Rarities from Ancient Times to the 20th Century at Éditions Victor Gadoury
Éditions Victor Gadoury
October 2024 Auction – Part 2
Coins
26 October 2024
MC-Monaco
After the auction on 25 October 2024 presenting seven collections, another auction sale will be held by Éditions Victor Gadoury on 26 October 2024 featuring about 870 lots with interesting individual pieces.
Lot 754: Ptolemy II, 283-246 (Egypt). Quarter mnaieion in gold. From Leu auction 86 (2003), 456. NGC Choice AU* 5/5 4/5 light marks. Estimate: 10,000 euros.
Lot 766: Roman Republic. Q. Caepio Brutus, one of the conspirators against Caesar. Denarius, Sardes(?), 42 BC. Extremely rare. NGC CHOICE VF 5/5 – 3/5. Estimate: 8,000 euros.
Lot 776: Pertinax, 192-193. Aureus, Rome 123. From fixed-price list Harlan J. Berk (March 1995), No. 227. NGC Gem MS 5/5 5/5 Fine Style. Estimate: 50,000 euros.
Ancient Coins
The auction starts with a small series of Greek coins. Next are interesting pieces of the Roman civil war between Caesar, his successors, and the representatives of the Senate. The highlight is an extremely rare denarius from 42 BC, minted on behalf Brutus in the month prior to the Battle of Philippi.
Those interested in Roman aurei will find a rich selection of above-average quality at Gadoury’s. Even if we can only present one example at this point, a closer look is definitely worth it.
Lot 825: Germany / Brandenburg-Prussia. Frederick William, 1640-1688. Gold medal of 5 ducats celebrating the victory in the Battle of Warsaw on the side of the Swedes against Poland. From the Killisch von Horn Collection, Adolph Hess auction (1904), No. 1252. Very rare. NGC AU DETAILS DAMAGED. Estimate: 10,000 euros.
Lot 832: Germany / Nuremberg. 3 ducats 1703. Rare. NGC AU58. Estimate: 5,000 euros.
Coins of the Holy Roman Empire
A small selection of about 30 lots with coins from Monaco is followed by world coins. Albania is followed by Germany – Allemagne in French – with some interesting gold coins, including a 5-fold ducat with the portrait of the Great Elector. The provenance of this piece issued in 1656 under Frederick William of Brandenburg can be traced back to 1904.
In addition, there is a small interesting series of gold coins form Nuremberg. As an example, we present a triple lamb ducat of 1703.
Lot 877: China. Li Yuanhong. Dollar without year (1912), Wuchang. Extremely rare. PCGS MS65. Estimate: 40,000 euros.
Lot 878: China. Duan Qirui. Dollar without year (1924), Tientsin. Very rare. GENI MS63. Estimate: 20,000 euros.
Two Rarities from China
Gadoury offers as many as two Chinese rarities at once. The first one is a 1912 dollar from the mint of Wuchang, depicting on the obverse the portrait of the Chinese statesman Li Yuanhong. It is the rare variety showing Li with military cap. This precious Chinese coin was graded MS65 by PCGS.
A second piece, graded MS63 by the new French grading firm GENI, depicts the portrait of Duan Qirui, Li Yuanhong’s great rival, from the front. The dollar was minted in 1924 in Tientsin, today’s Tianjin.
Lot 911: Spain. Amedeo I, 1871-1873. 100 pesetas, Madrid 1871. From Nomisma auction 47, No. 559. Only 25 specimens minted. NGC AU details, rim filling. Estimate: 50,000 euros.
Issues from the Spanish Empire
In 1871, only 25 specimens of this rare gold coin of 100 pesetas were minted. This makes the coin a numismatic treasure. Overall, Gadoury has much on offer for all those who are interested in coins of the Hispanic world. 20 lots are from Spain; 32 lots from Mexico and 28 pieces – including numerous gold coins from the 20th century – from Peru.
Lot 951: France. Louis XIV, 1643-1715. Undated gold medal of the chamber of commerce of Lyon. Extremely rare. NGC MS61. Estimate: 30,000 euros.
Lot 974: France. Napoleon as First Consul. Pattern of 5 francs in gold to commemorate Napoleon’s visit to the Paris mint on 21 Ventôse An XI (= 12 March 1803). From Heritage, Paramount Collection (2021), No. 30175. NGC PROOF 61. Estimate: 50,000 euros.
