Ponterio & Associates Nets $2.1 Million in Baltimore Auction

Offerings from Several Countries, Including China and Venezuela, Surpass Expectations

IRVINE, Calif. — Ponterio & Associates, Inc., the world and ancients auction division of Bowers and Merena Auctions, dazzled bidders with an extensive selection of coins and paper money from around the world as part of Bowers and Merena’s Official Auction of the November 2009 Whitman Coin & Collectibles Baltimore Expo.

The combined auction realized more than $8 million, with Ponterio & Associates contributing an impressive $2.1 million to the total through sale of world coins and currency. 

"We conducted a fabulous auction at the Baltimore Expo this November," stated Rick Ponterio, executive vice president of Bowers and Merena Auctions. "World coin and paper money consignments were many and diverse, and they resulted in spirited bidding from collectors who were keenly aware of the fleeting buying opportunities that many of the lots represented.

Offerings from several countries still amaze me with regard to the final prices realized. In particular, pieces from China, El Salvador, Norway, Russia and Venezuela greatly exceeded our pre-sale estimates, proving that there are active communities of highly specialized bidders who are not afraid to chase down the coins and/or notes that they need to complete their collections." 

"One particular coin whose performance impressed me is the Costa Rican 1828-CRF 8 Escudos," continued Ponterio. "Certified NGC MS-62 and cataloged as a ‘RARE type and exceptional condition,’ this piece is also pedigreed to the renowned Eliasberg Collection. We estimated the coin at $25,000-$35,000 and offered it as lot 8392. The final realized price surpassed our expectations at $37,375." 

"A note which received outstanding attention was the Chinese Five Dollar note from the Yu Ning Imperial Bank," Ponterio added. "Offered in an attractive Very Good condition with nice appeal for the grade and cataloged as a truly exciting and valuable note, worthy of the finest collection. We estimated the note at $2,000-$3,000 as lot 6362. The final realized price heavily surpassed our expectations at $10,068."

Additional coin highlights include:

• Lot 8368, China, 10 Dollars, Year 1 (1916), Fr-3, L&M-1027, Y-333, NGC MS-62, realized $11,500
• Lot 8503, Great Britain, 1887 11-Piece Jubilee Proof Set, NGC-Certified, realized $17,250
• Lot 8631, Italy, Venice, Zecchino, ND (1656), Fr-1324; Scarfea-883; Paolucci-Pg.100#1; Papadopoli-#2 plate LXXVIII#7, Very Fine, realized $19,550
• Lot 8880, Belgium, a Stunning Collection of 116 Off-Metal Strikes in Silver, realized $40,250
• Lot 9048, Colombia, Peso, 1869, Medellin Mint, KM-154.2, NGC MS-63, realized $3,738
• Lot 9208, France, 2 Francs, 1854-A, KM-780.1, Choice Brilliant Proof, Ex: Pittman Collection, realized $4,025

Additional currency highlights include:

• Lot 6277, China, 10 Dollars, 1.6.1912. Pick 27, Fine-Very Fine, realized $4,715
• Lot 6357, China, 100 Dollars, ND (1910). Pick S466, About Uncirculated-Uncirculated, realized $8,625
• Lot 6424, Colombia, Banco de Panama. 10 Pesos, ND (1869). Pick S723, Fine-Very Fine, Realized $5,750
• Lot 6481, Danzig, 20 Gulden, 2.1.1938. Specimen. Pick 64s, About Uncirculated-Uncirculated, realized $11,500
• Lot 6661, Great Britain, 100 Pounds, 29.9.1936. Pick 339b, Uncirculated, realized $3,33
• Lot 6729, Iran, 3 Tomans, 10.4.1900. Pick 2A, Very Good-Fine, realized $6,325
• Lot 6733, Iran, 50 Tomans, 29.7.1924. Pick 16, Fine, realized $17,250
• Lot 6763, Ireland, 10 Pounds, 6.5.1929. Pick 40a, Very Fine, realized $6,038
• Lot 6772, Ireland, 50 Pounds, 4.4.1977. Pick 68c, Uncirculated, realized $4,025
• Lot 7006, Russia, 5 to 1,000 Rubles, 1895. Pick A71 to A77, Very Fine to About Uncirculated, realized $21,850
• Lot 7053, Rwanda-Burundi, 500 Francs, 15.9.1960. Pick 6, realized $3,220
• Lot 7139, Straits Settlements, 50 Dollars, 24.9.1925. Pick 12a, realized $5,463

For a complete list of prices realized from the Ponterio & Associates November 2009 Baltimore Auction, visit the Bowers and Merena website at www.bowersandmerena.com or call the firm toll free at 800.458.4646. 

About Ponterio & Associates, Inc.

Ponterio & Associates, Inc., was founded in 1982 by Richard Ponterio, renowned specialist in world and ancient numismatics. The company was acquired by Bowers and Merena Auctions in 2008, creating an auction powerhouse that covers the collecting interests of U.S. and international coin and currency enthusiasts.

Ponterio & Associates auctions have included such notable coin collections as the John S. Davenport Collection, the Witte Museum Collection, the Amat Collection, the Joe Lasser Collection, and the James Hunnicut Collection.

Distinguished paper money collections include the East Bay Collection of International Bank Notes, and the Eduard Kann Chinese Bank Note Collection. Ponterio & Associates has also presented treasure collections from the shipwrecks "Nicobar," "Rooswijk," and "Capitana."

About Bowers and Merena Auctions

Bowers and Merena Auctions was founded in 1983 and has grown to become the world’s preeminent numismatic auctioneer with more than half a billion dollars in rare coin and currency sales. They continue to serve as Official Auctioneer of the Baltimore Coin and Currency Conventions three times every year.

Bowers and Merena has handled four of the five most valuable United States coin collections ever sold, including the Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. Collection, the Harry W. Bass Jr. Collection, the Garrett Collection for The Johns Hopkins University, and the Norweb Collection. Bowers and Merena Rare Coin Galleries offers direct buying and selling of exceptional quality gold and silver rare coins. 

For more information about Bowers and Merena and Ponterio & Associates, or to consign to an upcoming auction, call 800.458.4646 inside the U.S. and +1 949.253.0916 outside the U.S.  For media inquiries, ask for executive vice president Rick Ponterio. Complete prices realized for all past auctions are available at www.bowersandmerena.com.