DALLAS, TX.- A pair of exceedingly rare Chinese coins — an 1867 Ching Dynasty Pattern Silver Tael PR64 NGC and a 1916 Republic of China Yuan Shih-kai gold Pattern 10 Dollars MS63 NGC — anchor the array of stunning World and Ancient coins on offer from Heritage Auctions in its Aug. 8, 2014 ANA World and Ancient Coins Platinum Night Auction in Chicago, IL.

"With an average lot value of more than $15,000, across more than 420 lots in the auction," said Cristiano Bierrenbach, Vice President at Heritage Auctions, "this is the most sophisticated session of World and Ancient coins the company has ever offered. There are super rarities from more than 50 countries from all corners of the globe."

The respective groupings include an impressive selection of Ancient Greek coins, with more than 50 pieces up for bid; Forty-five rare coins of China, led by the Ultima Collection with a selection of 20 gold pieces; Sixty-Nine coins from Great Britain, highlighted by The Law Collection, followed by strong groupings of French, Russian, German, Mexican and Venezuelan rarities.

Further highlights include an 1870 Meiji gold Pattern 10 Yen Year 3 AU58 NGC, sure to have collectors of Japanese coins taking notice, a South African 1874 Republic gold Burgers Pond MS65 NGC, a near pristine example of this scarce issue and a superb 1768 George II gold Proof Pattern 2 Guineas PR64 Cameo PCGS from Great Britain.

Key South American rarities offered at the ANA World event include a Brazilian key gold coin in the form of a 1724-M Joao VI Gold 10,000 Reis MS62 NGC and a stunning Venezuelan 1874 Republic silver Proof Essai Venezolano PR63 NGC, the first of its type that Heritage specialists have seen.

The Heritage Ancient coin offerings have continued to grow in rarity and desirability, and the Aug. 8 auction features a wide array of the specialties that collectors are looking to Heritage for, including a magnificent Syracuse Decadrachm in the Style of Euainetos, Sicily, Syracuse, Time of Dionysius I (405-367 BC), a Greco-Bactrian Kingdom AV Stater from the time of Eucratides I the Great (ca. 171-145 BC), one of just six known, a Hadrian (AD 117-138) AV aureus, Rome, AD 125-128, marked "HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS" and an AV aureus of Octavian as sole Imperator (31-27 BC).

"Lot viewing on all our coins will open early at the ANA on Saturday, Aug. 2," said Bierrenbach. "We'll also be taking in consignments for our January 2015 to the New York International Numismatic Convention (NYINC) at our booth at the ANA all week and will feature several displays from multiple categories."

Some of the featured highlights will include selection from the anchor collection in Heritage's September 2014 Long Beach Signature Auction from Part II of the Andre Constantine Dimitriadis Collection, featuring his extensive collection of Byzantine coins.

"This part of the collection contains many exceedingly rare types that have not been offered publicly since they were first acquired by the late Mr. Dimitriadis over a decade ago," said Bierrenbach.

Heritage will also showcase selections from "The California Collection," a major collection of ancient Greek coins already consigned to Heritage's official 2015 NYINC auction.”