Heritage Auction Galleries’ Signature® Currency Auction, held Aug. 11-15, including the non-floor session held on Aug. 15, contributed more than $3 million to the $46+ million total realization of Heritage’s official ANA World’s Fair of Money auction in Boston, MA.

Highlights from Session One included a possibly unique complete uncut sheet of 16 red and black Continental Currency January 14, 1779 Extremely Fine-About New, which realized $28,750. An outstanding New York November 1, 1709 (Lyon Dollars) 2 Ounces 15 Pennyweights or 4 Lyon Dollars PCGS Choice About New 55PPQ sold for $23,000, while a number of Mormon-related pieces had strong showings, including a rare countersigned Kirtland, OH- The Kirtland Safety Society Bank $2 March 9, 1837 G4 Wolka 1424-06 Nyholm 31 Rust 5 grading PCGS Apparent Very Fine 30, which brought $20,700.

National bank notes were offered during Session Two, where a Boston note brought the highest price – realizing $20,700 – a new to the census Boston, MA – $50 1875 Fr. 444a The State NB Ch. # 1028 PCGS Apparent Very Fine 20.

Also in the session two Territorial notes drew strong prices: a Roff, IT – $10 1882 Brown Back Fr. 490 The First NB Ch. # (W)5417 PMG Very Fine 25, unique as a Territorial from the bank, sold for $16,100, while an Enid, OT – $5 1902 Red Seal Fr. 588 The Enid NB Ch. # (W)8231 PMG Choice Fine 15, one of two known, also realized $16,100.

The highest price realized for a single note in the auction came in Session Three when the Fr. 2221-B $5000 1934 Federal Reserve Note PCGS Very Choice New 64PPQ crossed the auction to the tune of $103,500.

Another highly anticipated piece of currency was the “King of Errors” double denomination Fr. 2071-K $20/$10 1974 Federal Reserve Note PMG Choice Uncirculated 63, which soared to $32,200. Among the Large Size highlights was the Fr. 1217 $500 1922 Gold Certificate PMG About Uncirculated 55 EPQ, a spectacular note that sold for $66,125.

All prices realized include 15% Buyer’s Premium.

Official Auctioneer of the ANA World’s Fair of Money, Aug. 11-16

The Official Currency Auction of the 2010 ANA World’s Fair of Money in Boston, MA will be conducted by Heritage Auctions Aug. 11-16. The auction includes three floor sessions and one online session. Lot viewing will be conducted at the Hynes Convention Center, Room 210, 900 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02115 and the floor sessions will be held at the Hynes Convention Center, Room 203, 900 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02115.

In addition to lot viewing in Boston, a preliminary lot viewing will take place at Heritage Galleries Beverly Hills, 9478 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite #100, Beverly Hills, CA 90212 on Friday, July 30, 2010 and Saturday, July 31, 2010.

Session One will begin on Wednesday evening, Aug. 11, at 6 p.m. ET and includes Continental Currency, Colonial Currency, Fractional Currency, Encased Postage, Obsolete Currency, Confederate Notes, a Confederate Bond, Miscellaneous, Postal Notes, Military Payment Certificates, World Currency, and Canadian Currency.

Heritage Currency Auctions is presenting The Collection of a Patriotic American, a complete collection of all 102 Friedberg numbers associated with Continental Currency and believed to be the finest collection ever assembled. The collection also includes 71 additional related items, including the extremely rare marbled edge counterfeit detector; eight extra Fugio bills representing the different plate positions; 21 different contemporary counterfeits; nine sheets of Continental Currency, including a very rare sheet of Fugio bills; and nine counterfeit detector sheets. Among the 71 items are 23 pieces issued by cities and states payable in Continental Currency: four notes from Albany dated 1776 and 19 typeset certificates from Georgia dated June and September 1777.

Among the many highlights of the collection is the finest known Continental Currency May 10, 1775 $20 PCGS Choice About New 58PPQ. The $20 from this first issue of Continental Currency is the only piece of the 102 different Continental Currency notes that has a different shape, size, paper, and color. Benjamin Franklin procured the distinctive marbled edge paper from his contacts in Paris.

Other exceptional rarities in the collection include: a Continental Currency February 17, 1776 Twenty Four Note Sheet Choice About New, the finest of three known examples; a Continental Currency May 20, 1777 Complete Double Sheet of Sixteen Extremely Fine-About New which is unique to Heritage’s best knowledge; a Continental Currency May 10, 1775 $20 Counterfeit Detector PCGS Choice About New 58, one of only two known examples and the only one available to collectors as the other piece belongs to the Colonial Williamsburg Museum; and a gorgeous Georgia June 8, 1777 $8 PCGS Choice About New 58PPQ that was payable in Continental Currency, hence its inclusion in this collection. (more…)

Rare U.S. and World notes make strong showing at International Paper Money Show

Heritage Auction Galleries’ Currency Signature® Auction held in Memphis, TN, June 17-19, in conjunction with the Memphis International Paper Money Show, showed continued strength in the rare currency market, successfully realizing $5.1 million.

“This auction contained a wide variety of significant U.S. and World notes,” said Allen Mincho, Director of Currency Auctions at Heritage, “and savvy collectors – both at the show and online – were more than happy to take advantage of the offerings.”

Highlights from Session One included: a BC-28 $1000 1937 PMG Gem Uncirculated 65 EPQ, which realized $19,550; an exceedingly rare green ink Russian-American Company 1 Rouble ND (1816-1867) Pick UNL Kardakoff 53.4, one of two known, graded PMG Choice Very Fine 35 Net, finishing at $18,975; a Puerto Rico Bank of Porto Rico in San Juan $10 1.7.1907 Pick 48ctfp Face Proof PMG Uncirculated 61 Net brought $18,400; a Australia Bank of Queensland Limited Dalby Branch £1 Dec. 1, 1864 Pick UNL PMG Very Good 8 sold for $17,250 and a Hawaii Republic of Hawaii Silver Certificate of Deposit $10 1895 (1897) Pick 12a PCGS Fine 12 also realized $17,250.

Other notable items from Session One included a rare Maryland Colonial Allegorical note that sold for $6,325 and three scarce Darwin, Calif., obsoletes that sold for more than $4,600 each.

High denomination Small Size Federal Reserve Notes led the prices realized results for Session Two, with a Fr. 2221-K $5000 1934 LGS Federal Reserve Note. PMG Very Fine 30 bringing $63,250 and a Fr. 2231-K $10000 1934 Federal Reserve Note PCGS Apparent Very Fine 25 realizing $57,500.

The highest price realized in the auction came near the end of Session Three when a Walla Walla, Washington Territory – $5 1875 Fr. 403 The First NB Ch. # 2380 PMG Very Fine 25 crossed the auction block and was sold for $161,000. The Serial Number One Flagstaff, AZ – $5 1902 Plain Back Fr. 606 The First NB Ch. # (P)11120 PMG Choice Uncirculated 64 EPQ realized $69,000.