SEDWICKCOINS BLOG

Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC, a world class auctioneer of coins and artifacts, is proud to have numismatist Connor Falk join the company.

Falk will review and catalog consignments as well as work with clients to get the most out of the auction experience. Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC, already the leader in Latin American and shipwreck coin and artifact auctions, is expanding into new areas of numismatics such as U.S. coins and paper money to better serve a growing market. Falk will lead these expansion efforts with his numismatic knowledge and enthusiasm.

Connor Falk

“It comes down to personal service,” said Daniel Frank Sedwick, president and founder of Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC, “and to maintain our high level of service in additional areas, we needed expertise and energy. With his experience in customer relations, writing and editing, and of course numismatics, Connor was the right fit in every way.”

According to Agustín García-Barneche, vice president and partner of Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC, “you just don’t see enough young, professional numismatists in world coins like Connor, so we jumped at the chance to bring him on board. Like each of us in the company, Connor will be involved in all the logistics, which will give us even more flexibility to travel and service our clients, collectors and dealers alike. Our growing company has just taken a big step forward!”

Prior to joining Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC, Connor Falk was the online content editor for F+W’s Numismatics department and a journalist for Numismatic News. He was the bourse chairman for both the 2016 Chicago Paper Money Expo and the 2016 Chicago International Coin Fair. A numismatist in his own right, he focuses primarily on U.S. and Mexican coins and paper money.

Falk has a B.A. in English from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point (Class of 2014). He is a member of the ANA, the Central States Numismatic Society (life member), the Chicago Coin Club, and the U.S. Mexican Numismatic Association (life member). Outside of numismatics Connor spends time scuba diving and he is working his way up to a Master Scuba Diver certification.

Want to discuss consignments or upcoming auction lots? Contact Falk at 920-676-5269 or by email at connor@sedwickcoins.com

Connor Falk, Daniel F. Sedwick and Agustin Garcia-Barneche. Anaheim, CA ANA World’s Fair of Money 2016. 

Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC is the world’s premier specialist company in the colonial coinage of Spanish America, shipwreck coins and artifacts of all nations. In addition to an Online Store, we sell coins and artifacts at various numismatic shows around the nation. Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC also has the honor of being the only auction company in the world specializing in authentic treasure! Our auction catalogs are accessible on the web and printed in a high-quality format with full-color illustrations for all lots.

Contact Info:
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
407-975- 3325
info@sedwickcoins.com
www.SedwickCoins.com

I am Emily Sedwick, daughter of Daniel Sedwick, and for the past 2 summers I have had the great privilege of being employed at my father’s company. I have always been exposed to the world of numismatics growing up, accompanying my father to the office and even to a few FUN shows, but it wasn’t until I joined the Sedwick Coins crew that I found a real appreciation for the business.

Numismatics is not just about the coins but the history that goes along with them. Lola (my fellow intern) and I get plenty of history lessons from Cori in the office, but for those of you who are new to the business or collect coins as a hobby, the FUN show is an excellent place to learn firsthand. Although the July FUN show was not my first coin show, it was my first since I started working for Sedwick Coins.

On Thursday, the first day of the show, Lola and I spent time manning the cases and conversing with fellow dealers. It was an honor being able to introduce myself as Dan’s daughter as he is a well-respected dealer. Many times I would introduce myself to a dealer only to discover I had already met him or her as a child!

Everyone at the show was friendly and excited to have a young person in the business. Talking to and learning from such venerable collectors and businessmen was priceless work experience for a seventeen year old. Lola and I also attended a seminar called “Consumer Protection Update” by Tony Swicer and Sandy Pearl. This was a great talk for any person interested in the coin world because it cautioned against the prevalence of counterfeit currency and provided tips to avoid common traps.

