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Why History Matters: Consigning Items With A Story

28 Dec

Do you have an interesting coin, bank note, or shipwreck artifact with a history to tell? Here are the 15 reasons why you should consign to us now to be a part of Treasure Auction 21:

1) Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC will get top dollar for your consignments. As the world’s ONLY full time auction specialists in Spanish colonial and shipwreck coins (not to mention ingots and artifacts), we have exclusive clientele worldwide and extensive knowledge and experience. That translates into results you can bank on.

2)     Our personal service is unparalleled. Our bidders and consignors deal directly with the heads of our company, who also personally research and photograph everything. Our aim is maximum comfort and confidence, so we accommodate everyone’s needs through barrier-free communication. No consignor or bidder is too big or too small for our attention!

3)     Our overall philosophy is that specialized attention beats massive volume and market sprawl. Lima Gold Cobs 1715 Fleet Lima, Peru, cobs choice set: 8 escudos 1712M, 4 escudos 1710M, Within our specialty we handle the same important collectors worldwide as other companies but with much more personal service and far less overhead. We make sure that every important consignment gets maximum exposure at shows and on the Internet without wasting resources on exclusive venues and over-distribution.

4)     While other auction houses simply put the lots up for sale and depend on the market to set the prices, we take the steps to personally point out lots to the right bidders, and we maximize exposure to all bidders via mail-out catalogs and the Web. We don’t just hold an auction, we make an event of it!

5)    ¡Hablamos su idioma! Our staff deals with the most important Latin American bidders and buyers on the market. We are able to travel and talk to all our Hispanic bidders and consignors, which creates a level of comfort that draws even the most cautious participants to our venue.

6)     Our financial record is unblemished. In over 8 years of auctions, we have never paid a consignor late (unless he requested it) or had any dispute that was not corrected immediately. We give winning bidders all available options for payment and take necessary steps to make sure all bills are paid.

7)     Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC offers cash advances for qualified consignments. Many consignors also enjoy being able to trade their proceeds against purchases within the same sale. Our personalized attention makes it possible to accommodate many special needs.

8)     We are not just auctioneers: We are recognized researchers and editors, with many scholarly books and articles to our credit. (We also give seminars and teach classes when we can) With every auction we make new numismatic discoveries and publish them immediately for everyone’s benefit. It takes more than just a reference number to sell a rare coin!

9)    Because not every consignment comes in sale-ready, we take the time to properly merchandise each item and even offer limited conservation services. Our goal is to make each lot the best it can be so the consignor will benefit.

10)     Our presentations are the best in the business. We start with detailed lot descriptions, disclosing all aspects positive and negative, to give bidders the peace of mind to comfortably place their bids and avoid returns. For cobs especially, grading and evaluation are very difficult and require our exclusive expertise. After rigorous proofreading and editing, we marry the text with state-of-the-art digital photography and zooming for important details. Then, with keen attention to efficient and aesthetically pleasing layout, we put it all online and in beautiful catalogs that are collectible in their own right and housed as references in many important numismatic libraries like the American Numismatic Association and the Numismatic Literary Guild. Finally, our catalogs and results are permanently accessible for all to see on our own website, on iCollector.com and on CoinArchives.com.

11)  We make a point to estimate all lots at reasonable levels. We research all consignments to make sure the lots are being offered at correct levels. We never take advantage of a consignor’s ignorance of the current market or rarity of his material, and we take any advice or follow any special instructions the consignor may have.

12)   From the minute you consign, Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC will get the word out to potential bidders. We get excited about unique and rare pieces and we pass that enthusiasm on to our clients.

13)  Our preeminence in the field of Spanish colonial and treasure coins has logically propelled us to the top of the field in Latin American numismatics as well. Our expertise and clientele are now among the best for this often-underrated field. We are also developing a presence in world coins in general, especially gold, with ancient coins, medals and paper money in nearly every auction as well. Nothing is outside our radar!

14)  Through iCollector.com and our own expertise we are able to conduct our auctions using the latest technology and convenience of online bidding, without over-the-top bells and whistles that just become confusing. The iCollector platform brings hundreds of thousands of bidders worldwide to our auctions with the confidence of unparalleled tech support and absolute third-party confidentially. Simply put, it is old-style service with state-of-the-art technology.

15)  We are members in good standing with most major professional guilds and collector organizations, including: IAPN (International Association of Professional Numismatists), ANA (American Numismatic Association), ANE (Asociación Numismática Española), FUN (Florida United Numismatists), NLG (Numismatic Literary Guild), NI (Numismatics International), USMexNA (U.S. Mexican Numismatic Association), PCGS(Professional Coin Grading Service) and NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation). We are fully insured (underwritten by Lloyds of London) and fully licensed with the State of Florida as auctioneers (AU3635) and as an auction business (AB2592).

