1620, Prague. Very rare. Very fine +.
Gold löser of 20 ducats n.d. (1611-1633), Winsen (Luhe).
Probably unique. About extremely fine.
Extremely fine.
Gold medal of 50 ducats, 1851 by F. W. Kullrich,
commemorating the completion of the equestrian statue of
Frederick the Great. Extremely rare. About FDC.
From the collection of the Grand Duke of Oldenburg.
by H. Krafft after a draft by Albrecht Dürer as a gift for the
Emperor on the occasion of the planned Imperial Diet in
Nuremberg. Extremely rare. Original strike. Extremely fine.
1740, Paris. Very rare. NGC PF62 CAMEO. Proof.
by V. Alexeev commemorating the peace with Persia.
Extremely rare. Extremely fine to FDC.
of the half taler. Extremely rare. PCGS MS63PL.
Extremely fine to FDC.
Auction Review: Emporium Hamburg Auctions 107 and 108
Emporium Hamburg
Auction 107&108
Coins
9-13 December 2024
Online
From December 9 to 13, 2024, Emporium Hamburg hosted Auctions 107 “Coins & Medals” and 108 “Banknotes & Emergency Money.” Featuring coins from antiquity, international issues, and the diverse mints of the German territories, the auctions showcased well-known classics alongside numismatic rarities. The post-sale, starting January 2, 2025, offers bidders a second chance to acquire unsold lots.
Auction 107 „Coins & Medals”
In the antiquities category, numerous lots from Macedonia, Egypt, to the Umayyads found new owners. The highlight of this section was an Antoninianus of Iotapian, proclaimed emperor by Syrian troops during the reign of Roman Emperor Philip the Arab. This very rare piece from 248/249 AD achieved a hammer price of €14,000 (Lot 769).
- Lot 68: Macedonia, City of Amphipolis. AR Tetradrachm, near vf-ef. Estimate: €500. Hammer price: €860.
- Lot 259: Egypt, Ptolemy I as governor. AR Tetradrachm (305–283 BC), Alexandria, near ef. Estimate: €750. Hammer price: €1,050.
- Lot 278: Umayyads, Al Walid I. AV Dinar AH 87 (= 706 AD), ef. Estimate: €300. Hammer price: €500.
- Lot 769: Roman Empire, Iotapian. AR Antoninianus (248/249 AD), very rare, vf+/near vf. Estimate: €13,800. Hammer price: €14,000.
Lot 1321: Great Britain, James II. 5 Guinea 1688, vf. Estimate: €10,000. Hammer price: €13,000.
In the “World Coins” section, China, Great Britain, and South America stood out prominently. Even before the auction began, lively interest in Chinese lots was apparent, with many pieces far exceeding their estimates. A fierce bidding war erupted over a Dollar from year 26 (= 1900), minted under Emperor Kuang Hsu. Starting at an estimate of €100, the “Dragon” soared to an astonishing €12,000 (Lot 1142). Thus, the “Year of the Dragon” has closed with a fitting hammer price!
- Lot 1111: China, Ching Dynasty. AR Sycee ingot (10 Taels, 18th–19th century), vf. Estimate: €250. Hammer price: €2,600
- Lot 1142: China, Ching Dynasty. Dollar year 26 (= 1900), Emperor Kuang Hsu, near ef/vf. Estimate: €100. Hammer price: €12,000.
- Lot 1321: Great Britain, James II. 5 Guinea 1688, vf. Estimate: €10,000. Hammer price: €13,000.
Lot 1364: Guatemala, Charles IV. 8 Reales 1789 NGM, Nueva Guatemala, rare, beautiful patina, vf-ef. Estimate: €700. Hammer price: €1,700.
The interest in South American coins still remains strong, as demonstrated by spirited bidding for coins from Mexico and Guatemala. One example is Lot 1474: an 8 Reales coin from the young Republic of Mexico (1849), depicting an eagle (from the Aztec founding myth) and a Phrygian cap symbolizing independence.
- Lot 1364: Guatemala, Charles IV. 8 Reales 1789 NGM, Nueva Guatemala, rare, beautiful patina, vf-ef. Estimate: €700. Hammer price: €1,700.
