The third and final part of this stunning collection of the coins of the British Empire from Asia & Europe will be sold by Baldwin’s auction department on the 5th May this year as the first part of a two day auction to be held at the CIPFA Council Chamber in London.

A culmination of 15 years of dedicated hard work by a passionate and highly enthusiastic collector, this diverse and beautiful collection has been created not simply for the benefit of those assembling it, but as a collection that will provide future generations of numismatists with a greater knowledge and understanding of a long neglected area of study.

As an avid historian this collector has looked into the history of the country of origin for each of these coins and traced their provenance back to nearly all the great collectors of the coins of the British Empire of the last 40 years. The catalogues for all three of these sales have been produced as inspirational works to stand alongside previous auction catalogues and numismatic books, offering a window to the past for future generations of numismatists to add their thoughts, observations and criticisms. The collectors hope that through their work these aspiring numismatists will gain a better understanding of rarity, striking standards and characteristics of these coins.

As with the past two sales this auction contains only the best possible grade of coins and includes items from Hong Kong, Cyprus and Sierra Leone as well as coins from the Straits Settlements, Indian Princely States and Independent Kingdoms. Amongst the many highlights include Lot 92, a Hong Kong 1941 Proof 1-Cent (pictured above), the rarest type coin of the Hong Kong series (estimate £15,000 – 20,000), and lot 332 a 1791 Proof Dollar from Sierra Leone (estimate £12,000 – 16,000).

The first two parts of this collection have achieved outstanding results with every single one of the 1895 lots selling at just over £1,000,000 (including premium). Baldwin’s have established themselves as the leading specialists for selling Indian coins of all periods and the results from the sale of this collection have underlined their supremacy in this area of the numismatic industry.

The second part of this auction contains an additional 750 lots, consisting of Ancient, Foreign and British coins, World and Commemorative Medals and Orders, Decorations and Medals. There is a particularly strong section of foreign coins including Lot 647 a Naples, Charles V (first period, 1516-1532), Gold Ducat, undated, Estimate £10,000-12,000 and Lot 513, an extremely rare “Mason & Culley”, Token, Copper Penny, (estimate £1500-2000), of which there are only 3 or 4 known examples. The sale culminates with a fine group of Orders, Decorations and Medals which includes a group of Gurka and Nepalese medals and a very rare Indian Peace medals (Lots 1249).

The extensively illustrated catalogue can be viewed online at www.sixbid.com and Live Internet Bidding is available through www.the-saleroom.com

For more information about the collection or any of the other lots available in the sale please contact Seth Freeman on +44(0)207 9309808 or at auctions@baldwin.co.uk

Sale Highlights

Lot 61 – Cyprus. Proof 3-, 4½-, 9- and 18-Piastres, 1901 (KM 4, 5, 6, 7). Beautifully blue toned proofs, a few marks under the tone but very strong cameos. (4) Estimate: £6000-9000

Ford was the only one of our ‘name’ collectors who owned the 1901 Proof set. It sold for £2900 in 1990. From experience though, I have seen a number of single Proofs, suggesting these sets were broken up over the years. Hard to figure out why this would have been done, but maybe they can be put back together again by some caring collectors. It is quite possible the Proof dies were used for some time as I have seen semi proof-like examples of these, including a full four piece set that had been laquered, suggesting Specimen Strikes. There was an early appreciation of these coins, but there is a difference in the ‘look’ of the Proofs and the Proof-likes and their appearance adds to the list of what we don’t know about the circumstances behind the production of these 100 year old coins.

Lot 92 - Hong Kong. Proof 1-Cent, 1941 (KM 24). In PCGS holder graded PR64RB. Estimate: £15,000-20,000 This is the rarest type coin of the Hong Kong series. The Proof seems to be slightly more common than an uncirculated due to the de- accession of duplicates from the Canadian and Australian Mints back in the 1970s and 1980s.

