In our January 11, 2019, New York International Auction we are offering a few very rare pieces from Paraguay. One is a rare tramway ticket for the old Paraguayan Tramway Company belonging to Dr. Francisco Morra. The Tramway was purchased by Morra for the sum of 10,000 Argentine Pesos from Mr. Guillermo Wodgat, who originally purchased the company from Diego Harroks. The Central Railway Station was the starting point for the transport lines. Banknotes and chips of the Company served as fare in lieu of circulated currency. This esoteric rarity is Uncirculated and pristine with the original stub still attached. Its value, 10 Centavos, was substituted for 10 Centavos in coin, as well as a tram ticket. This piece was printed Guillermo Kraft in Buenos Aires. The piece is so obscure that it wasn’t available even in the famous "Money of the People" sale of Neil Shafer’s rare, one-off pieces. The vignette at center shows the tram led by horse. Included in this lot, is a printed picture of the Tramway which shows the horse led cabin on the tracks in Belvedere, Asuncion.
Other Paraguayan rarities being offered in this sale include a quartette of notes, selling individually, from the Mennonite Colony in Chaco Central. Denominations of 1, 5, 10, and 50 Guarani will be represented. The German Mennonite refugees fled to Paraguay in 1929 escaping persecution by the Soviet Union, and established the Colonizadora Fernheim in July 1, 1930. The notes being offered are from the first series ca. 1960s. Banco Central de Paraguay converted these into official issued currency notes, resulting in their present-day rarity. While the colony still exists today, they only use current Paraguayan banknotes.
These treasures will be available in our January 11, 2019 Official Auction of the New York International Numismatic Convention taking place at 2 PM ET at the Grand Hyatt. For more information about the sale or to learn more about the auction process and registering to bid, please contact [email protected]. To consign or have your rarities appraised for future auctions, please contact [email protected].
