Author: Stack's Bowers Galleries / September 7, 2021

Costa Mesa, CA (September 7, 2021) -- In what has already been a banner year for the firm, Stack's Bowers Galleries is excited to announce the results of their cornerstone summer sale—the 2021 Official Auction of the American Numismatic Association World's Fair of Money. The World and Ancient coins portion of the sale comprised 3,806 lots, with an impressive 97.6% sell through rate and a total realization of $13.47 million – a remarkable 24.7% above the high-end pre-sale estimate! In total, the Stack's Bowers Galleries Official August 2021 Auction saw over $50 million in coins, medals, tokens and paper money find new homes in the firm's most successful ANA sale ever. (All prices include the buyer's premium.)
While price performance was strong across all facets of the sale, a stand out area was the ancient coins—highlighted by the Collection of a Gentleman and the Dr. Michael Rogers Collection of Roman Gold. These advanced cabinets, along with many other notable pieces, resulted in the auction including nine of the 25 highest-achieving ancients in the firm's history, with five breaking the six-figure threshold. The company set a personal best with a remarkable gold Aureus of the Roman Emperor Macrinus, a majestic specimen that realized $312,000, surpassing the firm's previous ancient record by over $100,000. Gold led the way among ancients, with four other coins breaking the six-figure barrier, and numerous others far exceeded expectations. These exceptional prices for ancient coins show that Stack's Bowers Galleries continues to use their expertise and exceptional presentation of renowned collections to create excellent results.
Gold also featured in many outstanding highlights within the world coin sessions, with particularly strong showings from the British Isles including the James VI Scottish 20 Pound Piece from 1576 and pedigreed to the Loch Ness Collection bringing $180,000, while a "fine work" William III 5 Guineas from 1701 achieved $120,000. Other gold rarities from across western Europe included an early 17th century Doppie from Parma & Piacenza that garnered $96,000, a large ingot from the shipwreck of the Nuestra Senora de la Luz that brought $90,000, a 5 Ducat issue from the Archbishopric of Salzburg that reached $78,000, and a 1640 Bavarian 5 Ducats that realized $72,000.
One of the more impressive areas of the sale was the Angelita and Benito Legarda Collection of Filipino countermarks, a generational array of rarities that demonstrates how far the emerging market has come. Two outstanding examples from this collection realized three times their pre-sale estimates: a countermarked 2 Reales originally from Peru that sold for $168,000 (just $12,000 short from the all-time high for a Filipino coin set earlier this year by Stack's Bowers & Ponterio), and a highly unusual Sombrerete de Vargas host coin from Mexico that realized $90,000. Results such as this explain why Stack's Bowers Galleries has become the seller and market-maker for this increasingly popular area of numismatics.​
Foreshadowing the firm's incredibly exciting fall Hong Kong auction, to be held September 27-October 7, 2021, two standouts among Asian coins in the August ANA auction included a Year 21 (1932) "Birds of Junk" Dollar in PCGS MS-64 that realized $50,400, and a Japan Year 8 (1875) Trade Dollar in PGGS MS-64 that brought an astounding $72,000!
Visit StacksBowers.com for complete prices realized for the August 2021 ANA Auction. To consign your numismatic treasures to a future auction, contact the firm at 800-458-4646 or email [email protected]. ​
Other Ancient Coin Highlights:
Ÿ Lot 42195: PTOLEMAIC EGYPT. Arsinoe II Philadelphos, Died 270/68 B.C. AV Mnaieion (Octodrachm/Oktadrachm) (27.77 gms), Alexandreia Mint, struck under Ptolemy VI and/or VIII ca. 204-116 B.C. NGC Ch MS, Strike: 5/5 Surface: 4/5. Realized $108,000.
Ÿ Lot 42022: ITALY. Calabria. Tarentum. AV Stater (8.55 gms), ca. 334-332 B.C. NGC Ch VF, Strike: 4/5 Surface: 4/5. Fine Style. Realized $84,000.
