We’re excited to welcome you to this new event and bring everyone together in a relaxed, well-organized setting where dealers, collectors, and bidders can connect and do business comfortably. Our goal is to create a smooth, enjoyable experience with the right balance of professionalism and ease, making it worthwhile for everyone involved. Admission is free (ID required). Note: Space is limited, and all tables for this first edition are fully booked.
This is the inaugural edition of this event, and we are excited to introduce this new format. If everything develops as expected, we anticipate expanding into a significantly larger show next year upon the completion of a new event center adjacent to the Marriott. Show access for attendees begins on May 6 at 10:00 AM and continues until 6:00 PM.
If you wish to view lots in advance of the auction before the show, we can accommodate private viewing appointments at our office as follows. — Monday, May 4 — 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM — Tuesday, May 5 — 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Lot viewing will also be available during the show, next to the bourse.
The auction will take place in the same room, the day following the bourse: — Wednesday, May 7 — beginning at 9:30 AM, continuing into the evening — Thursday, May 8 — beginning at 9:30 AM, continuing into the evening
On Saturday, May 9, the online-only session will be held from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Following its conclusion, we will begin closing out the event. Saturday will be primarily dedicated to packing and checkout.
We appreciate your participation in this inaugural event and are confident it will create valuable opportunities for dealers, bidders, and the auction as a whole. Please encourage your friends, clients, and other collectors to attend as well!
We look forward to welcoming you to Winter Park!
Bourse Table Holders: Sedwick & Associates Mike Dunigan NFC Numisma World Numismatics Don Bonser Rio de la Plata Atlantic Treasure Coins Pacifica Trading Roman Ostos Al Sur del Mundo
Note: Dealers who wish to reserve a table in the event of an expansion next year are invited to attend in person, where they may meet with fellow professionals and the show organizers.
Schedule
Wednesday May 6 Winter Park Coin Show: 1-day Pre-Auction Bourse
Thursday May 7 Floor Auction 9:30 AM until ends. Friday May 8 Floor Auction 9:30 AM until ends.
Saturday May 9
Express: Online Only 9:30 am until 1 PM
Featured Offerings: Important Collection of al-Andalus Coinage The Ugaz Collection of Lima Silver Cobs Exceptional Offering of Dated Colombian 2 Escudos Cobs Notable Collection of Bust Gold Minor Denominations Exceptional Collection of Potosí Shield-Type Silver Cobs Fine Selection of 1715 Fleet Gold and Silver Cobs
A major new reference has arrived for collectors and specialists of Spanish colonial gold. Arce’s Doubloons by Daniel Frank Sedwick is the first comprehensive die study devoted to Bogotá-minted 2 escudos produced under assayer Buenaventura de Arce Penagos between 1692 and 1714, all struck in the name of Charles II.
Built on the examination of hundreds of specimens, this work goes far beyond a traditional catalog. By reconstructing the chronological sequence of dies, it provides a clear framework for understanding how these coins were actually produced during one of the most dynamic periods in Spanish colonial history. The study spans the final years of Charles II, whose death in 1700 triggered the War of the Spanish Succession, a conflict that coincided with increased piracy across the Caribbean and ultimately the loss of fleets such as the famous 1715 Fleet.
A significant portion of the coins analyzed comes from modern recoveries of that very fleet off the east coast of Florida. Many of these pieces now reside in the State of Florida Collection, which the author studied extensively, giving this book an unusually strong foundation in both numismatic and archaeological evidence.
The book is organized into three principal phases of production:
Lifetime issues, 1692 to 1699
Transitional issues, 1700 to 1704
Post-Transitional issues, 1703 to 1714, with the overlap defined as Half-Transitionals
Each section presents detailed diagrams of obverse shield types and key reverse cross characteristics, accompanied by photographic plates and a complete listing of known die combinations. This structured approach allows collectors to attribute coins with a level of precision not previously possible.
Among the most important discoveries documented in this study are:
Clear evidence of muling between 2 escudo and 1 escudo dies
Systematic use of transposed and retrograde punches
Identification of a previously unrecognized debasement
Two appendices expand the scope further, covering Arce 2 escudos under Philip V from 1718 to 1722 and the full range of Arce 1 escudos from 1692 to 1722, making this an essential reference not only for doubloons but for Bogotá gold coinage of the era as a whole.
For collectors of shipwreck coins, especially those tied to the 1715 Fleet, this book provides critical insight into origin, classification, and rarity. For specialists, it establishes a new standard for die analysis in the Spanish colonial series.
