Bowers and Merena Auctions will again present the Official Auction of the June 2010 Whitman Coin & Collectibles Baltimore Expo. More than 200 impressive currency lots will join a magnificent array of nearly 3,500 coin lots in the auction that will be held June 16-20, 2010.

Ponterio & Associates, a division of Bowers and Merena, will present the world and ancients auction of coins and paper money, more than 2,300 lots, including over 1,500 lots of Ancient and foreign coins and 828 lots of world paper money.

Prior to the auction, lot viewing opportunities for U.S. currency lots will include a special viewing at the Memphis International Paper Money Show on Thursday, June 17, from noon to 5 p.m. CT, when the notes will then travel to Baltimore for the live auction and viewing at the Expo.

Matt Quinn, director of currency auctions, is enthusiastic about the impressive highlights that will cross the auction block. “We have two magnificent sheets of currency to offer, with the first being a tremendous uncut sheet of Rhode Island Colonials. The Catalog numbers range from RI-282 to 289, with two of each denomination seen, seldom seen in such a large format. The other significant uncut grouping of notes is one of the finest sheets of Silver Certificates we have come across. The sheet is an Uncut Sheet of 12 Fr. 1654 1934D Five Dollar notes encapsulated in a Superb Gem 68PPQ holder by PCGS Currency. This stunning sheet of notes is flawless to the naked eye.”

Some important National Banknotes in the catalog start with a highly scarce large size 1902 Five Dollar Plain Back with the second bank name for charter 9745. This County National Bank of Santa Cruz note retains nice appeal and is likely missing from even comprehensive California collections. The second notable National comes from Muscogee, Indian Territory with the Charter number of 4385. “Territorial notes are ever popular pieces which always command a premium,” Quinn said, “as mostly all in the National Banknote section of the hobby aspire to own one.”

The type collectors will also be fortunate to participate in the sale with a few notable high grade large size pieces available. Quinn added, “One of the most pleasing examples we have seen in some time for Friedberg number 21 will be presented to the collecting community bearing the challenging series ‘A,’ in a robust PCGS Extremely Fine 45PPQ holder. Next a wonderful Fr. 116 1901 $10 Bison note will cross the block encapsulated in a PMG Superb Gem Uncirculated 66EPQ grade which really wrings out all the detail the design could offer. A tasteful selection of high grade Gold Certificates will be the staple in the end of the large size type selection with many outstanding Gem notes seen.” (more…)

Heritage Auction Galleries will offer the 1914 Federal Reserve Proofs Presentation Set Number 1 in its upcoming Signature® Currency Auction, held in conjunction with the Memphis International Paper Money Show, June 17-19. It is estimated at $60,000+.

The set consists of 10 pieces: a Richmond district front of each of the five denominations along with a back for each of the five denominations. The notes have all been certified and encapsulated by PMG. The card that accompanied the set when it was presented to the Honorable Joseph E. Ralph, Director of the Bureau of Engraving & Printing, by Treasury Secretary McAdoo on December 21, 1914 is also contained with the lot.

Additionally, a copy of a letter dated Oct. 28, 1914 is included. The letter from Director Ralph informed McAdoo that the first Federal Reserve Notes would bear the “Richmond Federal Reserve District” seal.

“On Dec. 23, 1913, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act, which transformed the American monetary system and is now about to celebrate its 100th birthday,” said Allen Mincho, Director of Currency Auctions at Heritage. “Soon after that signing Joseph E. Ralph, the Director of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, was assigned the task of designing and producing the new Federal Reserve Notes.”

During the next year, various prototype designs were produced until a standardized design was finalized in the fall of 1914. As a part of the design process, a small quantify of Proof examples were produced. These Proofs were printed from the actual currency plates on to card stock, with the Treasury seal and the all zero serial numbers glued on by hand by the pressman. On the back of each Proof the official “Proofing Room” number was imprinted in light blue ink.

Gene Hessler, in his book U.S. Essay, Proof & Specimen Notes, states that the 1916 “Annual Report of the Bureau of Engraving & Printing” notes that only two complete sets of Proofs were produced, although it is likely that either two more sets were unofficially created or that other Proofs were combined to make at least two more sets, as four complete sets are said to exist today.

Neither the Smithsonian nor any of the Federal Reserve Bank branches, or their headquarters in Washington, D.C., contains any items comparable to this first presentation set in their collections.

Heritage Currency Auctions is currently accepting consignments for the ANA Boston Signature Currency Auction that will be held August 11-13, 2010 in Boston, MA. The consignment deadline is June 18, 2010. Please call 800-872-6467, ext. 1001 for more information.

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…)