Top treasures to watch for in our May 27-29 auction

We are all leading different lives from those we had just two months ago. In some ways, things have changed greatly for the time being; but in other ways, they’ve stayed the same. One thing that hasn’t changed is our passion for numismatics, and if you’re reading this, no doubt the same applies to you. Our service and integrity also have not changed, nor has our ability to bring you the best selection and variety around, including the following highlights in this sale:

Lot 10 – Lima, Peru, cob 8 escudos, 1703H, HISPAN variety, rare, NGC MS 62, ex-1715 Fleet (designated on special label), ex-Tampa Sale.

Gold Cobs features a variety of choice Mint State coins from the 1715 Fleet including the very scarce Lima, Peru, 1703H 8 escudos graded NGC MS 62, a date that is missing in the State of Florida collection. We also have an unprecedented pair of Seville, Spain, cob 2 escudos from the Atocha and Santa Margarita shipwrecks graded PCGS AU50 and MS61 respectively.

Shipwreck Ingots boasts yet more treasure from the Atocha in the form of two long gold “finger” bars and three large silver ingots. Our usual wide selection of Shipwreck Coins features many dated silver cobs from the Concepción (lots 169-208) and Capitana (lots 209-243) as well as an assortment of choice pieces from the ever-popular Atocha (lots 77-158) and 1715 Fleet (lots 291-342).

Be sure to check out the Potomac Collection in Mexican Silver Cobs, which contains some key “Early Series” Charles-Joanna assayer-Rincón rarities like an ever-popular 3 reales (lot 439), a 2 reales plated in both Guttag’s and Nesmith’s works (lot 440), and a very choice ½ real (lot 443). A 2 maravedís from this collection (lot 460) is the first of its kind we have offered. Also don’t miss the very rare Royals (galanos): 8 reales 1727D (lot 478) and 2 reales 1715J (lot 491).

Lot 478 – Mexico City, Mexico, cob 8 reales Royal (galano), 1727D, very rare, NGC VF details / plugged.

The Lima and Potosí Silver Cobs sections are packed with many 8 reales from a fresh collection, including several nice Potosí Royals (galanos), like a 1654E 8 reales discovery piece struck with previously unknown dies (lot 578).

In Other Silver Cobs we feature one of the largest selections of Colombian cobs we have ever had, a key being a very rare billon cob ¼ real of 1622 (lot 662), the first one we have offered. Here you will also find the first coins of the Nueva Granada Collection, an expertly crafted assemblage of the very best Colombian coinage from the Spanish colonial era into the Republic period. This collection continues into the World Coins section where we have such rarities as: the finest known Bogotá 1770VJ pillar 8 reales graded PCGS MS65 (lot 821); a Popayán 1814/3JF bust 8 reales of Ferdinand VII graded PCGS XF40 (lot 823); and the highly sought and finest known Medellín 1868 medio peso graded PCGS MS62 (lot 854); all of which are plated in Jorge Emilio Restrepo’s Coins of Colombia (2012). Also note the 1888 “Cocobola” 50 centavos (lot 874) and several other choice and rare Colombian “half dollars.”

We’re also pleased to offer the second part of the Whittier Collection of Bolivian monetary medals, with proclamation medals from the early Republic through the Melgarejo period. An 1840 medallic gold 1 scudo Velasco issue (lot 736) is of particular importance in the collection.

Our Costa Rica and Guatemala offerings (including Central American Republic) are quite strong with several gold coins and rare silver coins, including countermarked pieces, chiefly the Costa Rica Type I 8 reales circular hole-punch and Carrillo star-marked Potosí, Bolivia, 1831JL 8 soles graded NGC VG 8, c/s VF standard (lot 890). The advanced countermark collector will also want to stick around for a variety of Guatemala Type II and III countermarked 8 reales (lots 1085-1102).

Lot 821 – Bogota, Colombia, pillar 8 reales, Charles III, 1770VJ, very rare, PCGS MS65, finest graded in both censuses, Restrepo Plate Coin (stated on label).

Other countries of note in World Coins include: Cuba, which features a 1916 gold proof 1 peso graded NGC PF 66 Ultra Cameo (lot 924) plus many gold and silver piefort strikes (some near-unique) graded by NGC and pedigreed to the Isaac Rudman numismatic cabinet; Ecuador, with the Quito-minted 1841MV gold 8 escudos graded NGC XF 45 made popular in part by a vivid description of the coin in Herman Melville’s Moby Dick (lot 961) alongside several high-grade escudos like the 1836FP Quito gold 4 escudos graded NGC MS 61 (lot 963), in addition to a strong run of silver; German States, featuring a collection formed in the 1950s and 1960s with such highlights as an 1801 Brunswick-Lüneburg-Calenburg-Hannover taler of George III, who was also the king of Great Britain (lot 1016); and Honduras, with a large assortment of provisional coinage followed by rare Republic proof pattern coins, like a denomination set of 1862 bronze patterns in Mint State graded by NGC (lot 1139).

Indian coin experts will not want to miss the opportunity to acquire some original 1947 British India proofs (lots 1154-1158), notably including a Lahore-mint rupee graded PCGS PR63, one of just two known of an issue that was actually unknown until 2013.

Within Medals and Decorations we offer some important pieces like the Ecuador Battle of Pichincha silver military decoration from 1822 pedigreed to the J. Sanford Saltus collection and the American Numismatic Society archives (lot 1274), a large variety of British Admiral Vernon medals pedigreed to the John Adams collection (lots 1277-1289) including two rare silver Porto Bello examples, and the impressive Mexican gold Cross of Tepeaca from 1821 with original suspension and ribbon pedigreed to the J. Coolidge Hills collection (lot 1291).

Lot 1311 – United Colonies, Continental Congress, $2, May 10, 1775, serial 45296, PMG Choice AU 58 EPQ Star, finest known in PMG census.

The colonial United States collector should note our U.S. Paper Money section, where we have several high-grade notes like the finest known Continental $2 from May 10, 1775 (CC-2) graded PMG Choice AU 58 EPQ Star (lot 1311). World Paper Money holds many Colombian bank note rarities like the 1819 50 centavos / 4 reales remainder printed during Bolívar’s liberation campaign (lot 1321) as well as the Cartagena Estado Soberano de Bolívar 10 pesos and 1 peso graded PMG XF 40 and AU 53 respectively (lots 1341 and 1342). A significant denomination run of 20, 10, and 5 pesos from Guatemala’s Banco Colombiano in 1901 appear as lots 1355-1357.

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Our Coin Jewelry offerings continue with plenty of ready-to-wear shipwreck and non-wreck coins in mountings. Following that, the Artifacts sections contain lovely items recovered from wrecks like the Atocha and 1715 Fleet (don’t miss lot 1426 for a heavily pedigreed breech block from the Fleet) plus non-wreck objects like militaria, firearms, and fossils.

We wish all of our bidders good luck and good health, and we appreciate your constant support and passion for collecting. Enjoy!

Please visit auction.sedwickcoins.com to get registered, view lots, and place bids.