Ponterio & Associates, a division of Bowers and Merena Auctions, is pleased to present the January 2011 N.Y.I.N.C. Auction at the Waldorf Astoria in New York on Jan. 7-8. The auction will feature 2,558 lots including Part I of the Len Novotny Collection of Mexican Coinage, the Michael Demling Collection of Ancient Coinage, David Ian Wright Collection of Italian Banknotes and a superb selection of Fussli specimens.

“After wrapping up our December Hong Kong auction with the Wa She Wong Collection, we are excited to offer another extremely diverse selection of ancient and world coins and paper money,” said Rick Ponterio, executive vice president of Bowers and Merena. “Sure to be the center of attention, the 1854 Guatemala 8 Reales, lot 1036 and graded AU-55 by NGC, is perhaps the rarest crown-sized type coin for all of Latin America.”

Shortly after the production of this coin, the Republic of Guatemala adopted the decimal system and began producing coinage in Pesos and Centavo-equivalent denominations. This marks the coin as the first, last and only 8 Reales produced by the Republic of Guatemala.

Another anchor of the sale is lot 827, an extremely rare and important 1897 Anhwei Pattern Dollar, graded MS-62 by PCGS. “This particular specimen is clearly intended for special presentation purposes as it exhibits a bold, full-bodied strike with all special characters and sharp details,” said Ponterio.

Furthering the significance of the piece, the short-lived Anhwei mint only produced silver coinage for approximately two years before operations ceased and the mint was dismantled.

Additional coin and paper money highlights of the auction include:

· Lot 116, 1784/3 Mexico 8 Escudos, Key Charles III Proper Portrait, Choice Extremely Fine

· Lot 131, 1823 Mexico 8 Escudos, Hookneck Eagle, AU-55 (NGC)

· Lot 258, 1835 Belgium 40 Francs, MS-64 (NGC)

· Lot 357, 1850 Costa Rica ½ Onza, SP-61 (NGC), (Ex: Fredrick Mayer Collection)

· Lot 464, 1883 Honduras 10 Pesos, , AU-50 (NGC)

· Lot 549, 1926 Italy 50 Lire, MS-64 (NGC)

· Lot 550, 1926-R Italy 20 Lire, MS-65 (PCGS)

· Lot 2031, 264 B.C. Siculo-Punic Silver Dekadrachm, Time of First Punic War, Sicilian Mint, Choice Very Fine

· Lot 2536, 1892 Bank of Greece 100 Drachmai, P-45

· Lot 2611, 1913 Imperial Bank of Persia 2 Tomans, P-2, About Uncirculated, Consecutive pair

· Lot 2613, 1890-1923 Imperial Bank of Persia 1,000 Tomans Specimen, P-10s, Choice Uncirculated

The first day of the two-day auction will feature Part I of the Len Novontny Collection of Mexican Coinage and an array of world gold coins, world crowns and minors. The second day will host the Michael Demling Collection of Ancient Coinage, David Ian Wright Collection of Italian Banknotes, and ancient and world paper money including Fussli specimens. Lot viewing will be conducted before the sale at the Waldorf Astoria in the Morgan Suite, floor 18, Jan. 5-8.

All lot descriptions and images can be viewed online at the firm’s web site by visiting www.bowersandmerean.com. Bidding is open and pre-auction bids can be placed through the firm’s web site, by email at auction@bowersandmerena.com, via fax at 949-253-4091, by calling a representative at 800-458-4646 or by postal mail addressed to Bowers and Merena, January 2011 N.Y.I.N.C., 18061 Fitch, Irvine, CA 92614.

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DALLAS, TX – As the profile of Heritage Auctions’ World & Ancient Coins category has continued to skyrocket over the last few years, each consecutive offering has raised the bar significantly. With the Jan. 3-4 New York Signature? World & Ancient Coin Auction at the Waldorf Astoria, coinciding with the New York International Coin Show (NYINC), Heritage has not only assembled its largest World Coin auction to date, it has also once again raised the bar in terms of absolute quality.

“With more than 5,000 total lots in this auction we have literally scoured the planet for the best possible international numismatic offerings,” said Cristiano Bierrenbach, Vice President of International Numismatics at Heritage. “The incredible scope of countries represented, and the depth to which the collections go is so advanced that putting this catalog together was like a getting a graduate degree in world numismatics at a crash course pace.”

More than 240 consignors have placed coins in the auction, most of which will be on display for lot viewing, Dec. 29 and 30, at Heritage’s jewelbox New York space at 445 Park Avenue (at 57^th). To further entice International coin collectors, Heritage will have highlights from the upcoming auction the Norman Jacobs Collection of Korean and Japanese Coins, the most important collection of its kind, on display at the NYINC, January 6-9, at the Waldorf-Astoria.

