverse and nice metal quality with full border on the obverse. It depicts Dionysos ‘Bacchus’ the god of wine and grapes holding a cup of wine while reclining on a donkey,” explained Ponterio. (more…)

More than 500 U.S. and world bank notes will be offered in the Official Auction of the American Numismatic Association World’s Fair of Money® conducted by Bowers and Merena Auctions at the Los Angeles Convention Center and online, August 2 – 8, 2009.

One of the many highlights is an 1870 $100 Gold National Bank Note, San Francisco Charter #1741, The First National Gold Bank (Fr. 1162), graded PMG Fine 12 Net (restorations).

“This classic rarity is one of only eight notes of this type in private hands, and one of three of this Friedberg number. Those others are in strong hands and not likely to become available in the foreseeable future. In fact, only three examples have been offered for public sale in the last decade and the latest example, nearly identical to this one, sold for $258,700 in 2007,” said Steve Deeds, President of Bowers and Merena (www.BowersandMerena.com).

“With collectors holding tightly to the others, we’re not sure when there will be another opportunity to acquire such a rare and elusive note.”

Three other 1870 National Gold Bank Charter #1741 notes are also being offered, $5 (Fr. 1136) PMG VF 30, $10 (Fr. 1142) PCGS Apparent VF 30, and $20 (Fr. 1172) PMG Very Good 10 Net. (more…)