MT. CRAWFORD, VA.- Variety auctions at Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates offer diverse material, as the auction title implies. The February 22nd sale’s top lot was of five United States silver half dollar coins, featuring the bust of Liberty with flowing hair and a draped bust. The coins in the group dated to 1795; 1801; 1802; 1803 (with the large 3) and 1804. Formerly in the collection of Wayne Anderson of Winchester VA, and sold from the coin collection of the late John Palmer, Purcellville, VA, the coins realized $4312.50 against an estimate of $800-1200. (Lot 1)

Other coins did almost as well in the auction. A complete set of 24 silver Peace Dollar coins, dated from 1921 to 1935, housed in a Littleton Custom album, sold for $2990, (estimate: $400-600) (lot 19); and a lot of six US silver half-dollar coins, with the draped bust, dated 1803 (large and small 3); 1805 and 1807, sold for $2300.00 (estimate: $300-500) (lot 2). A lot of assorted ancient coins, sold for $2300.00 exceeding its $100-200 estimate.

The auction also included an interesting array of medals. A bronze medal issued at the 1932 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, the first Olympics held in the United States, sold for $4312.500 (estimate: $200-300). The medal was stamped Robbins Co./Attleboro. Eighteen bronze medals issued by the Society of Medalists, sold for $1840.00, far in excess of the $200-400 estimate. (Lots 40 and Lot 41)

A group of Chinese ceramics, including a fine Yongzheng period oxblood red dish, circa 1723-1735 sold for $4312.50 (estimate: $80-120), and a Japanese woodblock print by Kiyosho Saito (1907-1997), “Autumn in Saga, Kyoto”, sold for $805 against a $400-600 estimate. (Lots 443 and 422, respectively)

A rare “Hootch Owl” figural cast-brass combination corkscrew/bottle/opener/nut cracker, stamped Pat. D-98968 for Robert Smythe’s design, patented March 7, 1936, sold for $1725, against an estimate of $300-500. (Lot 124)

Of local interest, four maps of Rockingham Co., Virginia, taken from Lake’s Atlas of Rockingham, Co., sold for $1495. The maps were used in Steven Spielberg’s 2012 production, “Lincoln”, circa 1885, a provenance that clearly influenced their selling price. (Lot 69) The 805-lot auction realized $192,343.00 with 2426 registered bidders from 34 countries.

The next auction at Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates is on March 29, and includes 19th & 20th Century Glass & Related Ceramic toothpick holders and salts. Prior to the sale, the auction gallery hosts the concomitant meetings of the National Toothpick Holder Collector’s Society and the Open Salt Collectors Club taking place at nearby Harrisonburg, VA.