The New York International Sale Featuring The Querendon and Rajj Collections

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by  Stack's

TThhee NNeeww YYoorrkk
I S
NTERNATIONAL ALE
FEATURING THE QUERENDON AND RAJJ COLLECTIONS
JJ 1100,, 22001111
AANNUUAARRYY
NEW YORK CITY
T N Y
HE EW ORK
I S
NTERNATIONAL ALE
FEATURING THE QUERENDON AND RAJJ COLLECTIONS
Official Auctioneer of the New York International Numismatic Convention
ANCIENT AND WORLD COINS, MEDALS, TOKENS & PAPER MONEY
ALSO FEATURING
The Q. David Bowers Collection
The W.L. Carson Collection
The Douglas Jennings Collection
The Porteño Collection
The Sanpex Collection of Roman Aurei
The Syracuse Collection of Ancient Coins: Part I
and other important properties
Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich’s Order of Saint George the Martyr First Class
The Only First Class Example Available to Collectors
Lot 1020
January 10, 2011
Stack’s Auction Gallery
110 West 57th Street • New York, New York
Online bidding and photos of all single item lots available at www.stacks.com
123 West 57th St. • New York, NY 10019-2280
800-566-2580 • 212-582-2580 • Fax: [phone]
Box 1804 • Wolfeboro, NH 03894
866-811-1804 • 603-569-0823 • Fax: [phone]
email: [email protected]
www.stacks.com
FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE — BANK WIRING INFORMATION
TD Bank
1350 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019
ABA #026 013 673 Acct. #7920061814
For the Account of: Stack’s LLC
Swift Code: NRTHUS33XXX
Online bidding available at www.stacks.com
Copyright © 2011 Stack’s LLC • All rights reserved
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T N Y
HE EW ORK
I S
NTERNATIONAL ALE
Stack’s Auction Gallery
110 West 57th Street • New York, NY • 212-582-2580
Monday, January 10, 2011
10:00 am: Lots 1-1726
LOT VIEWING
The Library — Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
301 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022
Wednesday, January 5 • 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Thursday, January 6 • 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Friday, January 7 • 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Saturday, January 8 • 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday, January 9 • 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Stack’s Auction Gallery
110 West 57th Street
Monday, January 10 • 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Other times by appointment only
LOT PICK UP
Stack’s Auction Gallery • 110 West 57th Street
Tuesday, January 11 • 9:00 am to 11:00 am
Please note: The value of certain modern gold coins reflects, to some extent, the value
of the inherent precious metal content. Estimates of value for modern gold in this auction
were made when gold was fluctuating in the range of $1,200 to $1,400.
To insure we receive your bids: Prices Realized
Please have mail and fax bids to us by: 5:00 PM, Prices realized will be posted on the internet soon
Eastern Time, Friday, January 7, 2011. after the sale. See www.stacks.com
There will be pre-sale and live bidding available on A printed list of prices realized will be sent to all sub-
the INTERNET at www. stacks.com scribers approximately 30 days after the sale.
Pre-registration for live internet bidding is required For prices realized by phone: Call 603-569-0823. Limit
by Sunday, January 9, 2011. 10 lots per caller.
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OUR EXPERTS
Q. David Bowers Christine Karstedt
Chairman of the Board President
STACK’S CONSIGNMENT SPECIALISTS
Richard Bagg, PhD John Pack Vicken Yegparian
Auction Consignment Auction Consignment Auction Consignment
Specialist Specialist Specialist
WORLD COIN SPECIALISTS
David Alexander Greg Cohen Marissa Lederman
World Coin Specialist World Coin Specialist World Coin Specialist
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ADDITIONAL NUMISMATIC STAFF
Bruce Roland Hagen Jim Matthews Frank Van Valen
Paper Money Specialist United States United States Coin Specialist
Consignments Coin Specialist Auctioneer
Andrew Bowers Melissa Karstedt
New York Retail Store Numismatic Sales
Numismatic Sales Consignments • Auctioneer
CONSULTANTS
Michael J. Hodder John Kraljevich Andrew W. Pollock III
Research Consultant Research Consultant U.S. Coins and Patterns
Stack’s Staff
Chief Administrative Officer: Laurance Solomon
Auction Coordinators: Mary Barrett, Cynthia LaCarbonara, Pam Roberts
Accounting: Laurel Morrill, Asha Ramcharan, Laura Zanuso
Customer Service: Samantha Douglas, Robb Karstedt, Debora McIntire,
Jennifer Nicolay, Susan Novak, Beth Piper, Austin Shirey
Photography: Douglas Plasencia, Bob Krajewski
Graphics: Jennifer Meers, Christine Metcalfe
Shipping: Joey Martinez, Al Ortiz, Jeremy Wiggin
Security: Thomas Hampton
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America’s Most Prestigious
Foreign & Ancient Coin Show
The 39th Annual

NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL

NUMISMATIC CONVENTION
J 7-9, 2011
ANUARY
(Early Birds – Thursday, January 6: 2PM - 7PM – $100)
Public Show Hours:
Friday, January 7: 10AM - 7PM
Saturday, January 8: 10AM - 7PM
Sunday, January 9: 10AM - 3PM
$10 for a three-day pass valid Friday through Sunday - 16 and under free with an adult
(Check our Web site to print a discount admission coupon)
Waldorf Astoria Hotel • 301 Park Avenue
(Between 49th and 50th Streets)
Call [phone] and mention rate code “NYZ” for our special NYINC room rates of $279 or $299
(Call early. Limited rooms available at these special discounts.)