Publication details Author: Daniel Frank Sedwick Format: Softcover and hardcover versions Pages: 132, fully illustrated ISBN: 979-8-9937390-0-7 Publication year: 2026
Sedwick Auctions is thrilled to announce the successful conclusion of Treasure Auction 38, held November 13–15 at our new headquarters, with total results hitting $5 million.
Bidding shattered previous records across every major category: shipwreck coins and artifacts, gold and silver cobs, colonial coins, world coins, and rare Latin American issues.
Now we invite collectors and consignors to join our next flagship event. Consignments will be open from the beginning of December 2025 through the first week of March 2026. Mark your calendars: Our next live floor auction will take place May 6–9, 2026 at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Winter Park, Florida.
Check our travel scheduleto consign in person or contact us to arrange a private visit at your location. We look forward to showcasing your collection in our next auction!
Lot 13 – MEXICO, Mexico City, gold cob 8 escudos “quasi-Royal,” 1714 J, “GRAT” variety with date on reverse, very rare, NGC MS 61, ex-McGregor, Flemming Plate. $ 51,000*
Lot 16 – MEXICO, Mexico City, gold cob 8 escudos, 1714 J, struck with Royal dies, very rare, NGC MS 63, finest in NGC census, ex-McGregor, Flemming Plate. $ 96,000*Lot 38 – PERU, Lima, gold cob 8 escudos, 1712 M, flipover double-strike, NGC MS 64 (1715 Fleet Shipwreck Label), ex-McGregor.$ 39,000*
Lot 44 – PERU, Lima, gold cob 4 escudos, 1712 M, rare, NGC MS 63 (1715 Fleet Shipwreck Label), “top pop,” ex-McGregor. $ 42,000*
Lot 79 – Atocha large silver ingot 296 from Potosí, Class Factor 1.0, 86 lb 5.44 oz troy, marked with mint/date Po1621, (1622). $ 90,000*
Lot 319 – Ex-Whydah Wreck – Mexico City, cob 4 reales, Philip V, (J), style of 1712-14, very rare provenance.$ 27,600*
Lot 518 – MEXICO, Mexico City, 4 reales, Charles-Joanna, “Early Series,” assayer Latin R over Gothic R (Rincón), NGC AU 50, ex-Sedwick-Downing $ 45,000*
Lot 932 – COLOMBIA, Bogotá, pillar 8 reales, Ferdinand VI, 1759 JV, very rare, NGC AU 53, ex-Patterson (cover). $ 42,000*Lot 954 – CUBA, struck at the Gorham Mint, proof 1 peso, 1898, NGC PF 63, “top pop.”$ 36,000*
Lot 966 – DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, pattern 10 reales in solid silver, 1855, extremely rare, NGC MS 62, ex-Whittier (cover), ex-Byrne, KM Plate. $ 78,000*
Lot 1125 – MEXICO, Mexico City, pillar 8 reales, Philip V, 1732 F, three mouldings atop right pillar, very rare, NGC AU 58, ex-Ortiz $ 156,000*
Lot 1161 – PANAMA, cob ½ real, Philip II, assayer P-M,, extremely rare, NGC mint error AU 50 / flipover double struck. $ 31,200*
Lot 1166 – PANAMA, struck at the Philadelphia mint, proof 50 centésimos, 1904, very rare, NGC PF 63. $ 96,000*
Lot 1167 – PANAMA, copper-nickel 2½ centésimos, 1918, very rare, NGC MS 63 ex-Stuart, finest known.$ 36,000*
Lot 1516 – Gold and red-coral rosary, ex-1715 Fleet. $ 60,000*
The S.B. Pulaski represents one of the earliest of major U.S. shipwrecks to be salvaged and the coins recovered provide a fascinating glimpse back in time to late-1830s America.
The Pulaski explodes; from page 170 of the book The Tragedy of the Seas; or, Sorrow on the ocean, lake, and river, from shipwreck, plague, fire and famine (1848) by Charles Elms
The ship began her brief life in 1837 at the shipyard of John A. Robb located in Fell’s Point, Baltimore, Maryland. Built for the Savannah & Charleston Steam Packet Company, she was a steam packet meant for carrying passengers, cargo, and mail up and down the East Coast. In an interesting historical connection, the shipbuilder John A. Robb also constructed the famous S.S. Republic (launched in 1853 as the S.S. Tennessee), which also ran an East Coast route until her sinking in 1865 with a cargo of gold and silver coins.
The Pulaski was a brand-new and luxurious ship, affording her passengers a comfortable journey. She was favored by wealthy Southern families and businessmen whenever they needed to travel from the South up to the North and back again. Her cargo holds held trade goods and U.S. Post Office mail packets, earning further revenue for her owners.