A Polish Sigismund III gold 10 Dukats 1588, Fr-83, XF45 NGC represents one of the superb early highlights of the auction. This exceedingly rare type, with its clean lines and striking imagery is appealing as much for its numismatic value as for its artistic value, and is sure to be the subject of spirited bidding. It carries an estimate of $175,000+.

Collectors of European coins will certainly be interested in a German Bird of Paradise Colonial gold 10 Marks 1895A, Date and value in palm wreath, Fr-2, KM8, MS66 NGC, a superb example of this extremely popular issue, considered by many to have the most beautiful of all modern coin designs, with a $30,000+ estimate. One of the most important Russian offerings in the auction comes in the form of a Choice Uncirculated Peter I Rouble, 1720, Bust right/Crowned Imperial eagle, nails on sleeve in one line, Diakov 16, PETR 4, UZD 0588. MS64 NGC, which comes with a $60,000+ estimate and represents one of the nicer pieces of this type ever seen by Heritage specialists.

An amazing Leopold I (the Hogmouthed) medallic gold 15 Ducats ND (1666-1705), 51.92 gm, AU58 NGC is expected to be one of the most highly sought-after coins of the auction, with an estimate of $150,000+. Leopold reigned as Holy Roman Emperor from 1658 to 1705, a period marked by constant military conflicts, including the Great Turkish War, the Nine Years’ War, and the War of Spanish Succession.

A complete set of the 1646 Brazilian Ducats, three incredible relics of the Dutch siege of Brazil in the early 1600s, have already created quite a buzz within the international numismatic community in anticipation of their being offered. The rarest denomination in the series is the Pernambuco. Geoctroyeede West-Indische Compagnie (GWC) 3 Guilders (Florins) 1646, KM5.3, Fr-3, choice XF,1.81 grams, one of the one of the great Brazilian/Dutch rarities and a coin with tremendous charisma, estimated at $30,000+. A Pernambuco. Geoctroyeede West-Indische Compagnie (GWC) 6 Guilders (Florins) 1646, KM6.2, Fr-2, better EF, 3.69 grams, is estimated at $20,000+, while a Pernambuco. Geoctroyeede West-Indische Compagnie (GWC) 12 Guilders (Florins) 1646, KM7.1, F-1, AU, 7.52 grams, possibly the finest known 12 Florins in existence, is estimated at $30,000+.

One of the most hotly anticipated lots in the auction comes in the form of one of the largest gold coins in the world, a massive People’s Republic 10kg (321.17 ounces) gold 100000 Yuan 2008, KM1842, Gem Proof, struck to commemorate the first Olympic Games in China, the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in 2008.

The obverse features the title of PRC, the common year date “2008,” decorative design of the Chinese ancient bronze ware and the colored emblem of the Games. The reverse features a myriad of sporting events in the foreground, with the Temple of Heaven in Beijing and dragons in the clouds. The coin carries a pre-auction estimate of $600,000+.

“This is an awe-inspiring coin,” said Bierrenbach, “and the display case only adds to its allure. Crafted from African Blackwood and finished with intricately carved Chinese ornamentation, this is a masterpiece in its own right crowned by a Chinese dragon carved from Shousan stone, the national stone of China. The art of Shousan stone carving traces as far back as the Ming Dynasty, when the carvings were used to create royal seals.”

Further highlights include, but are not limited to:

Vittorio Emanuele III gold 100 Lire 1937R XVI, KM84, Fr-36, MS65 NGC: Reduced size, a superb example with flawless satiny surfaces and full mint brilliance. Very rare type and grade, only 249 minted. Struck following the conquest of Ethiopia depicting a Roman carrying the fasces symbolic of the Italian government. With the issue of this coin, Vittorio Emanule III added the title of Emperor to his stature as King. Estimate: $35,000+.

Empire Silver Pattern Dollar (1910), Kann-219, L&M-24, Proof 62 PCGS: A very attractive example with silvery-gray and gold patina and only faint hairlines in the obverse fields. A rare and ever popular type struck at the central Tientsin Mint. Estimate: $10,000+.

Republic gold 20 Pesos 1888 Go-R, KM414.4, unlisted date and moneyer, MS62 NGC: Semi-prooflike luster, sharp strike with full details except in the very center of the Book of Laws, consistently high rims all around, glowing light-yellow gold color, some abrasions and very faint hairlines, some flattening on the eagle and snake from the rolling process at the mint, and a long deep minting flaw diagonally on the eagle’s left wing. As far as Heritage research can determine, there have been no public sales, or offerings of a 20 Pesos of this date and mint for the last 60-70 years, thus the coin is believed to be unique. Estimate: $25,000+.