- Lot 1474: Mexico, Republic. 8 Reales 1849. Do-JMR, Durango, attractive piece, ef. Estimate: €800. Hammer price: €1,750.
Other selected highlights among the nearly 800 world coin lots spanned regions from Hong Kong and Norway to Hawaii across the Pacific.
- Lot 1372: Hong Kong, Victoria. Dollar 1866. Attractive piece, very rare in this grade, ef. Estimate: €2,000. Hammer price: €3,500.
- Lot 1538: Norway, Oscar II. 2 Kroner 1897, Kongsberg, very rare in this grade, near unc. Estimate: €900. Hammer price: €2,150.
- Lot 1581: Poland, Danzig. Silver medal commemorating the Peace of Oliva (1660). Estimate: €1,550. Hammer price: €1,950.
- Lot 1846: Hawaii, Kalakaua. Dollar 1883, San Francisco. Attractive piece, ef-unc. Estimate: €1,200. Hammer price: €2,700.
Lot 2987: Bavaria, Ludwig III. 20 Mark 1914 D, unc. Estimate: €5,200. Hammer price: €10,000.
In German territories, early highlights were found in Habsburg lands, with strong showings from Brunswick-Lüneburg and Hanover. In the German Empire, a 20 Mark 1914 coin of Ludwig III, Bavaria’s last king, achieved €10,000 (Lot 2987). More modern areas, particularly Danzig and German East Africa, drew increasing attention. A 25 Gulden 1923 coin from the Free City of Danzig fetched €14,500 (Lot 3222), and Rupee denominations from German East Africa also proved highly popular.
- Lot 2039: House of Habsburg, Franz Joseph I. Convention Thaler 1853 A, Vienna, ef. Estimate: €80. Hammer price: €500.
- Lot 2186: Brunswick and Lüneburg, Calenberg-Hanover line. George II, Ducat 1729 S, Clausthal. Rare year, ef/near ef. Estimate: €3,000. Hammer price: €3,900.
- Lot 2987: Bavaria, Ludwig III. 20 Mark 1914 D, unc. Estimate: €5,200. Hammer price: €10,000.
- Lot 3222: Free City of Danzig. 25 Gulden 1923, unc. Estimate: €13,500. Hammer price: €14,500.
- Lot 3280: German East Africa. ¼ Rupie 1909 A, ef-unc. Estimate: €80. Hammer price: €220.
Lot 3372: Canada, Dominion of Canada. 5 Dollar 1954. Grade: I. Estimate: €180. Hammer price: €6,200.
Auction 108 “Banknotes & Emergency Money”
Auction 108, focusing on banknotes and emergency money, was an outstanding success. From the very first lot, starting with world banknotes from Chile, interest remained strong throughout the auction day. Across Estonia, Canada, and Korea, bids climbed steadily, often exceeding expectations, much to the delight of consignors. Among the exceptionally well-sold lots were the notes of the Deutsch-Asiatische Bank, especially a 25 Dollar note from Peking (Lot 3497), which achieved a remarkable hammer price of €15,000. Additionally, numerous mixed lots containing up to 1,000 banknotes found new owners in both world banknotes and German issues, including emergency money.
- Lot 3358: Chile, Redslob Y CA. 10 Centavos 1882. Grade: III. Estimate: €100. Hammer price: €780.
- Lot 3372: Canada, Dominion of Canada. 5 Dollar 1954. Grade: I. Estimate: €180. Hammer price: €6,200.
- Lot 3389: Poland, Polska Krajowa Kasa Pozyczkowa. Lot of 20 notes. 100 Marks dated 15.2.1919. Grade: II-IV. Estimate: €150. Hammer price: €1,450.
- Lot 3474: Germany (FRG). 50 Euro 2002, obverse with partial missing print. Grade: I. Estimate: €100. Hammer price: €660.
- Lot 3497: Deutsch-Asiatische Bank. 25 Dollar 01.03.1907, Peking. Perforated DRUCKPROBE, very rare, restored. Estimate: €2,000. Hammer price: €15,000.
Post-Sale from January 2, 2025
Due to the holiday season, the post-auction sale will begin on January 2, 2025. The next Auctions 109 & 110, “Coins & Banknotes,” will take place from May 12 to 16, 2025. Consignments are being accepted until February 14, 2025.