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NOTE: Consignment deadline for our May 3-4, 2017 Auction

February 19, 2017

Come and see us in person to the following upcoming shows:

Florida United Numismatists Show (accepting consignments)
January 5-8, 2017
Fort Lauderdale, FL

New York International Show NYINC (accepting consignments)
January 12-15, 2017
New York, NY

Vero Beach Coin Show (accepting consignments)
January 14-15, 2017
Vero Beach, FL

Long Beach Coin Expo  (accepting consignments)
February 16-18, 2017
Long Beach, CA

ANA’s National Money Show  (Lot viewing)
March 9-11, 2017
Orlando, FL

Please contact us at office@sedwickcoins.com or call 407.975.3325

We are constantly looking for:

  • High-grade gold and silver Latin American coins (especially large collections)

  • World Gold coins including US and early British and Dutch

  • Rare early Spanish colonial cobs (collections or single coins)

  • 1715-Fleet gold and silver dated cobs.

  • Shipwreck coins and cobs in reasonable condition with original certificates

  • High-grade silver cobs & pillar dollars

  • Artifacts from shipwrecks (well documented and properly conserved)

  • Silver and gold ingots from shipwrecks

  • World Paper Money

  • U.S. Coins

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Sedwick Treasure Auction Wrap-Up, Tips for Buying Cobs, and Where to Find Us

8 Dec

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I’m finally able to take a breather from post-auction duties of packing and shipping to share some thoughts with you. First, all of us at Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC want to thank our bidders, consignors, auction speakers, and auction attendees for helping make Treasure Auction #20 one of our best auctions to date. Without YOU, auctions don’t happen. We are grateful for the personal and professional relationships we have nurtured over the years and look forward to many more.

As the Christmas buying season kicks into high gear, there are a few reminders to help you get the most for your money, at least when it comes to buying coins. When you buy a widget, you go to a store that you know sells them. For example, I buy electronics at a place like Best Buy. When you buy a coin, particularly a niche coin like a cob, you need to find a specialty seller, someone who knows what he’s doing.

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Can You Tell This is a Counterfeit?

If you don’t, you may buy a fake instead of the real thing. Or, you may buy something less than what it should be for the price because the seller doesn’t really know his product. Either way, you won’t be satisfied with your purchase. Again, always buy from reputable dealers whether you’re buying a shipwreck coin or a dryer.

Next, whether it’s a cob or a car, buy what you like. This is especially true for any commodity that you might consider an “investment” because most things appreciate only after you’ve held onto them for a good period of time. Quick profits don’t happen very often, so plan to enjoy your purchase for years. When you do sell, you’ll be well rewarded.

Finally, buy the best you can afford if you really want to be happy with your purchase. Buyer’s remorse from letting the coin you really wanted get away from you stays with you for a long time. If you’re building a collection, it’s much easier to buy great quality at the beginning than spend time and effort to upgrade later. That said, if what you can afford isn’t the best quality, don’t worry. You’ll be happy to simply own the piece in the first place.

We can help you build the collection of your dreams. Just ask us! And, you can visit us in person at the following 2017 shows where we will have a table:

schelude2017show2Happy Holidays to all and we look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

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What You Can’t Live Without in Treasure Auction #20 (part four)

8 Nov

We’re into the home stretch with only 4 days to go until the auction! We hope you have been bidding and will join us for the live portion.

Below are some of the most important artifacts in the auction, and while most of these items will come up at the end of the auction, it’s definitely a case of “last but not least.” Coins–as well as all shipwreck treasure–are our business, and you can be confident that we know what we’re talking about in our descriptions.

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Lot 473, Sedwick Treasure Auction #20

Why have one coin when you can have several? The above is a large clump of 20+ Mexican cob 8 reales, two in front dated 1714. It’s a very impressive display that stands up well, also a very rare item these days and was recovered from the Spanish 1715 Fleet off the east coast of Florida.

 

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Lot 1636, Sedwick Treasure Auction #20

You could eat off the above plate today because it’s in such good condition. It’s marked with a tax stamp and LDo.IVo. / RAMYREZ under rim. More important, the underside of the rim bears most of a castles-and-lions circular tax stamp and a stamping in tiny letters that exactly matches lots 41-43 of the Christie’s 1988 Atocha auction, in which that mark was described as an “owner’s stamp.” It is clearly part of a set with this bigger basin; those three lots were only 8-7/8″ in diameter and described as “dinner plates.” They fetched some of the highest prices realized among the silver plates in that sale, upwards of $6000 hammer, but not even close to the price realized for the only large basin (like what we are offering here but slightly bigger), lot 47, which hammered at $22,000!