Gela. Ca. 415-405 BC. AR tetradrachm (17.22 gm): Quadriga racing left in three-quarter view, third horse with head turned back, eagle flying left above, grain ear left in exergue / ?E?A?, man-faced bull standing left, two barley plants before him, barley grain in exergue. Among the finest known examples of this unique reverse type, represented by only a single die. Ex Gemini V (6 January 2009, lot 331). Ex American Numismatic Society collection (inv. #1997.9.5). From the estate of John D. Leggett, Jr. Estimate: $30,000+.

Heritage Auctions, headed by Steve Ivy, Jim Halperin and Greg Rohan, is the world’s third largest auction house, with annual sales more than $600 million, and 500,000+ online bidder members. For more information about Heritage Auctions, and to join and gain access to a complete record of prices realized, along with full-color, enlargeable photos of each lot, please visit HA.com.

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By probing the metal content of coins exchanged thousands of years ago in Mediterranean Europe, the scientists have discovered a new way to map ancient trade patterns, to retrace economic ups and downs at the dawn of Western Civilization and even to shed new light on the collapse of the Roman Empire.

“As we determine what the coins are made of, we are then able to reconstruct ancient trade routes, understand the development of economies and even determine the extent of counterfeiting,” McMaster archeologist Dr.Spencer Pope states in a project summary issued Tuesday. “This research will help us link the archeological to the historical to understand how we, as a society, got to where we are today.”

A joint project between the university’s classics department and its department of medical physics and applied radiation sciences, the ancient coin initiative involves x-ray analysis and a “proton microprobe” to determine how much silver, bronze or gold is contained in each piece of money.

“We use multiple systems to look for a number of metals — gold, copper, silver — present in the outer layer of the coins,” said radiation scientist Michael Farquharson. “Then we use the McMaster Nuclear Reactor to penetrate deeper into the coin to determine whether or not the coin was plated with a different material than it was actually made of.”

“For the Roman period, there are many crises that can be recognized in the numismatic record,” said Pope, describing one “budget crunch” during Punic Wars of the 3rd century B.C., when Rome was battling Carthage — centred in present-day Tunisia — for control of the Mediterranean world.

“We can see metal coins begin to have more base metal — junk metal — added to ‘debase’ the coins,” he noted. “As Rome and other cities fall into crises and get into economic trouble, more bronze coins appear (rather than silver), and even these are diluted by tin or lead.” So far, about 20 coins have undergone this “deep probe”.

Pope hopes the research team will be able to achieve enough precision in its analysis to reliably identify the geographic sources of the metals for each coin and become a global centre of excellence for such investigations. For example, the silver mine on the Greek island of Siphons, located in the Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey, was known to be a major metal source. There was another major mining operation near Athens.

Trace elements found in each coin can help pinpoint its geographic and geological origins, allowing the team to better understand where Greek city-states turned for metal supplies and how widely coins were circulated. This should help scholars “get at the heart of the development of the Greek city-state” and use findings about metal supplies to determine the degree of each city’s economic self-sufficiency or whether it was “grasping at available resources.”

Plans for another 100-coin study to expand the database of information are planned which should help researchers begin drawing more detailed conclusions about the economy of the ancient world.

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Customers who had been on the preorder queue, many for several months, were instantly impressed with the heft and sheer beauty of the book which tips the scales at just short of ten pounds. Amazon and Facebook fan page reviews continued praise in monolothic response with the common denominator being the breathtaking scope of the information covered and the eye candy of so many thousands of rare coins reproduced in high resolution color photography; a welcome departure from the customary fuzzy gray images otherwise so prevalent in numismatic literature.

The sizzle may sell but ultimately it’s the steak that feeds. ERIC II’s content catalogues a dizzying 60,000+ coin varieties far outclassing all previous Roman reference works in this critical metric then adds current market pricing and rarity data in an innovative approach that is considerably more accurate than the vague price guides published up until now.

Besides the text dealing directly with the coinage, the author has crammed every nook and cranny with biographical and historical notes relevant to each of the reigns. Even in this capacity, where photographs are not essential, the author nevertheless spares no opportunity to include even more of them in a bid to make each of its almost 300 sections a tidy, self-contained database of all the knowledge pertinent to that domain thus earning it the encyclopedia status of its namesake title.

