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Aussie Rarities Command Top Prices at IAG Sale
 | By Kerry Rodgers, World Coin News
May 11, 2009 |
Australia's first major auction of 2009 took place on March 8 in the Sofitel Hotel on Queensland's Gold Coast: International Auction Galleries' Sale No 69. Numerous Australian coins rarities were on offer and prices did not disappoint. Some revisions at the top price end of the Australian section of Standard Catalog of World Coins are now required.
Top billing went to a choice FDC example of a square kookaburra penny of 1920. And it was not any old square kooka but among the rarest, showing the crowned effigy of George V on the obverse - a so-called Type 10 (KM Pn17). Only 6-8 examples of this pattern are known. That on offer was sourced originally from the collection of the former Melbourne Mint Master, Le Soeuf. With that pedigree it went for a stunning A$295,000 (US$191,750).
Two other square kookas were up for grabs. A Type 11 in FDC made A$59,000 (US$38,350) and an example of the somewhat commoner Type 12 in unc., a not unhealthy A$48,000 (US$31,200).
An extremely rare and beautifully toned Taylor pattern sixpence struck in silver (KM Pn6e) c. 1855 and in FDC took A$44,000 (US$28,600).
By comparison with the previous rarities, 1813 New South Wales 15 pence dumps (KM 1.1) seem positively commonplace. Nonetheless, a superior example in gVF/aXF was knocked down for A$78,000 (US$50,700) with a second in VG/aF making just A$10,000 (US6,500).
Additional proof that condition speaks louder than any words was shown by the hefty A$39,000 (US$25,350) paid for a 1925 penny (KM 23). It was a choice unc. example having an extremely sharp strike and specimen-like fields; among the finest known. The price given in SCWC for the same coin in BU is a mere US$13,500.
What is arguably the best known example of one of Australia's key pre-decimal coins went on the block: a 1922/1 threepenny overdate (KM 24) in aXF/gXF. The price of A$93,000 (US$60,450) was commensurate with both the rarity and condition.
And one of the more unusual offerings for the Aussie collector who has everything was a 1911 trial penny struck in lead by the London Mint. It is not listed in SCWC and is possibly unique. With a defaced reverse, but nonetheless graded XF, it sold for A$5,500 (US$3,575).
The sale also included a wealth of Australian bank note rarities, and on the day realized a total of A$3.5 million (US$2.28 million). A buyer's commission of 16.5 percent needs to be added to all knock-down prices cited above.
Catalog and prices realized can be downloaded from IAG's Web site at www.iagauctions.com.
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