NUMISMATIC AUCTIONS
Public Numismatic Auction #34
Friday 14th March 2025
Commencing at 12 noon
West Plaza Hotel, Wellington
Click here for additional Research notes on named medals.
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Auction 34 - Friday, March 14, 2025
INSPECTION OF LOTS
At the premises of Mowbray Collectables (Main Highway, Otaki) by appointment;
or at the West Plaza Hotel, Wellington: Friday 14th March from 9am (prior to the auction).
FURTHER INFORMATION ON LOTS
For any enquiries regarding lot descriptions etc, contact our office, +64 6 364 8270 or email auctions@mowbrays.nz
ABSENTEE BIDDING
For those not attending the auction, bids can be placed by mail, phone, fax, e-mail or via our website. Such bids should be received in our office no later than 8am NZ time (GMT + 13) Friday 14th March (at your risk if not received by auctioneer in time). Mailed bids from overseas should be lodged at least two weeks prior, or phone us or place bids electronically.
Phone bidding may be made during the course of the auction; by prior arrangement only. Total minimum of $1,000 in bids applies.
IMPORTANT
All Buyers Please Note: no GST will be added to the hammer price of lots. However, a Buyers Premium of 17% (plus 15% GST on buyers premium for NZ buyers) will be added to the hammer price of each lot.
ALL ESTIMATES ARE IN NEW ZEALAND DOLLARS
Exchange rates (approximate and subject to change) NZ$ = UK 46p, USA 67c, Euro 55c, Australia 92c. Click here for an online currency converter.
WE ACCEPT ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS
Credit card payments will incur a surcharge of 2% for Visa, Mastercard and American Express.
BIDS UNDER 70% OF ESTIMATE WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
Vendor bids are not accepted.
Welcome to our 34th International Numismatic Auction to be held on 14 March 2025 in Wellington. This Auction offers over $470,000 in estimates and 587 lots. Many rare items offer a wide choice for both collectors and bullion buyers.
The Auction will start with 122 medals lots including lot 31, Est $2,500 a scarce New Zealand Military Medal of 1944 to William Aylward who provided covering fire from a barge with a rifle grenade to protect a beach landing party, successfully silencing heavy machine gun fire. He then defended the barge against six enemy dive bombers with machine gun fire regardless of his own safety. The medals include interesting NZ Wars Medals, Memorial Crosses, Fire Service and commemorative medals.
In World coins, you will find lot 199, Est $12,000 a rare 1931 Irish Free State Proof Set, with 1928 coins added to provide the full “Barnyard” set. The silver coins show a beautiful cameo contrast. This set was originally acquired by a senior New Zealand official involved in arranging the New Zealand predecimal coin designs and procurement in 1933. Additionally, amongst the 173 world and ancient coin lots, there are 38 Indian coin lots including lot 161, a 1939 Rupee NGC certified AU58, Est $10,000. We also offer a specialised Canadian collection.
Shipwrecks are represented in five lots. Lot 299 is a 1857S $20, PCGS MS63 from the “SS Central America” wreck, which foundered in a hurricane in September 1857 travelling from Panama to California, with over 300 lives lost, Est $17,000. Another $20 Double Eagle, lot 300, is a 1865S in MS62, Est $15,500, salvaged from the “Brother Jonathan” which sank with over 200 lives lost on 30 July 1865 off California. The other three lots are coins from New Zealand Shipwrecks, the “Elingamite”, lot 396 and “Tararua” , very rare lots 397 and 398.
Gold items on offer total over $153,000 in estimates, across 94 lots, including lot 428, the highly sought-after NZ Pukaki Proof $10 coin of 2004, estimated at $6,500.
The eight Fifty Pound Notes are the widest range we have ever offered. The top banknote on offer is lot 469 New Zealand issued Bank of Australasia, Fifty Pounds, of 17 April 1913, serial number 8,598, one of only three examples in private hands and very rare, graded Fine, Est $12,000.
Of the 83 lots of Reserve Bank of New Zealand notes offered, a scarcely seen Lefeaux Fifty Pounds specimen forms part of lot 505 a set of three with Five and One Pound Specimens. Officials took no chance of someone passing these off as the real thing – they were cut diagonally and reassembled with tape, so the grades are a low “Otherwise G - F”. Est $4,000.
World Banknotes include a good Fijian selection from the 1870’s to the 1940’s, including George V. And of course, there are also scarcer NZ coins, including a Waitangi Crown, and scarcer tokens, including a superb Internment Camp Two Shillings, lot 377 in UNC.
Thanks to all who helped create this sale – our vendors and our team, especially Numismatic Manager Liam Jennings, Numismatists Kieran Knowles & Michail Andreef, John Mowbray, Maree Malin, Kirsten Fulford, Amor Van Tonder, Sallie Bassett, Eamon Wood and Clare Cross.
David Galt
Managing Director
VERY HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGES OF NUMISMATIC LOTS
https://bit.ly/MowbrayA33
This link provides access to a Dropbox folder for very high resolution images for lots in Numismatic Auction 34.
These are likely to take significant time to download. Simply copy and paste the link into your browser.