Sale 136 Preface

Welcome to Sale 136 which is being held over four days for the total of 3342 lots. The first day, Monday 29th July is an eSale online only with a large section of militaria followed by miscellaneous items, documents, stamps, Australian miscellaneous coins, mis-strikes, mint rolls and decimal coins including gold for a total of 649 lots.

The room auction commences on Tuesday morning at 9.30 am with miscellaneous items mainly  gold coins, jewellery, watches and artefacts followed by decimal proof coins. The highlight here is the offer of a one kilo gold $3,000 coin 2016 for the Australian Olympic Team, coin no 1 (of a total of 5) (lot 744; estimate $100,000).

The next session commences at 11.30 am with Perth Mint issues followed by Australian gold coins 1861 - 1931, and pre decimal silver and bronze coins.

The fourth session offers Australian and New Zealand tokens, New Guinea and New Zealand coins, including a Waitangi crown, 1935 (lot 1041; estimate $5,000) followed by Australian Historical medals and world banknotes of which the New Zealand serial number 1 ten shillings 1934 is outstanding (lot 1144; estimate $30,000).

The fifth session commencing at 4.30 pm is devoted to the Mark E. Freehill Collection of British Commonwealth and World banknotes (part 1) (lots 1169 - 1394) which cover British North Borneo, Sarawak, Straits Settlements, Malaya and Singapore, followed by Mauritius, Cook Islands, Gilbert & Elllice Islands, Fanning Island, Keeling Cocos Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Western Samoa. This Collection presents a rare opportunity for collectors to add to their specialities.

The evening session at 7.30 pm starts with a comprehensive series of Proclamation coins followed by a good very fine NSW Holey Dollar (lot 1438, estimate $200,000) and two NSW dumps (lots 1439-40). Australian gold  1852 Adelaide pounds through to 1918 Perth half sovereign follow (lots 1442 to 1506). Australian Commonwealth Coins that follow include a few George V proofs highlighted by a sixpence graded by PCGS as PR 67+ (lot 1510; estimate $10,000). Two above average 1930 pennies have been consigned (lot 1551; estimate $35,000) and (lot 1552; estimate $18,000).

World silver and bronze coins are offered over the first three sessions on the third day with many interesting examples from the Dr. L.J. Sherwin Collection included. The Austro Hungarian and Chinese sections are significant. World gold and World historical medals follow in the 4.30 pm 10th session. Concluding this session is the fascinating collection of medals made from the remains of ships, bells, cannons etc formed by Dr. David Rampling.

The eleventh session at 7.30 pm is devoted to British coins in gold, silver and bronze. Highlights are a Queen Mary fine 30 shillings sovereign 1553 (lot 2262; estimate $25,000) and portrait pennies of Aethelstan (lot 2302; estimate $5,000) and Edward the Martyr (lot 2303; estimate $5,000). Three gothic crowns 1847 including a plain edge proof (lot 2340; estimate $5,000) are followed by a pattern godless florin 1848 (lot 2343; estimate $6,000). The highlight of the British Historical medals is a Collection of Coronation medals James I to George VI (lots 2410 - 2430).

The twelfth session at 9.30 am on Thursday 1st August commences with the select collection of ancient Greek gold, silver and bronze coins formed by The North Queensland Collector whose collection of ancient British in sale 118 many of you will remember. A few highlights are a Phillip II of Macedon gold stater (lot 2459; estimate $6,000), a Sicily Himera silver tetradrachm (lot 2471; est $8,000), a Sicily Messana silver tetradrachm (lot 2473; est $6,000) and a Siculo-Punic tetradrachm (lot 2486; est $8,000). Ancient Greek coins from other properties follow, of which a very rare Haliartos silver stater (lot 2582; est $15,000) is a highlight.

The next session at 11.30 am commences with a significant collection of Roman Provincial Coins mostly from the Dr. L.J. Sherwin Collection this being the final part of this significant collection.

The fourteenth session at 2.30pm is devoted to Orders, Decorations and Medals. There are several groups with decorations as well as family groups. Highlights are a selection of groups that are scarce to Jewish servicemen including one who was a Judge Advocate and who conducted trials of Germans accused of war crimes (lot 2943; estimate $1,000), another two both wounded in action at Gallipoli (lot 3004; estimate $500 and lot 3005; estimate $600) and another to a pharmacist who served with the South African Medical Corps and held a number of senior positions (lot 3063; estimate $200). In other lots there is a George Medal for great courage and coolness during an incident at a British Oxygen Company factory (lot 2898; estimate $6,000) as well as a Waterloo Medal, which is very rare to a killed in action (lot 2879; estimate $10,000). Other interesting lots include a medal group that features a Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal for saving a non commissioned officer from drowning at Crete in 1897 (lot 2915; estimate $2,000), a Distinguished Service Cross and Lloyd’s Bravery Medal group to a Royal Navy officer who was later killed in action (lot 2937; estimate $8,000) and a Distinguished Service Order and mentioned-in-despatches group for gallant and distinguished service to an Australian doctor serving with the Indian Medical Services who was later killed in Jersey while on duty at a high speed road race practice session (lot 3034; estimate $5,000).

There are several air force bravery awards including a Distinguished Service Order and Distinguished Flying Cross group of eight to a Pathfinder who volunteered for four tours of operational duty and was recognised for his great determination and courage (lot 2933; estimate $25,000). There is also a Military Cross group to a Medical Officer who served with gallantry and distinction in the Middle East and was a prisoner of war, and gave an interesting account of his capture at Crete in WWII (lot 3019; estimate $12,500) and an Order of the British Empire (Officer) group of six to a medical doctor wounded in action and who received congratulatory telegrams on the award of the OBE from the Australian Governor-General W.J.Slim and the Prime Minister R.G.Menzies (lot 2999; estimate $3,500). The Cyril Tonkin Scholarship at Monash University in Victoria is named in his honour.

The final session (the fifteenth) at 4.30 pm is devoted to Australian Banknotes of which a 1985 specimen set of 12 notes (lot 3205; estimate $40,000) carries the highest estimate.

On behalf of the company I wish to thank all the consignors for their support in making this a memorable sale and wishing you every success with your bidding. 

Jim Noble