DALLAS, TX.- Heritage Auctions announced Wednesday it sold more than $71,928,037 million of U.S. Coins, U.S. and World Currency, and World & Ancient Coins during the first three weeks of 2018. This marks the third consecutive year January sales increased at auctions held during the Florida United Numismatic Convention (FUN) and the New York International Numismatic Convention (NYINC).

"Collectors were greeted by exceptional rarities this season," said Greg Rohan, President of Heritage Auctions. "We are grateful clients entrust us with their collections and we take great pride in maintaining our place as the world's No. 1 numismatic auction house."

U.S. coin sales totaled $40,940,868 million at the firm's FUN auction. The top lot was one of the great rarities in American gold coinage: a stunning, 1880 Flowing Hair Stella, PR67 Cameo, which sold for $750,000. An 1838-O Reeded Edge Half Dollar, Branch Mint PR63 PCGS, CAC, brought $444,000 and a 1879 Flowing Hair Stella, PR67 Cameo, a rarely seen superb Gem proof specimen, sold for $312,000.

Further U.S. standouts include an 1861-O Twenty, Rare and Prooflike MS60 — a remarkable Civil War era gold piece — that sold for $312,000 and $300,000 paid for an important 1793 S-2, B-2 Chain Cent, MS63 Brown.

U.S. currency and World banknote auctions draw a combined $13,674,915
Likely one of just two known notes available to collectors, a rare, 1882 $1,000 Gold Certificate sold for $600,000 during the firm's $12,042,486 million U.S. Currency Auction. A fully uncirculated 1934 $5,000 New York Federal Reserve Note, PCGS Choice New 63PPQ, brought $162,000 and a perfectly original 1890 $100 Treasury "Watermelon" Note, PCGS Very Fine 30PPQ, sold for $144,000.

Additional currency highlights included:

· A high-grade 1863 $100 Legal Spread Eagle Note, PCGS Extremely Fine 40, brought $132,000 as the seventh-nicest specimen to reach the auction market.

· Bright and well centered, a 1934 $10,000 Binion Note, a collector favorite from the famed Binion Horseshoe Casino, sold for $132,000.

· A trophy 1934 $5,000 Note from the Dallas Federal Reserve, PCGS About New 53PPQ, sold for $96,000. The perfect show-and-tell piece, it survived without any restoration and with strong eye appeal thanks to the note's fully original paper and embossing of the seal and serial numbers.

As predicted, a rare set of four German New Guinea Australian Occupation WWI notes set the pace for Heritage's $1,626,429 million auction of World Banknotes when it sold for $168,000. German New Guinea notes issued under Australian occupation in World War I are so scarce that it has been more than a decade since two of these denominations have been offered at auction.

An elegant and extraordinary 1879 Kingdom of Hawaii $100 Silver Certificate, PCGS Choice About New 58, sold for $45,600 and a 1955-56 National Bank of Viet Nam 1000 Dong ND, PCGS Gem New 65PPQ, sold for $40,800.

Bidders seek out gold among World & Ancient Coins
World & Ancient Coins auctioned held as part of NYINC realized a combined $17,142,849 million. A João Prince Regent Massive gold Ingot of Vila Rica from 1814 sold for $264,000. The amazing find is the heaviest of all 43 Vila Rica ingot specimens known to exist.

An iconic 1895 Imperial of Nicholas II gold 10 Roubles, SP62 PCGS, brought $228,000. The coin is one of only two 1895 examples certified by either of the two major numismatic grading services. An extremely rare Mint State Charles I Gold Triple Unite of Oxford from 1643, MS61 NGC, ended at $204,000. A George III silver Proof Pattern Bank of England 5 Shillings & 6 Pence 1811 PR67+ ? Cameo NGC, a 200-year-old coin that has reached the pinnacle of perfection as indicated by both the "star" and "plus" addition to the numerical grade, sold for $168,000.

Additional World & Ancient coin highlights included:

· Historically important and rare in the hobby, a Nicholas II gold Specimen 1/2 Imperial of 5 Roubles 1895-A? SP62 PCGS, changed hands for $156,000.

· Quite possibly the most important coin of Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte's reign, a first-year presentation Napoleon III gold Specimen 100 Francs 1855-A SP64 ? NGC, sold for $144,000.

· Considered the "world's first gold coinage," a circa 550 B.C. a Lydian Kingdom Croesus AV Stater, NGC MS ? 5/5 - 4/5, realized $132,000.