First printing limited to 3,000 units, $149.95. Autographed and numbered copies of ERIC II: The Encyclopedia of Roman Imperial Coins may be ordered from the publisher’s website at dirtyoldbooks.com

About the Author

Rasiel Suarez is owner and co-founder of Dirty Old Coins, LLC, a company founded in 2002 with the vision of bringing the hobby of ancient coin collecting to a broad demographic largely unaware that owning genuine ancient coins was both possible and affordable. 2005 saw the release of his first book, The Encyclopedia of Roman Imperial Coins, which broke new ground in making the subject much more accessible to those entering the hobby.

By 2007 the company had sold over one million Roman coins by way of retail-ready coin kits that taught thousands of families how to restore these ancient artifacts using the same methods museums use. His success as an author and recognized expert in the field of Roman numismatics was cemented by the release of the second edition of his Encyclopedia in the Fall of 2010. An avid traveler and photographer, Rasiel lives with his family in Olympia, Washington.

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The surprise of the sale was the outstanding price paid for the Roman aureus of Maximinus I Thrax (AD 235-238) which tripled estimate to sell for £195,500 to a European private collector, bidding against telephones and internet interest (lot 272).

This wide-ranging sale also registered strong interest in Islamic coins where a poorly preserved but extremely rare Umayyad dirham of Ifriqiya dated AH120 also tripled its top estimate to sell for £4,370 (lot 30).

English coins were in demand and the Charing Hoard of coins of Edward IV (1461-70), discovered by a metal detectorist in Kent last year sold for a total of £2,300.

There were strong results for Italian Renaissance plaquettes and medals where a finely preserved plaquette of Marcus Curtius (the legendary saviour of Rome) by the famous sculptor Riccio sold to a U.S. collector for £16,100, more than double its top estimate (lot 585).

The sale demonstrated the continuing strength of the numismatic market despite the current world economic climate. Images are available on request.

Lot 272
*Maximinus I, Thrax (235-238), aureus, Rome, April-December 235, IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, rev., PAX AVGVSTI, Pax standing left holding branch and transverse spear, 5.37g (RIC 12; BMC 4; C. 30; Calico 3159; Alram 10/1B), well struck on a broad flan, a few minor marks but about extremely fine and extremely rare.

Ex Nelson Bunker Hunt Collection, Part 2, Sotheby’s New York, 21-22 June 1990, lot 789 and Rauch auction 46, Vienna, 14 May 1991, lot 597.

While the silver coinage of Maximinus is plentiful, in contrast, his gold is extremely rare. Of lowly birth in Thrace, Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus, known for his enormous stature (the Historia Augusta claimed he was over 8 feet tall) came to the notice of Septimius Severus and rose through the ranks of the army. When there was rebellion against the policies of Severus Alexander and his mother Julia Mamaea during the German campaign, the emperor was murdered at Moguntiacum (Mainz) and Maximinus was proclaimed emperor, bringing an end to the Severan dynasty. Maximinus’s reign marked the beginning of the so-called Crisis of the Third Century. He never set foot in Rome itself, and his harsh rule was resented by the Senate. On his way to Rome to deal with the insurrection there, he and his son Maximus were assassinated at Aquileia by disaffected soldiers.

Estimate: £40,000-60,000 SOLD FOR £195,500 Purchased by private European collector

Lot 585
*Andrea Briosco, called Riccio (1470-1532), The Death of Marcus Curtius, bronze plaquette, the figure of Marcus Curtius, in armour and with right hand raised, on a rearing horse, about to leap into the chasm, 68 x 63mm (Molinier 416; Bange 365; Kress 213; Planiscig p. 490, 123 and fig. 259), pierced, the top somewhat cut down, a very fine contemporary cast with dark patina.

Ex Sylvia Phyllis Adams collection, Bonham’s, 23 May 1996, lot 90 and John R. Gaines collection, Morton & Eden, 21 April 2005, lot 47. The piece has been constructed in two parts: the horse and rider are cast in the round while the background, which includes the horse’s tail, its back legs and the watery chasm, has been cast separately. The two pieces have then been joined by three small lugs (two of which are slightly loose). This form of construction can be seen in other works by Riccio, notably the beautiful plaquette of Venus and Cupid which was in the Gaines sale part 2, 8 December 2005, lot 57.

