ARCHIVES INTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2016 RESULTS

A U.S. $100 TREASURY BANKNOTE NOTE CIRCA 1837-1843 SELLS FOR $28,800 ON DAY 1 OF ARCHIVES INTERNATIONAL AUCTIONS’ DECEMBER 6th & 13th AUCTION

The auction was held at Archives International Auctions’ offices in Fort Lee, N.J., and featured rare U.S., Chinese, Asian and worldwide banknotes, scripophily. Many record prices were set.

An 1837 interest-bearing $100 U.S. Treasury proof banknote from the Silver City collection, one of only three discovered in an old bank cleanout from 2010, sold for a record $28,800 on the first day of a two-session public auction held December 6th and 13th by Archives International Auctions, online and in the firm’s offices at 1580 Lemoine Avenue in Fort Lee.

The 1837 note was the top lot in an auction packed with more than 1,100 lots of rare and highly collectible Chinese, U.S. and worldwide banknotes, scripophily (stock and bond certificates) and coins. The Dec. 6th session featured nearly 500 lots of U.S. banknotes, scripophily and security printing ephemera. The Dec. 13th session had 673 lots of rare banknotes, scripophily and coins. All prices include a 20% Buyer’s premium.

“Our December auction was a major success, with many lots selling for record prices,” said Dr. Robert Schwartz, president of Archives International Auctions. “We’re now looking forward to our first winter auction on February 7th and 8th, featuring the final portion of the Alexander I. Pogrebetsky family archives, numerous outstanding consignments and old time collections.”

Scripophily highlights from the December 6th session included a rare U.S. Department of the Interior 1894 Federal related Cherokee Nation Bond, for the purchase of the Cherokee Outlet in Oklahoma Territory. It went to a determined bidder for $1,620. Also, a 1925 Hershey Chocolate Company $1,000 specimen bond turned out to be a sweet deal for the bidder who paid just $276.

Modern stock certificates from well-known companies proved popular, as an attractive and colorful Hartford Live, Inc. 1997 specimen stock certificate from this well-known insurance company gaveled for $192; a circa 1980s specimen stock certificate for Microsoft, with a facsimile signature of Bill Gates, sold for $168; and a 1985 Trumps’ Castle Funding registered specimen bond, with Donald Trump’s facsimile signature, knocked down for $577.

Highlights from the U.S. banknote section included a 1903 Bank Charter Extension from Penn National Bank of Reading that sold for $390; an 1882 Kingdom of Hawaii Unused sheet of fifty 1-cent stamps printed by the American Bank Note Company that made $360; and a pair of 1933 specimen depression scrip notes from the County of Bergen, New Jersey that finished at $288.

December 13th began with the China section, featuring an 1898 Imperial Bank of China, Peking branch issue, that brought $840; a Bank of China 1913 Canton branch issue that rose to $1020; a discovery Bank of Communications 1913, “Hunan” branch note, previously unlisted, that went for $960; and a Central Bank of China, 1949 Gold Yuan issue essay specimen pair that hit $1440.

Also in Session 2, a 1925 Ningpo Commercial Bank, Shanghai issue breezed to $2,400; three different American-Oriental Bank specimens – a 1924 “Tientsin Branch”, 1922 Fukien Branch and a 1922 Szechuan Branch notes – all posted identical selling prices of $1,260 each; and a Hong Kong & Shanghai Corporation 1923 specimen $100 banknote changed hands for $3,900.

An outstanding collection of rare Communist China banknote issues from circa the 1930s did extremely well, with all 16 notes offered selling for above the high estimates and sometimes many times the high estimate. Highlights from this section included a Hunan-Kiangsi Branch of National Bank of the Soviet Republic of China, 1 Yuan, 1934 that went to a determined bidder for $2,040.

A National Bank of the Soviet Republic of China, 2 Jiao, dated 1932, topped out at $2,760, and a Soviet Republic of China Hunan-Kiangsi Province Revolutionary circulating war bond from 1933 was won by a happy bidder after a vigorous fight between the floor and the internet for $3600. Also, a large group of private and local banknotes sold for exceptional prices for these rare issues.

The rest of the world was represented by numerous rarities and desirable items. A few highlights included a Russian, Batum Treasury, 1919, complete exchange currency tokens issue set of 10 pieces commanded $690; a Georgia Autonomous Republic uniface proof of the 1919-1921, 1 Ruble banknote sold for $1440; and a 1966 Reserve Bank of Fiji, ND (1996) issued banknote found a happy new owner for $480.

A Bank Melli Iran, ND (1971) specimen banknote went for an impressive price of $1,020; An Imperial Bank of Persia, ND (1912) 20 Toman, Specimen Banknote, graded Choice New 63 was knocked down for $6500; a Government of Iraq, 10 Dinars, L. 1931 issued banknote graded extra fine 40 gaveled for $6,000; and a Board of Commissioners of Currency, Malaya & British Borneo, 1953 issue banknote coasted to $1740. There were many more highlights in the December auction. These may all be viewed online, at www.ArchivesInternational.com .

The online catalog for the February 7th and 8th sales will be placed on the Archives International Auctions website in early January and can be viewed via the Archives International live bidding platform. It can also be viewed as a virtual catalog or downloadable .pdf, which can be found on the firm’s website. To pre-register for live event internet bidding, visit www.ArchivesInternational.com.

Archives International Auctions is currently seeking quality consignments for future auctions and is looking for U.S. and worldwide banknotes, coins, stocks, bonds, stamps, postal history, historic ephemera, autographs, and documents to buy outright. To sell or consign one piece or an entire collection, please call AIA at (201) 944-4800; or e-mail them at info@archivesinternational.com .

You may also write to Archives International Auctions, at 1580 Lemoine Ave., Suite #7, Fort Lee, NJ 07024 U.S.A. To learn more about Archives International Auctions and the two-session winter auctions planned for February 7th and 8th, 2017, log on to www.ArchivesInternational.com .

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