• Auction Viewing Begins:
Saturday, January 1
• Auction Sessions:
Sunday, January 2 through
Monday, January 10
For complete schedule details:
www.nyinc.info
• Bourse Information:
Kevin Foley – Convention Chairman • P.O. Box 370650, Milwaukee, WI 53237
[phone] • FAX: [phone] • E-mail: [email protected]
Visit our Web site, www.nyinc.info, for a complete Schedule of Events, including
auction lot viewing, auction sessions, educational programs and bourse hours.
OUR CONSIGNORS
The Rajj Collection
The consignor of the Rajj Collection bought Rajj Collection contains a U.S. coin section that
his fi rst gold coin in the early 1980s and within will be offered at a later date, offered here are
a short time he was bitten by the gold bug. This almost 300 lots of world coins, nearly all gold,
large collection of world gold coins was formed though with a few platinum issues thrown in!
chiefl y throughout the 1980s and 1990s with the Highlights of the big Rajj Collection include
goal of obtaining the largest coins from every some modern gold, and a number of rarities
country then listed in the standard catalogues. including an impressive run of early British
The collector became a fi xture at Stack’s auc- 5 Guinea pieces, a classic George IV Proof 5
tions throughout these decades, and many of Pounds, a beautiful Una and the Lion 5 Pounds,
these pieces have crossed our auction block once a spectacular Victoria Jubilee 5 Pounds, and a
before. Most of the coins offered here have been fascinating Russian 10 Ruble overstrike.
Lot 662
off the market for nearly two decades. While the
William L. Carson
William Longsworth Carson was born and coins by their edges. On a family trip to Williams-
raised in Euclid, Ohio. After graduating from Duke burg, the six Carsons fi led into the front pew—once
University in 1938, he married Kathleen deHart of George Washington’s—of the historic church. As
Woodbury, N.J., and returned to Ohio. There he the collection plate neared for the offering, Bill and
began a family and, with his father, established Kathleen realized that between them, they only
a printing business, the Snapout Forms Co. of had a $20 bill and some change, including a dime
Chardon, Ohio. Bill busied himself over the years with a “good date.” They had to put something in
with church and civic activities in the small town. the empty plate. Quickly, the choice was made and
One of his triumphs was leading the fund-raising the large bill went in.
and fi nal dedication of a high school football fi eld Another summer, the family boarded a train
where Bob Hope offi ciated. in Chicago. This vacation would include a coin
Ever the organizer, once Bill discovered coin show in San Francisco. Bill decided that toting his
collecting, he initiated a local coin club in Chardon and later coins cross-country in a special case might attract attention to the
partnered in a small coin business in Cleveland, The Money Shop. valuables. Instead, he loaded them into Kathleen’s old suitcase.
After moving to Sparta, N.J. in 1964, Bill quickly helped launch a It still bore her maiden name initials. In the middle of the night a
local club. Later, he worked with others to develop a Whitman-like train change was required in Ogden, Utah. As Bill lifted the heavy
business called Shore Line. case, the handle came off in his hand. How would he carry the
“As far back as I can remember, my father collected something,” heavy bag and help his brood make the transfer? Fortunately,
says Bill’s older daughter Andrea. When he was a young boy Andrea had befriended a young sailor on the train. He graciously
growing up between Cleveland and Miami, he collected stamps. offered to help Kathleen and the kids while Bill staggered down
It occupied him on the long trips back and forth. Between that and the platform carrying his cargo in both arms.