The Pulaski’s voyage on June 14, 1838, started off normally. She had departed Charleston, South Carolina, at 6 AM, having come up from Savannah, Georgia. Captain John Dubois commanded the ship with a crew of 36 and with around 150 passengers aboard. Now bound for Baltimore, Maryland, the passengers settled in for a day heading out to sea.
At 10 o’clock that night, the Pulaski was about 40 miles off the coast of North Carolina, sailing north at a steady clip in moderate seas. The First Mate, Mr. Hibberd, had charge of the ship and was pacing the promenade deck. As he later told the Wilmington Observer, he “found himself shortly after upon the main deck, lying between the mast and side of the boat.”
Regaining consciousness, Hibberd headed to the midships. There, he found the head of the starboard boiler blown out and the decks above torn apart. The hull was also damaged and Hibberd observed water rushing in whenever the ship heeled to starboard. Later accounts would blame the ship’s engineer for the explosion by letting the boilers run dry then refilling them with cold seawater while hot.
The boiler explosion killed many passengers and crew instantly in their cabins. Captain Dubois was lost, presumed killed in the explosion. First Mate Hibberd began launching the lifeboats, initially telling passengers they were to inspect the ship’s hull, so as not to raise a panic. One of the lifeboats was in poor condition due to sun exposure; after several attempts to bail it out, it capsized. The other two lifeboats, loaded with 21 survivors including First Mate Hibberd, stayed near the Pulaski until it broke up and sank just 45 minutes after the explosion.
The 21 survivors in the two lifeboats made their way to the North Carolina shore. After paddling north for some time, hoping to find a way into the intercoastal waterway, they attempted to land on the beach. The rough waves overturned the first lifeboat near shore and five of the eleven survivors on board that boat drowned in the surf. Three hours later, the second lifeboat made a successful landing. The survivors then made their way to Stump Sound where a local took them in. Two days later, First Mate Hibberd and two other passengers left for Wilmington where they reported Pulaski’s sinking. They were initially thought to be the only survivors of the wreck.
On the morning of Tuesday, June 19, the crew of the schooner Henry Camerdon came across a sight: a large portion of the deck of the S.B. Pulaski, barely afloat, containing 23 survivors. Once taken aboard, the survivors mentioned another piece of the wreck was floating nearby with more survivors. An hour later, the Henry Camerdon rescued a further seven survivors who were clinging to a piece of the wreck. The survivors, suffering from exposure and dehydration over four days, were brought back to Wilmington. The Fayetteville Observer newspaper then reported that a further thirteen survivors had come ashore at New Inlet. Of the 37 crew and over 150 passengers aboard, 59 were saved.
The Newbernian newspaper of New Bern, North Carolina, eulogized those who died in the S.B. Pulaski sinking in their Friday, June 29, 1838, edition as follows:
“Dreadful Steam Boat Disaster!
“Thus have we hurriedly sketched the most painful catastrophe that has ever occurred upon the American coast. Youth, age, and infancy have here been cut off in a single night, and found a common death under the same billow.
“Days, months, years and ages will circle away, and still the vast waters will over them roll.”
It wasn’t until 2017 that the wreck site of the S.B. Pulaski was located. Discovered by Swordfish Partners, the salvors filed an admiralty claim on the then unknown wreck. In partnership between Blue Water Ventures International and Endurance Exploration, the salvage work began with the main goal of definitively identifying the wreck. Divers sent down to the 120 foot-deep site found a scattered wreck covered in several feet of sand. In early 2018, a single brass tag was found bearing the name S.B. Pulaski.
With the wreck thus confirmed as the Pulaski, salvage began in earnest. Over the course of a few salvage seasons, many small artifacts such as silverware, pocket watches, and jewelry were found. Several larger artifacts found included ship’s tackle and a silver religious altar decoration.
Silver and gold U.S. coins were also discovered along with world coins that circulated in the United States during the 1830s. However, unlike the famous S.S. Central America, S.S. Brother Jonathan, or S.S. Republic, which mainly carried coins as their cargo, vast quantities of coins were never found on the S.B. Pulaski. The few recovered coins were all pocket change from the passenger and crew, representing a sample of coins found in circulation at the time. Thus, every coin from the S.B. Pulaski has a very real connection to those who sailed on her during her final voyage.
For me, beauty and interest outweigh value, although it’s satisfying when the first two intersect with the third. Years ago, I started researching a robust field of coins, the Charles and Joanna coinage of Mexico City, and my interest was quickly piqued. Not only was the story of the first mint in the New World compelling, but the coins minted there were extremely well struck and beautiful, unlike many of the coins that came after that period. I was also taken with the simple “castles and lions” shield on one side and “pillars and waves” motif on the other.
