Winter Park, Florida — Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC held their 6th overall and 2nd fully live internet auction of numismatic and shipwreck treasures on October 15-16, 2009, realizing a record price of over $1.6 million* in 2082 lots. Featured in the sale were coins and artifacts and printed materials from around the world, including the prestigious collections of Mark Bir, Louis Hudson, Herman Blanton and Thomas Sebring.
"This was by far our best auction, and the feedback from both consignors and bidders has been overwhelmingly
positive. We greatly exceeded our goal of $1 million, and over 94% of the lots sold," said Daniel Sedwick, company principal and founder.
"We were honored to present for sale several great collections of coins and artifacts, including a few significant coins that are rarely offered at auction. This is proof that our relatively new and rapidly growing Treasure Auctions are a competitive specialized option for consignors, with an unparalleled level of personalized service from beginning to end for both bidders and consignors alike."
Setting the tone for the sale was lot 1, a Mexican cob 8 escudos fully dated 1709, which found a home with a private collector for a record price of $46,000*. Some 70+ gold cobs followed thereafter.
A couple of exceptional Panama cobs also set records: Lot 1176, the finest known 4 reales, sold for an impressive $22,425*, and lot 1178, a choice half real, sold for $19,550*, both to significant private collections.
Aggressive prices were also encountered in the Louis Hudson Collection of Potosi Countermarked Coins, over 70 lots of the rarest examples of a short-lived and controversial period in the colonial coinage of Potosi (1649-51). Also heavily contested were many dated shield-type minors of the early 1600s. A large selection of silver cobs from the Atocha (1622), including several from the famous Research Collection, saw spirited bidding as well.
Noteworthy results from the Treasure Auction #6 include the following (* all prices realized include 15% buyer’s premium):
| Lot | 1 | Mexico City, Mexico, cob 8 escudos, 1709J, possible presentation issue, extremely rare, 1715 Fleet. | $46,000 |
| Lot | 21 | Lima, Peru, cob 8 escudos, 1702H, very rare, Calicó Plate Coin, from the 1715 Fleet. | $25,300 |
| Lot | 22 | Lima, Peru, cob 8 escudos, 1709M, scarce, from the 1715 Fleet. | $9,200 |
| Lot | 28 | Lima, Peru, cob 8 escudos, 1713/2M, scarce, from the 1715 Fleet. | $10,350 |
| Lot | 41 | Cartagena, Colombia, cob 2 escudos, 162(2) SF, posthumous Philip III, from the Santa Margarita (1622). | $14,375 |
| Lot | 59 | Seville, Spain, cob 2 escudos, Philip III, assayer B, from the Atocha (1622), rare provenance. | $14,950 |
| Lot | 104 | Quito, Ecuador, 8 escudos, 1852/0GJ. | $9,200 |
| Lot | 114 | Mexico City, Mexico, bust 8 escudos, Philip V, 1733F, very rare, choice grade, from the 1733 Fleet. | $19,550 |
| Lot | 121 | Paraguay (Republic, War of the Triple Alliance), cut 4 pesos fuertes (1866-69), 1 of 2 known. | $9,200 |
| Lot | 138 | USA, Coronet $20, 1857-S, PCGS MS-65 (20A Spiked Shield), from the SS Central America (1857). | $10,005 |
| Lot | 384 | Bogotá, Colombia, cob 8 reales, 1651PoRMS, rare and choice, Plate Coin in The Practical Book of Cobs. | $5,463 |
| Lot | 1176 | Panama, cob 4 reales, Philip II, assayer (o)B to left, AP-4 to right, extremely rare, finest known. | $22,425 |
| Lot | 1178 | Panama, cob 1/2 real, Philip II, AP to left, P to right, M below monogram, very rare and choice. | $19,550 |
| Lot | 1435 | Haiti, 25 centimes(?) countermark (1814-16?) on a Brazilian 960 reis, 1812-B. | $4,889 |
| Lot | 1618 | Gold “finger" bar #11 from the “Golden Fleece wreck” (ca. 1550), 204 grams, 20-1/2K. | $10,925 |
| Lot | 1625 | Gold “finger” bar from the Maravillas (1656), 336.3 grams, 19-1/4K. | $23,575 |
| Lot | 1626 | Gold “half potato” ingot from the 1715 Fleet, marked “4o3”, 59.32 troy oz, estimated fineness 20K. | $46,000 |
| Lot | 1627 | Justh & Hunter gold ingot #4280 from the S.S. Central America (1857), 20.93 oz, 90.7% fine. | $94,875 |
| Lot | 1630 | Large silver “tumbaga” bar #M-66 (“key bar”) from the “Tumbaga wreck” (ca. 1528), 21.66 lb. | $13,800 |
| Lot | 1641 | Large silver bar from the Atocha (1622), 91 lb 4.96 oz troy, Class Factor 1.0. | $27,600 |
| Lot | 1716 | Gold cross studded with 6 high-grade emeralds from the 1715 Fleet. | $23,575 |
Prices realized for all lots sold in Treasure Auction #6 are available online at www.sedwickcoins.com. Treasure Auction #7 in April of 2010 will present another impressive selection of cobs and important numismatic and shipwreck trophies. Consignments for this upcoming auction will be accepted until January 31, 2010.
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About Daniel Frank Sedwick
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC is the world’s premier specialist in the colonial coinage of Spanish America, shipwreck coins and artifacts of all nations. In addition to an Online Store, Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC sell coins and artifacts at various numismatic shows around the nation.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC also has the honor of being the only auction company in the world specializing in Authentic Treasure! Auction catalogs are accessible on the web and printed in a high-quality format with full-color illustrations for all lots.
In addition to publishing several catalogs per year, Daniel Frank Sedwick is a regular vendor at major international coin shows, including FUN, CICF, and ANA. Until early 1996, Mr. Sedwick worked in partnership with the late Dr. Frank Sedwick, who began the business in 1981 and became known as a pioneer in the field of Spanish colonial numismatics with his book, The Practical Book of Cobs.
The fourth (2007) and third (1995) editions of this well-known book were authored and co-authored by Daniel Sedwick, who is also a contributing editor to The Numismatist
