Stack's Bowers ANA preview

ANA’s World’s Fair of Money® 2019 is just a few weeks away. For the past several months auction houses across the U.S. have been assembling items that might titillate the plastic cards of customers from Aug. 13-on. In May the sale catalogs were still very much works in progress but World Coin News managed a sneak preview of four big-ticket items Stack’s-Bowers had put aside back in March for the main event.

Copyright Stack's Bowers Galleries [#Beginning of Shooting Data Section] Image Size:L (6000 x 4000), DX 3/7/2019 13:08:53.77 Time Zone and Date:UTC-8, DST:ON Jpeg Fine (8-bit) Copyright:Stacks Bower's Galleries Nikon D5600 Lens:VR 105mm f/2.8G Focal Length:105mm Focus Mode:Manual AF-Area Mode:Single VR:OFF AF Fine Tune: Aperture:f/14 Shutter Speed:1/10s Exposure Mode:Manual Exposure Comp.:0EV Exposure Tuning: Metering:Spot ISO Sensitivity:ISO 400 Device: White Balance:Preset, 0, 0 Color Space:Adobe RGB High ISO NR:ON (Normal) Long Exposure NR:OFF Active D-Lighting:Auto Vignette Control:OFF Auto Distortion Control:OFF Picture Control:[SD] STANDARD Base:[SD] STANDARD Quick Adjust: 0.00 Sharpening:+3.00 Clarity:+1.00 Contrast: 0.00 Brightness: 0.00 Saturation: 0.00 Hue: 0.00 Filter Effects: Toning: Optimize Image: Color Mode: Tone Comp.: Hue Adjustment: Saturation: Sharpening: Latitude: Longitude: Altitude: Altitude Reference: Heading: UTC: Map Datum: [#End of Shooting Data Section]

What NGC MS-68+ looks like: NGC’s finest graded 18th century gold coin. This Brazilian 1000 reis of 1752 struck at the Lisbon Mint for José I (KM-162.1, Fr-75) is to be offered by Stack’s-Bowers at ANA in August with an estimate of $2,500-5,000. (Images courtesy Stack’s-Bowers.)

First cab off the rank is a glorious Brazilian 1000 reis of 1752 struck at the Lisbon Mint for José I (KM-162.1, Fr-75, LDMB-0300, Gomes-58.02). What distinguishes this gem from other siblings sold in recent years is it being the finest 18th-century gold coin to be graded by NGC from any country - a stunning NGC MS-68+. Very reasonably the estimate has been set at $2,500-5,000.

Beauty personified: reverse of William Wyon’s Three Graces proof pattern silver crown of 1817. The coin goes to the block in NGC-PR64+ Cameo with an estimate of $130,000-170,000. Image courtesy Stack’s-Bowers.

Next up are the Three Graces featuring on a George III silver proof pattern crown of 1817 (KM-PnA77, L&S-152, ESC-2020). William Wyon’s neo-classical design transmutes Zeus’s daughters, Euphrosyne, Aglaea and Thalia, into Hibernia, Britannia and Scotia. The coin is a thing of beauty and a joy forever. Graded NGC-PR64+ Cameo the estimate is a not unreasonable $130,000-170,000.

Copyright Stack's Bowers Galleries [#Beginning of Shooting Data Section] Image Size:L (6000 x 4000), DX 3/7/2019 13:02:48.62 Time Zone and Date:UTC-8, DST:ON Jpeg Fine (8-bit) Copyright:Stacks Bower's Galleries Nikon D5600 Lens:VR 105mm f/2.8G Focal Length:105mm Focus Mode:Manual AF-Area Mode:Single VR:OFF AF Fine Tune: Aperture:f/14 Shutter Speed:1/10s Exposure Mode:Manual Exposure Comp.:0EV Exposure Tuning: Metering:Spot ISO Sensitivity:ISO 400 Device: White Balance:Preset, 0, 0 Color Space:Adobe RGB High ISO NR:ON (Normal) Long Exposure NR:OFF Active D-Lighting:Auto Vignette Control:OFF Auto Distortion Control:OFF Picture Control:[SD] STANDARD Base:[SD] STANDARD Quick Adjust: 0.00 Sharpening:+3.00 Clarity:+1.00 Contrast: 0.00 Brightness: 0.00 Saturation: 0.00 Hue: 0.00 Filter Effects: Toning: Optimize Image: Color Mode: Tone Comp.: Hue Adjustment: Saturation: Sharpening: Latitude: Longitude: Altitude: Altitude Reference: Heading: UTC: Map Datum: [#End of Shooting Data Section]

The obverse of superbly-struck 1827 gold 80 Fiorini of Tuscany struck for Leopold II (Fr-343, C-78). It carries an estimate of $50,000-70,000 graded PCGS Gold Shield MS-67 Secure Holder. Image courtesy Stack’s-Bowers.

And for those into scarce European gold, there is a simply stunning 80 Fiorini struck for Leopold II of Tuscany at the Florence Mint in 1827 (Fr-343, C-78, Mont-305, Gig-1). This coin is the scarce two-year issue and the example on offer comes as a top quality sharp strike graded PCGS Gold Shield MS-67 Secure Holder. It could be a steal at $50,000-70,000.

Copyright Stack's Bowers Galleries [#Beginning of Shooting Data Section] Image Size:L (6000 x 4000), DX 3/7/2019 12:58:39.82 Time Zone and Date:UTC-8, DST:ON Jpeg Fine (8-bit) Copyright:Stacks Bower's Galleries Nikon D5600 Lens:VR 105mm f/2.8G Focal Length:105mm Focus Mode:Manual AF-Area Mode:Single VR:OFF AF Fine Tune: Aperture:f/14 Shutter Speed:1/10s Exposure Mode:Manual Exposure Comp.:0EV Exposure Tuning: Metering:Spot ISO Sensitivity:ISO 400 Device: White Balance:Preset, 0, 0 Color Space:Adobe RGB High ISO NR:ON (Normal) Long Exposure NR:OFF Active D-Lighting:Auto Vignette Control:OFF Auto Distortion Control:OFF Picture Control:[SD] STANDARD Base:[SD] STANDARD Quick Adjust: 0.00 Sharpening:+3.00 Clarity:+1.00 Contrast: 0.00 Brightness: 0.00 Saturation: 0.00 Hue: 0.00 Filter Effects: Toning: Optimize Image: Color Mode: Tone Comp.: Hue Adjustment: Saturation: Sharpening: Latitude: Longitude: Altitude: Altitude Reference: Heading: UTC: Map Datum: [#End of Shooting Data Section]

Napoleon’s most trusted marshal and admiral served as King of Naples and features on this rare silver pattern 12 Carlini struck for Italy Naples & Sicily in 1810 (MIR-434/2). It comes in NGC MS-60 and bears an estimate of $60,000-70,000. Images courtesy Stack’s-Bowers.

For devotees of Emperor Napoleon, one of the few known silver pattern 12 Carlini struck for Italy Naples & Sicily in 1810 is heading for the block (MIR-434/2). The obverse features Joachim Murat, one of Napoleon’s most celebrated marshals who served as King of Naples from 1808 to1815. This rarity is a premium item graded NGC MS-60 and carries an estimate of $60,000-70,000.

Full catalog details and prices-realized will be available at the Stack’s-Bowers’ website: www.stacksbowers.com.