IRVINE, Calif. – 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.”
Additional highlights in Ponterio & Associates’ Official June 2010 Baltimore Auction include:
- Ancient Greece, Sicily, Messana, AR Tetradrachm (17.39 gms), ca. 450-426 B.C., Caccamo-Caltabiano-425, D183/R175 (same dies), NGC XF, Strike: 3/5, Surface: 4/5, Die Flaws.
- Ancient Greece, Seleukid Kingdom, Seleukos I, Nikator 312-280 B.C., AR Tetradrachm (17.04 gms), Susa Mint, EMS-420#99 (A59/P7), Newell-417 (Persepolis), Very Fine.
- Roman Empire, Tiberius, A.D. 14-37, AV Aureus (7.88 gms), Lugdunum Mint, RIC-25, S-1760, Cal-305, NGC Ch AU, Strike: 5/5, Surface: 3/5.
- Roman Empire, Nero, A.D. 54-68, AV Aureus (7.33 gms), Rome Mint, RIC-52, S-1930, Cal-412, NGC AU, Strike: 4/5, Surface: 2/5.
- Australia, ½ Penny, 1923, KM-22, Extremely Fine.
- Australia, Florin, 1934, KM-33, NGC Proof-62.
- Austria, Taler, 1590, Hall Mint, Rudolf II (1576-1612), with Archdukes Maximilian, Charles V and Ferdinand, Dav-8105, Bachtell-128A, NGC EF-45.
- China, Yuan Dynasty: Zhi Yuan, 50 Tael Sycee Ingot, Dated Year 14 (1273 A.D.), BMC-unlisted, Chen-14, Pictoral Yuanbao-unlisted, Very Fine, described in the catalog as “EXTREMELY RARE and historically significant.”
- Guatemala, 8 Reales, 1787-M, KM-36.2a, FC-33, El-41, Brilliant Uncirculated.
- Guatemala, 16 Pesos, 1867-R, Fr-39, KM-188, Almost Uncirculated, described in the catalog as, :VERY RARE, mintage of only 467 pieces.”
- Malta, 50,000 Liras, 2005, Fr-unlisted, KM-unlisted, Hospitallier Order, #46 of only 100 minted, Choice Brilliant Proof.
- Mexico, Escudo, 1679 (J), Charles II (1665-1700), Fr-5, KM-50, Very Fine.
- Mexico, 8 Escudos, 1805-TH, Fr-43, KM-159, NGC MS-62.
- Mexico, 20 Pesos, 1871 ZsH, Fr-127, KM-414.8, Very Fine.
- Mexico, War of Independence, Oaxaca, 8 Reales, 1812-C, KM-168, Bold Very Fine.
- Monaco, 10, 20, 50 and 100 Francs, 1950, Fr-24, 26, 28 & 30, KM-PE6a, 7a, 8a & 9a, Piefort Essais struck in gold, Brilliant Uncirculated.
All lot descriptions and images in the June 2010 Baltimore Auction can be viewed online at the Bowers and Merena website, www.bowersandmerena.com. Printed catalogs are available upon request by calling 800.458.4646. Online bidding will commence in mid-May and pre-auction bids will be accepted at www.bowersandmerena.com; by e-mail at auction@bowersandmerena.com; by phone at 800.458.4646; by fax at 949.253.4091; and by postal mail addressed to Bowers and Merena, Baltimore June 2010, 18061 Fitch, Irvine, CA, 92614. Interested bidders are also encouraged to view lots onsite in Baltimore in June and bid in-person at the live auction, or live online through the Bowers and Merena website. A complete auction and lot viewing schedule is available at www.bowersandmerena.com or by calling 800.458.4646.
Ponterio & Associates, Inc., was founded in 1982 by Richard Ponterio, renowned specialist in world and ancient numismatics. The company was acquired by Bowers and Merena Auctions in 2008, creating an auction powerhouse that covers the collecting interests of U.S. and international coin and paper currency enthusiasts. Ponterio & Associates auctions have included such notable coin collections as the John S. Davenport Collection, the Witte Museum Collection, the Amat Collection, the Joe Lasser Collection, and the James Hunnicut Collection. Distinguished paper money collections include the East Bay Collection of International Bank Notes, and the Eduard Kann Chinese Bank Note Collection. Ponterio & Associates has also presented treasure collections from the shipwrecks “Nicobar,” “Rooswijk,” and “Capitana.”
Bowers and Merena Auctions was founded in 1983 and has grown to become the world's preeminent numismatic auctioneer with more than half a billion dollars in rare coin and currency sales. They continue to serve as Official Auctioneer of the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Baltimore Expo three times every year. Bowers and Merena has handled four of the five most valuable United States coin collections ever sold, including the Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. Collection, the Harry W. Bass Jr. Collection, the Garrett Collection for The Johns Hopkins University, and the Norweb Collection. Bowers and Merena Rare Coin Galleries offers direct buying and selling of exceptional quality gold and silver rare coins.
For more information about Ponterio & Associates’ Baltimore Auction of World and Ancient Coins and Paper Money, call 800.458.4646. For media inquiries, ask for executive vice president Rick Ponterio. Complete prices realized for all past auctions are available at www.bowersandmerena.com.