Like any hobbyist who aspires to fill in his or her collection in a purposeful way, I learned as much as I could about the coins that had caught my attention. I bought a copy of Robert A. Nesmith’s 1955 book, The Coinage of the First Mint of the Americas at Mexico City, 1536-1572, and read it cover to cover. It’s still a great reference 70 years after publication! I read the transcript of the Tello de Sandoval investigation into possible mint improprieties during the tenure of assayer G, Juan Gutiérrez, which gave me a lot of information about the inner workings of the mint and who was there. I read about Hernán Cortés’ conquest of the Aztecs, which set the stage for a mint to be established in Mexico in 1536. I read about the Spanish monarchy to know why the coins bear the names of two rulers: Charles and Joanna. The former was the son of the latter, who by all accounts was crazy and certainly wasn’t capable of ruling over an empire. It was like a soap opera!
I began to keep census of all the varieties of all the denominations of coins from what Nesmith termed the “Early Series” and the “Late Series” assayers. The pinnacle of my work came when we were privileged to handle the sale of the Clyde Hubbard collection of Mexican Charles and Joanna coins, several of which were plate coins in Nesmith’s book.
My collection is not exhaustive because I decided early on to concentrate on rare and sometimes unique varieties and smaller denominations, which are harder to find. I never chased grades because I find it more important to have a coin in whatever condition it was found if there are only one or two known. There are so many varieties that you could spend a lifetime trying to acquire each one! Like the coins, I hope the results of my years-long study—which should be available soon and will feature most of the coins in my collection—helps further interest by avid collectors and people like me who just happen to find these coins beautiful.
This exceptionally broad-flan four reales coin represents one of the earliest issues under Francisco del Rincón, the first assayer of the Mexico City Mint. Bearing a doubled R/R mark at the base of the pillars, it displays a bold strike with clear legends and a rich toning. The coin’s design—castles and lions on one side, pillars and waves on the other—captures the aesthetic ideals of the Early Series. Its die pairing reveals the reuse of shield dies by subsequent assayers, underscoring continuity in early minting practice. Pedigreed to the Sedwick–Downing Collection and graded NGC AU 50, it remains one of the finest known examples of the Rincón type.
Among the rarest of the entire Charles and Joanna series, this 4 reales piece struck by the elusive Assayer F is both a Nesmith Plate Coin and a former holding of the Huntington Collection at the Hispanic Society of America. The issue, known by very few specimens, is distinguished by full legends, golden toning, and only minor surface corrosion. As one of the rarest assayers represented, it has been used in modern die-linkage studies to clarify the chronological sequence of early mint operations. The specimen is a cornerstone piece for understanding the earliest evolution of mint production following Rincón’s tenure.
This unique 2 reales coin exhibits an unprecedented rhomboid motto panel enclosing the inscription PLVS. The specimen, attributed to Assayer Rincón, is the only known example of its kind, pairing a rhomboid design with Gothic lettering and a later die used by Assayer P. Its discovery bridges stylistic transitions within the Early Series, providing crucial evidence of experimentation at the Mexico City Mint during the late 1530s. The coin’s rarity and stylistic innovation make it one of the collection’s most academically valuable pieces.
This 1 real coin represents a transitional issue showing evidence of an over-assayer strike, in which an earlier die from Assayer F was repurposed under Gutiérrez. The piece features full interiors, deep toning, and minimal wear. Its die linkage to both preceding and subsequent issues makes it a key specimen for understanding the mint’s workflow and reusability of dies. Such examples are indispensable for reconstructing chronological mint sequences of the Early Series.
A rare survivor of the 1554 Spanish Fleet wrecked off Padre Island, Texas, this 4 reales piece from the rare Assayer S illustrates the culmination of the Charles and Joanna coinage before the reforms of Philip II. Its well-preserved surfaces and dark patina testify to its maritime provenance. Few coins of this assayer are known, and its presence in this collection adds both archaeological and numismatic significance. Graded NGC VF details, it is one of the most compelling shipwreck-related specimens of the Late Series.
This intriguing 2 reales coin from the Late Series displays the assayer’s initial G punched upside down—a remarkable minting blunder known in only eight examples. The coin is cited in Dr. Peter Jones’s *The First Coins of the Americas* (2020) and is considered among the best preserved of its type. Its existence underscores the human variability inherent in early minting, as well as the challenges faced by the Mexico City engravers in maintaining die consistency under growing production demands.
SEDWICKCOINS BLOG 