1787 gold coin sells for $4.5 million

An extremely rare coin, the first of its kind to be minted in the United States, has sold at auction in Florida for more than $4.5 million. The 1787 Brasher doubloon has been called the most valuable coin in the world, and the price it fetched at auction - $4,582,500 - paid by an anonymous bidder, confirms that. The coin, the first of its kind, was made by a silversmith named Ephraim Brasher who lived next door to George Washington after the Revolutionary War at 1 Cherry St on Manhattan's Lower East Side. He created the Brasher doubloon in 1787.

According to Heritage Auctions, the design on the front of the coin was adopted from the New York coat of arms - a sun rising of the peak of a mountain with a body of water in the foreground. Brasher's name is spelled out below the waves in small letters and the words around the edge of the coin say NOVA EBORACA COLUMBIA EXCELSIOR - New York, America, Ever Higher. Excelsior remains the state motto to this day. Read More.

Read More

Pattern gold Queen Victoria Crown sold for $235,000

A pattern gold Crown struck for Queen Victoria, graded Proof 64 Ultra Cameo, which sold for $235,000 at Heritage Auctions' Jan. 6-7 Ancient & World Coin Signature® Auction, held in conjunction with the New York International Coin Show (NYINC) at the Waldorf-Astoria. This ultra-rare, undated piece was struck in 1887 in Nuremberg, Germany. The obverse was patterned after the famous William Wyon young head portrait of Victoria, while the reverse devices include the Order of the Garter crest supported by a crowned lion and a unicorn in chains. The designer of this piece is unverified, as the artist did not sign the dies.Read More.

Read More

Louis Vuitton, Rolex & Gold Coins Auction

Government Auction's January 27, 2013 auction will feature a large collection of collectible and luxury goods including, Rolex watches, Louis Vuitton hand bags, rare gold coins and high end jewelry in this week's auction event on the online auction site LiveAuctioneers.com. Bidding in this one day event will start at only $2 on most lots.

Offered for auction in the watch category is a Rolex Ladies White Gold/Diamond Watch. This Oyster Perpetual Datejust watch is crafted in lavish 18k white gold with diamonds. The stunning timepiece is composed of silver sunray finish dial with diamond hour posts and surrounded by 46 brilliant cut diamonds. The box and all original papers are included.Read More.

Read More

Government Auction Black Friday

Government Auction announces its Annual Black Friday Auction. This is the largest auction in the company's history to date. The auction will feature over 1,600 items to be auctioned off in this one day event, featuring items such as Rare Gold Coins, Jewelry, Art, Antiques, Sports Memorabilia, Hollywood Memorabilia, Collectibles from the far east. A few of the featured items in this auction will be, 1911 $2.5 Indian Head Gold Coin, 377.86CT Ruby Necklace, 18kt Rolex Oyster Watch, 1920's Antique Swift Coffee Grinder, 8160 Sq.Ft. Lot in Black Sand Beach Hawaii, and more. Government Auction is a private company, the largest company of its kind to acquire literally thousands of properties and assets. In most cases we acquire these properties and assets at 30% - 50% of actual retail value. This enables potential buyers throughout the world to buy land and invest in assets at discounted pricing.Read More.

Read More

Pirates chest with half million gold doubloons

The people behind "Storage Wars" just stumbled upon their most incredible discovery yet (a real-life pirates chest that's at least 200 years old), containing half a million in gold doubloons. Dan and Laura Dotson came across the stash inside a foreclosed storage locker at an auction in Contra Costa County, CA, which they sold off to one lucky bastard for just over a grand. The Dotsons discovered the pirates booty after auctioning off the locker, a small treasure an expert described as "Pieces of Eight Spanish Gold," dating anywhere between the 16th and 19th century. According to one source, the coin box was so heavy ... it took 3 people to move it out of storage. Read More.

Read More

Proxibid live auction 18 October

Proxibid, the world’s largest real auction marketplace, will provide live online bidding for Weaver’s Signature Coin &Currency Auctions upcoming two-day Gold Hoard auction. The live auction will take place on Tuesday, October 18 and Wednesday, October 19 at 5:30 p.m. Central, daily, with live online bidding taking place via Proxibid at www.proxibid.com/WeaverCoin.

The Gold Hoard auction will feature 200 Gold coins (both collectible dates and bullion) from a collection not available in the open market in the last 15 years. The auction will highlight nearly complete Morgan Dollar and Buffalo Nickel sets, complete Peace Dollar, Silver American Eagle, Washington Quarter, Walking Liberty/Franklin Half $ and Indian Cent sets. Currency highlights include a high grade 1896 $5 Educational Note and a consecutively numbered pair of $1 Hawaii STAR Notes 1935A. Other featured items include diamond, gold and silver jewelry, 1795 Flowing Hair Half $, tokens and commemoratives.

“This is one of the finest collections we have seen,” said auctioneer Dave Weaver. “We are thrilled to bring this auction online on Proxibid, enabling collectors from across the globe the opportunity to add these beautiful pieces to their collections. With 650 lots, bidders are sure to find what they’re looking for in this auction.”

For more information about this press release or to place a pre-bid, Read More.

Read More

China 1kilo gold coin sold USD1.29million

A 1992 China Compass 2,000 yuan one kilo gold proof coin, produced by the Shenyang Mint, was sold in August for US$1.29 million (HK$10.06 million), the auctioneer Champion Hong Kong announced.

The auctioneer said that it was a new world record price for a modern kilo gold Chinese coin. The coin had been certified by third-party agency, Numismatic Guaranty Corp, which provides grading services for numismatists. The 2,000 yuan coin is part of a series celebrating Chinese inventions and discoveries. The obverse features a compass and the Great Wall is on the reverse.

A Korean Yung Hi gold 20 won coin was sold for US$632,500, (including the 15 percent buyer's fee), early last month, Coin World reports.

The sale was recorded at the Dr Norman Jacobs Collection of Japanese and Korean coins auction on September 8 conducted by US-based Heritage Auction Galleries. The gold coin is part of the only set of Year 3 (1909) Korean Yung Hi gold five, 10 and 20-won coins available in private hands. The only other known set is held in the Bank of Japan museum, Coin World says.

Recommended reading: 2011 Standard Catalog of World Coins 1901-2000, and The Expert's Guide to Collecting and Investing in Rare Coins

Noteworthy: It was in 1974 that the United States restored the right to private gold ownership. Read More.

Read More