 

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Lot 1642, Sedwick Treasure Auction #20

The above is a complete gold plain-loop chain, 34.55 grams, from the “Tricentennial Treasure” find of 2015. There are hundreds of tiny plain links in a tight chain (easily kinked) that is remarkable for being unbroken and complete, eminently wearable and attractive despite its simplicity, also one of the first artifacts from the famous “Tricentennial Treasure” to be offered for sale. From the 1715 Fleet (Douglass Beach site).

 

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Lot 1654, Sedwick Treasure Auction #20

What’s an auction with out a cannon? The above Danish naval “4-pounder” bronze howitzer from the late 1700s  is  believed to have been from military and naval stores captured by the British during the Battle of Copenhagen in 1807. Sent to England, these items were used by English forces during the Napoleonic Wars and in America and Canada during the War of 1812. Some ended up in American service due to capture or purchase. The bronze barrel has a chambered bore (which most howitzers have), a designated area for the powder charge, turned decorations and cast with bronze pointing tiller cascabel ending on a rounded ball end. This cannon was made for use as a swivel gun but is now mounted on a mahogany naval deck carriage (complete and serviceable with working elevation screw and wheels) with correct brass and iron mounts and four wheels from the early 19th century (possibly exact replacements made later). The barrel is in excellent condition with minor surface wear and excellent light-brown patina.

Once again, we hope you all your bids are winning bids!

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What You Can’t Live Without in Treasure Auction #20 (part three)

2 Nov

Today we want to make you aware of some very important silver coins you can bid on in our upcoming Sedwick Treasure, World, U.S. Coin & Paper Money Auction #20. When you see descriptions containing words or phrases like “unique,” “very rare,” “finest known,” and “unlimited value,” you can be sure these items will bring top dollar…and be worth every penny. It bears repeating that we often say you should buy the “best” coins  you can afford, whether that means coins in the best condition or of the highest rarity. The good things in life don’t come cheaply but you’ll rarely regret your decision to buy them and enjoy them for years. Good luck in our auction!

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Lot 561, Sedwick Treasure Auction #20

The above is a Mexico City, Mexico, 4 reales, Charles-Joanna, “Early Series,” coin and those who collect them know that varieties with the assayer mark (P) to the left and mintmark (M) to the right are generally much rarer than others. Also, this is an early variety in Assayer P’s tenure with the use of HISPANIE instead of the later use of HISPANIARVM in the legend on the pillars side.

 

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Lot 664, Sedwick Treasure Auction #20

The above is an extremely rare Mexico City, Mexico, cob 1 real Royal, 1643/2P. It is probably unique, but certainly unique in quality and of almost unlimited in value to the specialist collector.

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Lot 777, Sedwick Treasure Auction #20

The above is a rare Potosi, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, 1634T and the first coin collected by Emilio Paoletti, (and ex-Burzio, ex-Martini, ex-Janson) with copy #1 of Paoletti’s book 8 Reales Cobs of Potosi (3rd ed., 2016) and signed by him on the first page where the number 001 appears. What a remarkable pedigree!

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Lot 857, Sedwick Treasure Auction #20

The above is a rare Potosi, Bolivia, cob 8 reales, 1652E transitional Type III from the Capitana (1654). What is interesting about this die variety is that the O-E above 52 to right of shield is punched over N-8.

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Lot 961, Sedwick Treasure Auction #20

The above is a rare Potosi, Bolivia, cob 8 reales Royal, 1714Y with an interesting four-digit date below cross (the standard for 1712-15).

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Lot 967, Sedwick Treasure Auction #20

The above is a very rare Potosi, Bolivia, cob 8 reales Royal, 1725Y, Louis I, ordinal PRIMERO. Royals of Louis I are among the most desirable and difficult to obtain, particularly since the general coins of this period are so crude. The present example is very bold, with full inner details and nearly full legends, including full LVIS PRIMERO (not just PR) and POTOSI (the pillars side slightly off-center).

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Lot 1027, Sedwick Treasure Auction #20

The above is an extremely rare and currently unique Potosi, Bolivia, cob 4 reales, 1732YA. This is a very important 4R, as it is the ONLY date and assayer (not counting overdates) that we have NEVER seen in our 25-year study of Potosi pillars-and-waves cobs.

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Lot 1079, Sedwick Treasure Auction #20

The above is an extremely rare Potosi, Bolivia, cob 1 real Heart, 1718Y. It’s an attractive example of the classic Heart shape and like most Heart minors, this specimen is probably unique.

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Lot 1086, Sedwick Treasure Auction #20

The above is a Bogota, Colombia, cob 8 reales, 1670, assayer PoRS. It’s the finest and only known specimen in NGC census (NGC certification #4348135001) and is certainly among the choicest Bogota pillars-and-waves cobs in existence, in fact the highest of all Bogota cob 8R at NGC by two grades.

