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V19 2016 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 19, Number 1, January 3, 2016, Article 23

Some nice printed auction catalogs arrived at my doorstep this week, making it easy to flip through the offerings of Stack's Bowers at this week's upcoming January 2016 New York International convention auctions. Here are some of the lots that caught my eye. Good luck with your bidding! -Editor

MALTA. 30 Tari Siege Ingot, 1800. VERY FINE. 22.10 X 36.03 mm; 29.02 gms. KM-350; De Mey & Poindessault-1041; Restelli & Sammut-pl. XC (plate coin); cf.VG-pg. 153 # 798/9. French mint master Joseph Lebrun. EXTREMELY RARE. Large Maltese cross flanked by "R" and "F" (Republique Francise) denomination above and date below; Reverse: Blank with Phrygian cap countermark.

During the occupation the native Maltese rebelled against the French and on 2 September drove them to the capital. On 29 December 1798 the British and the Russians signed a convention in St. Petersburg stating that upon the surrender of the French, Malta would be supplied a garrison consisting of British, Naples and Russian forces. After a brief stint off the island Russian admiral Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov was ordered to join the Russo-Turkish forces besieging the island of Corfu. In early 1799 the French were able to get several ships through the blockade to replenish the dwindling resources. Several requests were sent to the Russian admiral for his return to Malta, but were ignored as his fleet was in secere disrepair and he was awaiting orders from Czar Paul I. While corresponding with Nelson, Ushakov told the British Rear-admiral that with his ships and 2,000 men he would depart from Naples on 17 November, but never did. In fact Ushakov had planned on returning to the Black Sea instead of Malta, but ended up staying in Corfu until July 1800.

In the early summer of 1800 the British blockade continued to prevent French forces from resupplying the besieged Valletta. Nelson had sent several requests for the surrender of the city to which the French took great insult. By the end of the siege due to the lack of sufficient provisions more than 100 people were dying per day. On 4 September Vaubois dispatched an envoy to the British to discuss and sign the terms of surrender with Vaubois and Villeneuve. After the surrender of the French forces Malta became a British protectorate until it obtained independence in 1964.

The siege ingots of Malta as issued by the French in 1799-1800 mark the last coins actually struck in Malta, all of which are of the utmost rarity.

To read the complete lot description, see:
MALTA. 30 Tari Siege Ingot, 1800. VERY FINE. (www.stacksbowers.com/BrowseAuctions/LotDetail/
tabid/227/Lot/41216/AuctionID/6111/Default.aspx)

PERU. South Peru. 8 Escudos, 1837-BA. Cuzco Mint. NGC MS-62. Fr-91; KM-167. South Peru existed as a separate entity for only three years, and yet in this short time span some of this most beautiful coinage to ever be created in South America came to life. The compelling design elements of coinage from South Peru, combining much of the heritage of Peru into a single codified representation, have held great attraction for numismatists ever since these coins were first created. The coin offered here features the earlier ESTADO SUD PERUANO legend on the obverse along with four stars representing the four constituent departments of South Peru, which were comprised of Ayacucho, Cuzco, Arequipa and Puno. The reverse depicts features of South Peru including a volcano and a Inca fortress. Pristine examples of the issue are nearly non-existent, with virtually all examples suffering from laminations or other problems.

POLAND. Danzig. Peace of Westphalia Silver Medal, ND (1644). 60.6 mm; 66.1 gms. Pax-83; Maue-54. The war goddess Bellona fights with Pax, the goddess of peace, for peace on earth. A hand, at left, holds the globe. At the right a shield and lance lean against an olive tree. Inscription AMBIGUO PAX ET BELLUM LUCTAMINE CERTANT. PAX EUROPA VOVET. LAETA TROPHAEA FERAT! around. Reverse: Pax, the goddess of peace stands triumphant on fallen Mars, the god of war. In the left distance stands Themis, the goddess of divine order, with sword and scales in hand. In the right distance stands Abundantia, with her cornucopia and an olive branch. Legends LAETA TROPHAEA TULITVICTO PAX OPTIMA BELLO. NUNC THEMIS IN TERRAM ET COPIA PULSARE .DIT surrounds. By Sebastian Dadler, signed with a simple script D below Bellona and Pax. Undated version. This medal sometimes occurs dated 1644 near the sculptors signature, and also with the earlier date removed and 1648 stamped in its place as the treaty took several years to complete.

RUSSIA. Society of Fox-Terriers & Dachshunds Medal, 1886. NGC MS-62. 44 mm. Diakov-986.1. Plate medal from the Diakov catalog, and highly desirable as such. Struck in silver with light gray blue coloration and glossy semi reflective fields. The reverse remains uningraved. A few light marks in the open fields of the reverse, with the obverse canine portrait remarkably clean and quite impressive. We could not locate any record of previous transactions, at a minimum a very scarce medal, and presumably quite rare.

RUSSIA. Ruble, 1914-BC. NGC MS-63. Y-71; Bit-326. RARE. Struck to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Gangut, a naval battle against Sweden that resulted in the first ever victory for the Russian navy during the Great Northern War. Historically speaking, the Russian navy didn't exist prior to the reign of Peter The Great, with the battle having vindicated The Tsar's policies to greatly expand it. The anniversary of the battle is still celebrated in Russia today. As a type, it would appear that most of the few surviving examples of this rare coin have been submitted multiple times at the grading services, rendering the population reports less than reliable when making an accurate assessment of the coin's availability.

To read the complete lot description, see:
RUSSIA. Ruble, 1914-BC. (www.stacksbowers.com/BrowseAuctions/LotDetail/
tabid/227/AuctionID/6111/Lot/41453/Default.aspx)

FRANCE. Duc de Berry Medal, 1815. Gilt Copper Royalist Support Badge, ND (c.1814). 44.3 x 36.8 mm; 58.4 gms. Laureate bust right of Charles Ferdinand d'Artois, the final Duc du Berri - Second Son of Charles X, assassinated by a Bonapartist in 1820. Around the bust appears the legend FOEDERATOS PARISIOS DUXIT. The reverse is blank, with a thin sheet of brass at the top to which the suspension loop is attached. Unsigned. Probably issued in 1814 during the period of time when he was Commander in Chief of the Parisian Army forces, but before he was forced to retreat from Paris during the Hundred Days War in 1815.

To read the complete lot description, see:
FRANCE. Duc de Berry Medal, 1815. (www.stacksbowers.com/BrowseAuctions/LotDetail/
tabid/227/AuctionID/6111/Lot/40343/Default.aspx)

CANADA. Read, Stevenson & Co. 25 Cent, 1.3.1876. P-NL. PMG Very Fine 25. (NB-20-10-06) A scarce New Brunswick script note shown here with bold manuscript signature and just some staining to report.

IRAN. Imperial Bank of Persia. 50 Tomans, 12.11.1920. P-16. Very Fine. Payable at Isfahan only. This note caps off a terrific group of these 1924 issue notes we are offering. This ultra rare denomination is seen with quite pleasing color for the grade and nice overall appeal. A larger format BWC layout and seen with incredible color and intricate lathe work throughout.