Indian rarities, 1921 Canadian 5 cents leads global treasures in Heritage's World & Ancient Coins Auction
George V 5 Cents 1921 MS64 PCGS, Ottawa mint, KM22a.
DALLAS, TX.—
A remarkable lineup of Indian rarities will take center stage in Heritage's Nov. 5-6 World & Ancient Coins Platinum Session and Signature® Auction, offering collectors an exceptional opportunity to pursue some of the most coveted treasures in Indian numismatics. The selection anchors an auction of approximately 400 lots, with additional highlights from Great Britain, Canada, Mexico, Russia and beyond.
"This is a succinct, well-curated auction, with an impressive variety of scarce types that will appeal to collectors at every level," says Kyle Johnson, Heritage's Managing Director of World & Ancient Coins. "From elusive dates like the 1921 Canadian 5 cents to British Indian Proof gold, and an expansive, timeless range that includes exceptional British gold to the gold staters of Alexander the Great, this event is brimming with impressive offerings that will bolster collections of all levels."
Despite frequently appearing in lower grades or with Details assignments, examples of the George V 5 Cents 1921 MS64 PCGS have proven elusive in part because of the minuscule surviving population and therefore generate impressive results when they change hands. The example offered in this auction is exceptional, among the finer representatives of the type. These few survivors escaped the melting of nearly 3 million silver 5 Cents coins following legislation that introduced a new copper-nickel composition and called for the withdrawal and destruction of the earlier silver issues.
Also offered is a vibrantly toned Victoria Proof "Gothic" Crown 1847 PR64 NGC, an instantly recognizable and deservedly popular staple of British numismatics, featuring the beloved design by William Wyon that stands among his finest portraits. Enjoying enormous popularity among collectors because of the Victorian history and the artistic aesthetics. Certainly a popular type that continues to be coveted additions for many collections.
A Kutch. Khengarji III silver Pattern 5 Kori VS 1985 (1928) MS64 NGC is a scarce type, and one of the few examples that bears a portrait instead of just script. Among the patterns featured in Krause Mishler's Unusual World Coins, none bears this type of reverse, which notes, "in the last years of its coinage history, Kutch struck some non-circulating coins which state de-nomination. At least one was a pattern which wasn't approved for circulation strikes and the others were probably presentation pieces." Most Kutch coins feature inscriptions and symbols, but this coin's portrait of Khengarji III gives collectors a direct visual connection to the ruler.
Another important Indian offering in the auction is a British India. Victoria gold Proof Restrike 1/4 Anna 1895-(c) PR62 Cameo NGC, a prized off-metal gold restrike from one of the most coveted yet elusive series in all of British Indian numismatics. This Regal Coinage emission is exceedingly rare, with no public sales registered over the past two decades, making it quite likely that surviving pieces from 1895 can be counted on one hand. This specimen's collectability is further enhanced by the delightful Cameo effect that unfurls over the crisp devices.
Collectors of South American coinage will be drawn to a Philip V gold Cob 8 Escudos 1718 L-M MS64 NGC from the Lima mint, an extraordinary near-Gem 8 Escudos that sits atop the certified population and is the finest example ever offered at Heritage, the world's leading numismatic auctioneer. Most compelling is this coin's reverse, which presents a level of visual appeal that immediately commands attention. The marginal legend, "HISPANIA (flower) PHIL-," remains satisfyingly legible, while the deeply engraved central design retains an impressive degree of definition.
An R.S.F.S.R. gold Chervonetz (10 Roubles) 1923-ПЛ MS64 NGC from the Leningrad mint features vivid iconography that gives a perfect snapshot of Russia in the early 20th century, as the seeding farmer stands proudly with a plow in front of an industrial skyline and the rising sun, a striking juxtaposition of the nation's agricultural traditions and accelerating industrial development. The offered example's near-Gem assignment places it in the higher ranks of the certified population.
Ancient coins
Among the top ancient coins in the auction is an IONIA. Uncertain mint. Ca. 540-500 BC. EL stater NGC VF 5/5 - 4/5. From the region that includes the country now known as Türkiye, this exceptional coin features not only mythical animals, but optical illusions like the conjoined legs of the bull and lion on the obverse. The demand is understandable, in part because of the rarity: only two other examples are known. Scholarship on electrum coinage over the last century places this coin as a prototype of Croesus's bimetallic coinage based on the assumption that electrum coinage ceased to be produced once silver coinage was introduced. But recent research indicates that electrum coinage continued to be made even until the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC, that electrum was an intentionally made alloy through the introduction of silver to almost-pure gold, and that the coins circulated even as far as Egypt. Thus, this specific type can not be attributed definitively to any one mint. Based on hoard data of this series and of similar types, it can be comfortably placed in the late sixth century BC.
Another top offering for ancients collectors is a MACEDONIAN KINGDOM. Alexander III the Great (336-323 BC). AV stater NGC MS 5/5 - 4/5, Fine Style. One of the most renowned military leaders in history, Alexander the Great ascended to the throne after the assassination of his father, Philip II, in 336 BC, and he embarked on an ambitious campaign of expansion. The Alexander III the Great AV stater is one of the most sought-after ancient Greek coins because of its combination of historical and artistic factors, as well as its rarity. Struck at mints such as Lamsacus and Miletus, it was part of Alexander's standardized coinage program, and links directly to the Macedonian conquests and the spread of a unified currency across the known world.
Possibly the finest of its type and the first to be sold at Heritage, a SASANIAN KINGDOM. Ardashir II (AD 379-383). AV dinar NGC MS★ 5/5 - 4/5, from Kabul's Mint I, represents rare gold from a short reign; Silver drachms were the empire's principal currency, while gold dinars generally served more ceremonial functions. Ardashir II ruled from AD 379-383, giving the coin a connection to a narrow chapter of Sasanian history. Gold dinars attributed to him are cataloged as rare or very rare, making them significant acquisitions for collectors assembling a series of Sasanian rulers.