Ÿ Lot 42065: SICILY. Siculo-Punic. Uncertain Punic Mint. AR 5 Shekels (Dekadrachm) (36.45 gms), ca. 264-241 B.C. NGC Ch EF, Strike: 5/5 Surface: 2/5. Fine Style. Realized $69,000.
Ÿ Lot 42071: MACEDON. Kingdom of Macedon. Alexander III (the Great), 336-323 B.C. AV Distater (17.20 gms), Amphipolis Mint, ca. 325-323/2 B.C. NGC Ch EF, Strike: 5/5 Surface: 4/5. Realized $69,000.
Ÿ Lot 43118: OTHO, A.D. 69. AV Aureus (7.39 gms), Rome Mint. NGC Ch EF, Strike: 4/5 Surface: 4/5. Realized $204,000.
Ÿ Lot 43136: FLORIANUS, A.D. 276. AV Aureus (4.53 gms), Ticinum Mint, A.D. 276. NGC MS, Strike: 5/5 Surface: 3/5. Fine Style. Brushed. Realized $144,000.
Ÿ Lot 43120: VITELLIUS, A.D. 69. AV Aureus (7.31 gms), Rome Mint. NGC Ch EF, Strike: 5/5 Surface: 3/5. Realized $120,000.
Ÿ Lot 43117: GALBA, A.D. 68-69. AV Aureus (7.29 gms), Rome Mint. NGC EF, Strike: 5/5 Surface: 3/5. Realized $87,000.​
Other World Coin Highlights:
Ÿ Lot 40513: GREAT BRITAIN. Silver Crown Pattern, 1818. London Mint. George III. PCGS PROOF-64 Gold Shield. Realized $90,000.
Ÿ Lot 40365: GERMANY. Magdeburg. Uniface 2 Ducats Klippe, 1551. PCGS MS-62 Gold Shield. Realized $66,000.
Ÿ Lot 40297: FRANCE. Les Cent-Jours (the Hundred Days). Silver 5 Francs Pattern, 1815-A. Paris Mint. Napoleon I. PCGS PROOF-63+ Gold Shield. Realized $60,000.
Ÿ Lot 40441: GREAT BRITAIN. Sovereign (30 Shillings), ND (1584-86). London Mint; mm: Scallop. Elizabeth I. NGC AU-53. Realized $60,000.
Ÿ Lot 41052: ITALY. Genoa. 5 Doppie, 1600. PCGS AU-50 Gold Shield. Realized $69,000.
Ÿ Lot 41212: MEXICO. Oaxaca. 60 Pesos, 1916-TM. Oaxaca Mint. NGC MS-62. Realized $69,000.
Ÿ Lot 41306: PHILIPPINES. Philippines - Costa Rica. 8 Reales, ND (ca. 1834-37). Manila Mint. Isabel II. NGC AU-53; C/S: UNC Strong. Realized $60,000.
Ÿ Lot 41447: RUSSIA. Coronation of Alexander II Gold Medal, 1856. NGC MS-61. Realized $60,000.
Ÿ Lot 41578: SPANISH COLONIAL. Gold Disc Recovered from the Nuestra Senora de la Luz (sank July 2, 1752). Realized $60,000.
 
About Stack's Bowers Galleries​
Stack's Bowers Galleries conducts live, Internet and specialized auctions of rare U.S. and world coins and currency and ancient coins, as well as direct sales through retail and wholesale channels. The company's 85-year legacy includes the cataloging and sale of many of the most valuable United States coin and currency collections to ever cross an auction block — The D. Brent Pogue Collection, The John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, The Joel R. Anderson Collection, The Norweb Collection, The Cardinal Collection and The Battle Born Collection — to name just a few. World coin and currency collections include The Pinnacle Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection of World Gold Coins, The Kroisos Collection, The Alicia and Sidney Belzberg Collection, The Wa She Wong Collection, and The Thos. H. Law Collection.​
The company is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, with offices in New York, Wolfeboro, Hong Kong, and Paris. Stack's Bowers Galleries is an Official Auctioneer for several important numismatic conventions, including American Numismatic Association events, the New York International Numismatic Convention, the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Spring, Summer and Winter Expos, and its April and August Hong Kong Auctions.