I was not at the show on Friday so Lola took over and attended another seminar on foreign coins. She also started a small project organizing coins from a collection consigned to us that I was able to continue on Saturday. One of the coolest parts of the show was watching my father give an interview for Coin Week online magazine. He got to show off a gold disk consignment from the 1715 Fleet and talk about upcoming shows and auctions. Before we packed up for the weekend, I got to walk around and view the merchandise from the other dealers. Most of the booths were bustling with dealers making consignments, but what I found really great was the number of families and curious new learners that attend the shows as well.

The FUN show displayed to me a diverse group of people who are passionate about what they do and who encourage anyone willing to learn. So whether you’re a coin dealer, collector, or novice eager to learn, the FUN show is the perfect place to immerse yourself into a world of treasures.

With our Sedwick Treasure, World & U.S. Coin Auction #19 done and dusted, we look ahead to our next auction in November. Save the dates: November 11-12, 2016. This is our live floor auction and we invite you to join us! We will bring in world-class speakers to talk about their various areas of expertise, conduct an all-day floor auction in comfortable surroundings, and keep you busy every minute of the day. And Walt Disney World is just a shuttle ride away.

Cori Downing and Lola Berastegui

To help us with the usual things that take a back seat as we prepare for our auctions and to manage our eBay store, we have brought on board two interns this summer. Emily Sedwick, Dan’s daughter, is with us for a second summer and Lola Berastegui is a newbie. Both young ladies are extremely quick learners. Could one or both be a budding numismatist? Only time will tell.

Emily Sedwick hard at work

Visit us next month at the 10th Annual Summer FUN Convention at the Orange County Convention Center between July 7 and 9. Our booth number is 735. Both Emily and Lola will be there, so if you are a regular customer, please come by and introduce yourself. It’s also a good time to leave us your consignments for our next auction as the deadline for doing so is August 15.

Lola learning the ropes

We feel very fortunate to have Emily and Lola working for us this summer and hope they gain some valuable experience and life lessons!

My Stock Portfolio!

A year ago, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was at 18,200-18,300. Where is it today? It’s been inching back up from the cellar and hovers in the mid-17,000s. Despite the spin my stock broker tries to put on things, I know my portfolio looks pretty sad. Fortunately, I practice something called diversification. That means I own coins and artifacts in addition to stocks and bonds. How much more pleasure I derive from looking at my collections from time to time (and more important, adding to them) than I ever could by watching the stock market fluctuate!

Lot 289, Sedwick Treasure Auction #19

We have two important investment opportunities in our upcoming auction that will enhance any portfolio, two magnificent gold artifacts from the Atocha with equally important pedigrees. First is Lot 289, a gold disk with a cut edge weighing in at a generous 1438 grams and 19.75 fineness. It was originally for sale with Christie’s Auctions in June 1988 (Lot 81) which was the main Atocha auction for artifact and coin sales. Given today’s spot gold prices, this disc melts for $48,500, so the current bid of $45,000 is actually UNDER MELT VALUE! You can’t ask for a better investment than that. Our sales estimate is between $50,000 and $75,000 which surely seems reasonable.

Lot 1673, Sedwick Treasure Auction #19

The other is Lot 1673, a complete gold “wedding” chain, uncleaned with shells attached. It has been appraised for $200,000 in 1999 by James Sinclair, an archeologist for the Atocha material. It comes with another important piece of history, a certificate with original signatures of all the important people associated with the Atocha, including Mel Fisher. Shipwreck gold chains are considered an early form of tax evasion with the owner being exempt from paying the typical king’s fifth on gold and silver coins and bars. Our sales estimate is between $100,000 and $200,000 and this is a very special piece that comes around once in a lifetime. It’s never been for sale before. If you have the disposable income to consider bidding on Lot 1673, you should ask yourself whether you would rather have your money invested in stocks or in an irreplaceable piece of shipwreck history that is well recognized throughout the world. Imagine owning something that may otherwise be housed in a museum.

So, if you love collecting shipwreck coins and artifacts—and recognize them as a better investment than the stock market–either one of the pieces I’ve mentioned is well worth your consideration. Get your bid in today because we go live on Wednesday. Happy bidding! www.auction.sedwickcoins.com