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Lot 1338, Sedwick Treasure Auction #20

The above is a very rare Nicaragua (Leon), provisional “imitation cob” 2 reales, 1823 P.M.P.Y. It is probably the finest known of this Leon type with “pine tree” tops of pillars, a type rarely seen without a hole or significant damage. See Carlos Jara’s book Central American Provisional and Provincial Mints (2007) for more information about the attribution of this type to Leon.

We hope you find exactly what you’re looking for in our upcoming auction and please feel free to contact us with any questions you might have. You can see coin lots in person this weekend (and see Dan, Augi, and Connor) at the Whitman Expo at the Baltimore Convention Center November 3-6.

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A relative to the Confederate half dollar? 6 U.S. highlights in Treasure Auction 20

28 Oct

While Spanish colonial and shipwreck coins make up much of our November auction, a number of other collecting areas are well represented. We’ve already taken a look at paper money, so let’s turn to U.S. rarities coming up for auction.

Lot 1401 – 1890-CC Coronet Head double eagle – Est. $2,000 – 3,000

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As the highest denomination struck by the famous Carson City Mint, their double eagles were never struck in great numbers. Mintages barely topped 100,000 between 1874 and 1876. By the time this 1890-CC double eagle was struck, the mint had only three years left before closing in 1893. Still, the fact that 91,209 were minted in 1890 is impressive and makes this example an in-demand, yet affordable piece for the Carson City type set collector.

Lot 1414 – 1844-D Coronet Head double eagle – Est. $1,500 – 2,250

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The former Dahlonega Mint building in 1877 or 1878.

This 1844-D half eagle was struck in the better years of the Dahlonega Mint, where mintages of the half eagle approached 100,000 coins from 1843 to 1845. In 1844, 88,982 Dahlonega half eagles were made, making it, like the above lot, attractive yet affordable for the Dahlonega type collector or for someone who just wants to own one. The typical bag marks and scratches are noted in the fields, with wear evident yet not enough to knock it down to Very Fine as the coin still has a full Liberty headband.

Lot 1429 – 1914 Indian Head quarter eagle – Est. $1,500 – 2,250

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Some rarities take the form of gorgeous, high grade examples, such as this 1914 quarter eagle. NGC certified it as MS-63, putting it ahead of many others in uncirculated grades. Only light bagmarks are noted in the fields with some planchet adjustment lines in the headdress and light toning throughout.

Lot 1436 – 1846 Seated Liberty silver dollar – Est. $900 – 1,350

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This AU-55 1846 Seated Liberty dollar is perfect for a U.S. type set collector. Only light even wear is visible on the high points. The fields and some areas of the design are darkly toned with lighter toning around the stars, dress folds, and eagle’s wings. Overall, a nice, lightly circulated example with a well-centered strike.

Lot 1437 – Set of three New Orleans-minted half dollars from the SS Republic – Est. $1,500 – 2,250

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This set represents two important events to U.S. coin collectors: the beginning of the Civil War in 1861 and the sinking of the SS Republic in 1865.

Upon the election of Abraham Lincoln on Nov. 6, 1860, Southern states began to secede, with Louisiana seceding Jan. 26, 1861 before joining the Confederate States of America on March 21, 1861. It was during that time the New Orleans Mint continued striking Seated Liberty half dollars under all three governments: U.S., State of Louisiana, and Confederate. Through die diagnostics, all three issues can be identified, while in this set, the U.S. issue is denoted with an 1860-O half dollar.  The 1861-O Confederate issued half dollar in the set, noted for the die crack on the obverse above Liberty’s face, shares the same obverse die as the four known Confederate half dollars bearing the words “Confederate States of America” above the eagle on the reverse.

Furthermore, all three coins were recovered from the SS Republic, a ship that sank with many U.S. coins onboard, both silver and gold, on Oct. 25, 1865. Since the wreck’s discovery in 2003, some U.S., State of Louisiana, and Confederate issued Seated Liberty half dollars have been found and packaged into attractive sets like this, where coin collectors, Civil War historians and shipwreck researchers can appreciate these historical coins.

Lot 1439 – 1909-S Indian Head cent – Est. $700 – 1,000

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This is a beautiful 1909-S cent, a rare, key and final date to the long-lived (1859-1909) Indian Head cent series. Certified by NGC as AU-58 Brown, this piece has lovely chocolate brown toning throughout with choice wood-grain toning on the obverse and only light wear on the high parts of the design.

For more U.S. coins appearing in our November auction, visit the Session Four page here, up for sale on Sunday, Nov. 13 and Session Five (internet-only) page here, hammering on Monday, Nov. 14.

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