Lot 230 – British India. Original Proof Gold Mohur, 1870, plain edge, mature bust (KM 481; Pr 8). In PCGS holder graded PR62. Estimate: £5000-8000 This coin clearly shows the characteristics of Original Proof, struck by the Royal Mint. The heavily frosted features, the square and double- punched letters, and the surprisingly thin edge are attributes that tell us this is an original strike. I don’t believe that the rarity of Original Proof Indian gold coins is fully appreciated due to the availability of the restrikes.

Lot 332 - Sierra Leone. Proof Dollar, 1791, 100/100 as the denomination (KM 6). Superbly toned, choice Proof. Estimate: £10,000-15,000 This is nicer than the example in part two of the Diana collection (Baldwin’s Auction 58, September 2008) that sold for over £6000. It was graded Proof 64. The many colours in the tone show how beautiful a silver coin can be if left unmolested for over 200 years.

Lot 356 – Straits Settlements. 5-Cents, 1877 (KM 10). In PCGS holder graded MS65, moderate tone with a strong cartwheel effect. Estimate: £6000-9000

Lot 513 – Australia. Token Coinage, Copper Penny, undated, “Mason & Culley”, Williamstown, Victoria (Andrews 353; MT 357, R10; Skin 363, R10). Several edge bruises and some field abrasions but essentially very fine and certainly one of the very rarest of all Australian tokens. It would seem that there are only 3 or 4 (at most) examples known to exist. A nearly extremely fine example sold in April 1986 at Spinks for $10,000 Estimate: £1500-2000

Lot 647 - Italy. Naples, Charles V (first period, 1516-1532), Gold Ducat, undated, juvenile bust left, “G” in right field (CNI 43; PR 6a; F 833a). Somewhat short of flan below bust but extremely fine, attractive and very rare. Estimate: £10,000-12,000

Lot 843 – Anne, Pattern Farthing, 1714, struck in silver on a large thin flan, 23.5mm, draped bust left, ANNA.DEI. GRATIA, linear circle and toothed border both sides, rev inverted die axis, Britannia seated on globe with spear, shield and spray of leaves, date in exergue, BRITAN NIA., edge plain (Peck 749, dies 4+F). Toned, mint state, a superb coin. Estimate: £1500-2000

Lot 996 – Victoria, Halfpenny, 1860, copper issue, young head left, date below, rev Britannia seated right (Peck 1552; S 3949). Lightly toned with near full underlying lustre, uncirculated and of the highest rarity. Estimate: £4000-5000

Lot 1056 – William and Mary, The Crown offered to William, Silver Medal, 1689 [1688], by Anton Meybusch, laureate and armoured bust right, rev figures of the three Kingdoms kneel before William who, in antique armour, offers the cap of Liberty, VENI VICI LIBERTATEM REDDIDI – 1688, 61mm (MI 657/17, illustrated). Extremely fine and extremely rare. Estimate: £1500-2000 The footnote in Medallic Illustration records that, when offered the Crown by the Convention, on 23 / 13 February, 1689 [1688], William rejected the idea of conquest [VICI], his intentions being only to preserve the religion, laws and liberties of the three kingdoms.

Lot 1249 – Indian Peace Medal in silver, George III (1760-1820), no date, youthful bust of king right, wearing armour with eight rivets on breastplate, his hair in a single roll over the ear, rev Royal Arms comprising quartered shield showing combined arms of England and Scotland, France, Ireland and Hannover within garter, flanked by supporting lion left and unicorn right, lion’s paw to I, 76mm, ornamental suspension loop attached (Adams 7.3; Jamieson 14; cf Ford XVI, October 2006, lot 67). Typical die flaw from shoulder to neck, a few minor marks and scratch reverse right, otherwise attractively toned, extremely fine and rare. Estimate: £4000-5000 Awarded to Indian Chiefs and envoys during the period of the American Revolution (1775-1783) to gain the trust and assistance of the Indian tribes.

Baldwin’s Auctions Auction 59-60

Tuesday, 5 May 2009 – Wednesday, 6 May 2009

At the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy
3 Robert Street
Adelphi, London WC2N 6BH

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