Roman gold leads Goldberg sale results

Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins & Collectibles first coin auction of the year at over $18 million was “the best auction since the Millennia sale,” according to Ira Goldberg.

Held Feb. 3-6, it was part of the Pre-Long Beach sales.

The highly anticipated Hunter Collection consisted of 268 ancient coins — top quality Greek, Roman and Byzantine. With fierce bidding throughout and over 95 percent of the Hunter collection sold, the sale generated $6,251,543.75.

Two coins took top honors selling each for $425,000. They were:

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• Octavian and Julius Caesar, gold aureus (8.23g) struck in Italy, summer-autumn 43 B.C., and
• Egypt, Ptolemaic Kingdom. In the name of Ptolemy IV, Philopator, 221-204 B.C. Ptolemy V, Epiphanes, 204-180, gold oktadrachm (27.7g) minted at Sidon, ca. 202-200 B.C.

Feb. 3-4 featured the Paul Gerrie Collection of Large Cents 1793-1814, which realized $3,681,668. The balance of the sale, which consisted of all other U.S. materials, realized $5,516,758.

The third of the Pre-Long Beach sales held Feb. 5-6 featured the Wolfen Family Foundation and other important properties. This sale generated $2,888,640.

After four days of competitive bidding at the podium at the Goldberg offices in Los Angeles, on the phone and over the Internet, more than 93 percent of the lots were sold and total sales realized $18,334,472.

For further information or prices realized, contact the auctioneer at Ira & Larry Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, Los Angeles, by phone at (310) 551-2646, or (800) 978.2646, or online at www.goldbergcoins.com.