Lot 1032: France. Louis Philippe I, 1830-1848. Pattern of 100 francs in gold by Domard, no year (1831). PCGS PROOF 64. TOP POP. Estimate: 100,000 euros.
France: One of Gadoury’s Specialties
Collectors of French coins are well familiar with the Gadoury auction house since it is the publisher of the most important catalogues on French numismatics of the same name. So it is no surprise that Gadoury also specialises in French coins when it comes to selling coins. From the Merovingians up to 2014, from rare fractional pieces to extensive series of gold coins of the Latin Monetary Union, both royal and féodal – there is hardly a field that will not be covered by the 168 lots with French coins in Gadoury’s autumn sale.
Special highlights are an undated gold medal of the chamber of commerce of Lyon with the portrait of Louis XIV, an essai for the visit of the First Consul Napoleon to the Paris mint in 1803, and an essai of 100 francs in gold by Domard from 1831, graded PROOF64 TOP POP by PCGS.
Lot 1106: Great Britain. William IV, 1830-1837. 1831 pattern of 5 pounds, by William Wyon after Chantrey, Rv. by Jean-Baptiste Merlen. Only 6 to 10 specimens minted. Slightly rubbed and worked, otherwise extremely fine. Estimate: 100,000 euros.
A Gold Pattern for William IV
From the same year – 1831 – is a pattern for the British 5-pound piece issued with the portrait of William IV. Only 6 to 10 specimens of this piece are known of!
Lot 1165: Italy / Milan. Ludovico XII of France, 1500-1513. Double ducat n.d. NGC MS64 TOP POP. Estimate: 40,000 euros.
Lot 1204: Italy / Papal States. Pius VIII, 1829-1830. 1830 gold medal. Very rare. NGC MS63. Estimate: 25,000 euros.
Lot 1221: Italiy / Venice. Francesco Contarini, 1623-1624. Zecchino. Extremely rare. About extremely fine. Estimate: 50,000 euros.
Lot 1235: Italy / Savoy. Carlo Emanuele II, 1638-1675. Under the guardianship of his mother, 1638-1648. 10 scudi in gold, Turin 1641. From the Paramount Collection, Heritage (2021), No. 30383. Extremely rare. NGC AU58. Estimate: 100,000 euros.
Another of Gadoury’s Specialties: Italy
Those who regularly study Gadoury’s catalogues will know that they do not only specialise in France but also in Italy. And, in fact, once again the auction house presents a wealth of rarities from the various states of the Italian Boot.
At this point, we would like to mention the double ducat from Milan with the splendid renaissance portrait of Louis XII of France, the extremely rare gold medal by Pope Pius VIII, the just as rare zecchino by Francesco Contarini, who did not even remained Doge of Venice for three months, and the extremely rare, perfectly preserved and historically important 10-fold scudi d’oro showing Carlo Emanuele II, Duke of Savoy, with his mother Christine of France.
Of course, experts will also find a rich selection of coins from the Casa Savoia. But see for yourself!
Lot 1394: Russia. Peter III, 1762. 10 roubles, St. Petersburg 1762. Only 25,876 specimens minted. NGC AU53. Estimate: 30,000 euros.
Peter III and His Rare 10-Fold Gold Rouble
Among the 68 lots with Russian coins – including numerous gold coins from the 19th century – is one of the great rarities of Russian numismatics: the 10-fold rouble by Peter III, minted in 1762 in Saint Petersburg. Only 25,876 specimens were minted and many of them were probably melted down again. The reverse shows the coats of arms of the various territories ruled by the Tsar, not only Moscow and western Russia, but also Astrakhan, Kazan and Siberia, which offered promising new economic opportunities in the mid-18th century.
Lot 1524: USA. 20 dollars, Carson City 1891. Only 5,000 specimens minted. PCGS AU55. Estimate: 15,000 euros.
Gold Coins from the United States of America
Gold coins from the United States of America are the last large chapter in Gadoury’s auction sale. 121 lots, including mostly 20-dollar pieces of the Liberty type, are waiting for new owners. All coins were graded by PCGS, are from various mints and different years and thus present an ideal opportunity for investors who want to put money into US gold objects.
Please also take a look at our first auction preview with coins from seven different collections.
You can order the catalogue at Éditions Victor Gadoury, 57, rue Grimaldi, 98000 Monaco; phone: +377 93 25 12 96; fax: +377 93 50 13 39; email.