Estimate: £4,000-6,000 SOLD FOR £16,100 Purchased by U.S. private collector

Lot 285
*Mary (1553-4), ‘fine’ sovereign (30s.), m.m. pomegranate, dated MDLIII (1553), the queen seated on ornate throne facing, holding orb and sceptre, portcullis below, annulet stops, rev., arms within double rose, 15.21g (cf. Schneider 704; N. 1956; S. 2488), repaired at top, nearly very fine.
Estimate: £6,000-7,000 SOLD FOR £10,350 Purchased by private collector on the Internet

Lot 286
*Elizabeth I (1558-1603), ‘fine’ sovereign (30s.), sixth issue, m.m. scallop (1584-6), the queen seated on ornate throne facing, holding orb and sceptre, portcullis below, tressure divided by queen’s head only, pellets on back of throne and on pillars, rev., arms within double rose, legend ends OCVLIS NRS, 15.01g (BC A18; cf. Schneider 780; N. 2003; S. 2529), mount removed from top, nearly very fine
Estimate: £5,000-46,000, SOLD FOR £7,475 Purchased by London dealer

Lot 395
*Switzerland, Confederation, 100-francs, 1925 B (Bern), Vreneli type (F. 502; DT 291) almost mint state [5,000 struck].
Estimate: £6,000-7,000 SOLD FOR £6,900 Purchased by European private collector

Lot 377
*Italy, Mantua, Lodovico II Gonzaga (1445-78), ducato, standing figure of the Marquis, cuirassed, holding sword and shield, LODOVICVS MARCHIO MANTVE Z E, rev., St. George and the dragon, SANCTUS GE ORGIUS, 3.44g (MIR. 388; CNI. IV. 230,3; F. 515), very fine.
Estimate: £2,500-3,000 SOLD FOR £6,900 Purchased by Italian dealer

Lot 421
*Russia: Ivan III (1740-1741), poltina, 1741, St. Petersburg (Bitk. 42; Diakov 7; Uzd. 763), very fine, rare.
Estimate: £4,000-5,000 SOLD FOR £5,520 Purchased by German dealer

Lot 491
*Sweden, Karl XI (1604-11), 20-mark, 1606, Stockholm, laureate, cuirassed and mantled figure of king standing left, holding sword and orb, a table to his right bearing crown with crossed key and sceptre, 20 M S in field to left, all within two circles of legend, radiate Jehova above, rev., crowned arms within two circles of fifteen small and fourteen large shields, 97.48g (SM 27; Dav. 573), good very fine, rare.
Estimate: £3,500-4,500 SOLD FOR £5,175 Purchased by private collector

Lot 314
*Scotland, James III (1460-88), quarter-rider (5s.9d), issue of 1457-83, m.m. cross pattée, crowned king on horseback galloping to left holding sword upright, lis below sword arm, SALWM …, rev., crowned shield over long cross, IACOBV… 1.26g (Burns p.150, fig.622; S.5261; St. p.141; cf. LaRiviere collection lot 60 (ex Strauss), fine, possibly removed from a mount, extremely rare. No quarter-riders are recorded of the first type with the king riding to the right rather than to the left; the type is known only for the one rider.The inscriptions on this second type are reversed, and not as listed in Burns. The quarter-riders, which are extremely rare, are the rarest of all the denominations.
Estimate: £1,500-2,000 SOLD FOR £5,175 Purchased by European dealer

Lot 394
*Spain, Carlos II (1665-1700), cob type 8-escudos, 1670, Seville, M, crowned arms, S M on left, rev., cross within quadrilobe, 26.86g (Cal. 44; F. 217), poorly struck as usual, good very fine for issue.
Estimate: £4,000-5,000 SOLD FOR £4,600 Purchased by U.S. private collector

COMMENT:
Specialist Tom Eden said: “The surprise of this sale was the outstanding price paid for the Roman aureus of Maximinus I Thrax (AD 235-238) which tripled estimate to sell for £195,500 to a European private collector, bidding against telephones and internet interest (lot 272). This wide-ranging sale also registered strong interest in Islamic coins where a poorly preserved but extremely rare Umayyad dirham of Ifriqiya dated AH120 also tripled its top estimate to sell for £4,370 (lot 30). English coins were in demand and the Charing Hoard of coins of Edward IV (1461-70), discovered by a metal detectorist in Kent last year sold for a total of £2,300. There were strong results for Italian Renaissance plaquettes and medals where a finely preserved plaquette of Marcus Curtius (the legendary saviour of Rome) by the famous sculptor Riccio sold to a U.S. collector for £16,100, more than double its top estimate (lot 585). The sale demonstrated the continuing strength of the numismatic market despite the current world economic climate.”

Morton & Eden Ltd., are specialist auctioneers of Collectors’ Coins of all periods and types, War Medals, Orders and Decorations, Historical Medals and Banknotes. The company was founded in 2001 by James Morton and Tom Eden, who were both directors of the Coins and Medals Department at Sotheby’s, with whom the company maintains a close association.

For more information regarding this sale please contact:
Press Officer: Christopher Proudlove, Tel/Fax: +44 (0)1492 544514.
Email: chris@chris-proudlove.co.uk.

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