NATIONAL GOLD EXCHANGE MANSION PRICE CUT

The price for disgraced gold dealer Mark Yaffe's opulent megamansion dropped last week to $12.9 million, half off from when it first hit the market in 2008.

Modeled after a 17th century British royal palace, the 29,000-square-foot home is one of Tampa Bay's largest, adorning 6 acres of Tampa's posh Avila country club.

But no buyer has jumped at the listing since Yaffe, the former head of liquidated coin wholesaler National Gold Exchange, declared bankruptcy and agreed to sell the home to pay off tens of millions in debt.

First listed at $25 million, the home's price has shrunk three times over five years of market lingering.

But its listing agent said the most recent drop, from $14.9 million, could be its last, having already drawn in three "serious inquiries," including from two unnamed international prospects.

"When something isn't selling, it's always price, price, price," Coldwell Banker agent Michelle Fitz-Randolph said. "They are very motivated to sell."

Taking seven years to build and design, the home at 706 Guisando de Avila was on the market only four years after its 2004 completion. Lawyers in Yaffe's bankruptcy case said in 2009 that the sale of the "Versailles-type" estate could take years.

Swaddled in custom-designed limestone and marble, the 10-bedroom, 10-bathroom manor boasts 14 fireplaces, a formal ballroom, a wood-paneled library, a wine cellar and a private basketball court.

Yaffe, who as a teen sold coins at a flea market, designed the Jacobean palace as a showcase for his antique music machines. His collection included a Hupfeld Phonolist Violina, a player piano for violins, valued at $1 million, and a rare Hupfeld Helios orchestrion, designed to mimic an orchestra, which he bought for $1.2 million.

New list available free!

Counterstamped Coins
and
Civil War Store Cards
from the estate of
Stephen L. Tanenbaum

Do you collect counterstamped coins and/or Civil War store cards, or would you be interested in doing so? I invite you to e-mail me for my latest list of pieces from the Stephen L. Tanenbaum Estate Collection. These pieces have been off the market for a long time—some of them since the 1960s!

Group 2 pic Die 1106-WI-700-D-01a q 19.9 mm r 1106

For more than 40 years Steve gathered these, continually improving and upgrading. His counterstamps include many pieces listed and or even illustrated in the Gregory Brunk and Russell Rulau catalogs plus many that are unique or unlisted! The vast majority of the Civil War store cards Mint State, many certified by NGC (which Steve was in the midst of doing) and others still in his 2x2 cardboard holders. Rarity-9 (2 to 4 known) tokens abound as do, believe it or not, R-10 (unique) tokens and unlisted varieties. Among Civil War tokens are strikes in copper-nickel, overstrikes on Indian Head cents, rarities with various Stanton reverses (1042 and 1047 gems in abundance), mint errors, “rare towns,” brockages, and more await your consideration.

Group 2 pic Die 1042-IL-690-B-02b q r 1042

The majority of the counterstamps and Civil War tokens are highly affordable. And, of course, all are interesting! Nearly all are one-of-a-kind in the estate and are available on a first-come, first served basis. If you will send me an e-mail request I will send you my latest list by return e-mail.

Thank you for your interest!

Dave Bowers
Box 539
Wolfeboro Falls, NH 03896

Request by e-mail: qdbarchive@metrocast.net