reading books, he also “accumulated” a great deal of knowledge Over the years, Bill collected other things, including cut glass,
about geography, history, and travel to exotic places. Bill was Christmas plates, silverware, bow ties, and plaid pants. He never
always able to provide the name or location of some obscure and met another collector with whom he did not enter into easy con-
tiny country. versation. In his senior years, while crippled with Parkinson’s
When Bill’s older son Dan began sorting through rolls of old Disease, Bill amused himself for hours by sorting through bags of
coins with a friend, a fatherly interest quickly became a fascination, pennies, reading coin periodicals, and trading odds and ends with
and Bill began his own collection. Before long, Dan was lugging local “coin buddies.” Over the years, Bill’s collecting sometimes
a heavy valise fi lled with coins through city streets to coin shows moved from passion to obsession and took him away from his
throughout the Midwest. family. None-the-less, his enthusiasm spread infectiously to any
As coins began to sprinkle themselves about the house, even the children or grandchildren willing to learn to see art, history, and
younger children learned to examine pocket change and hold the craftsmanship in a tiny metal disc.
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W N Y C S ’
ELCOME TO EW ORK ITY AND TACK S
If you are attending the New York International
Numismatic Convention, we invite you to visit
Stack’s. Stack’s has been a numismatic destination
in the Big Apple for over 75 years, often a home
away from home for collectors and dealers from all
over the world.
Attend our auction in our 110 West 57th Street
auction gallery, beginning at 10 am on Monday,
January 10. Or, we invite you to visit our storefront
gallery at 123 West 57th Street. We are open Monday
through Friday, 10 am to 5 pm and on Saturdays from
10 am to 3 pm. Come buy coins, chat a bit, drop off
a consignment, peruse our inventory or let us write
you a check for unwanted items or duplicates.
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WELCOME
to Stack’s International Sale
Welcome to our annual International Sale, an Official Auction of the Sertums of 1966 commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Accession
New York International Numismatic Convention. Plan to attend not of Jigme Wangchuk, one of just 72 struck and a coin that will cost only a
only our auction, but the Convention itself, held at the famous Waldorf- few thousand dollars? This is just one of many coins sporting mintages
Astoria hotel in midtown Manhattan and featuring numismatic vendors of less than 1,000 pieces, with many boasting fewer than 100 pieces
of ancient and world coins from around the globe (see flyer with show struck. This is not the last you will see of the Rajj Collection – the U.S.
information printed elsewhere in this catalogue). coins, also featuring many stupendous gold rarities, will see the light
This year we are proud to feature the Querendon and Rajj Collections, of day in a forthcoming Stack’s auction.
both collections made up exclusively of gold and a select few coins of While on the topic of large gold coins, we must mention the positively
other precious metals such as platinum and palladium. Although we huge Australian coin that graces this auction, an Australian 10-kilo gold
haven’t tallied the numbers, our impression is that over two-thirds of piece minted in 2006. One of just seven struck of the first 10-kilo issue
the sale is gold! So whether you think the recent uptick in gold prices ever produced, this coin commemorating the Year of the Dog contains
is just the beginning or whether you think that $1,400 gold is a bubble, nearly 322 ounces of gold and is Serial #1. This gargantuan coin proved
there is something for you in this sale—large gold coins that will sell to be a great investment for its consignor, and we expect it will be too
for modest premiums to their gold value or great rarities that will not for its next owner.
again see the light of day for decades. Also hailing from the other side of the world is a pattern Chinese
The Querendon Collection, nearly 300 lots of Ancient and World Gold Tael of the Cyclical Date 1907, a coin that is graded AU-58 (NGC)
gold coins, is the collection of a South American industrialist that was that boasts a wonderful history and is also a significant rarity. Given
put together in the 1940s and 1950s and has rested safely in a bank vault the surge in interest in Chinese coins of all types in the last decade, we
since the late 1950s. The Querendon collector’s appetite was chiefly expect great fireworks when this coin comes across the auction block.
European gold coinage, stretching from the late medieval period to While there are many numismatic items of great rarity, not all of
the 20th century, although he included some remarkable Ancients and these can also boast great pedigree. In this sale we are proud to offer a set
Latin American issues as well. Highlights are numerous, but a few of Russian decorations that once belonged to the Grand Duke Nikolai
special coins literally jump from the pages of this catalogue. Among Nikolaievich Romanov the Elder, a group of Orders of St. George the
our favorites is the Bohemian 10 Ducats of 1648 struck at Prague, an Martyr featuring the Star of the Order as well as Crosses of the First Class
enormous gold piece graded AU-55 (NGC). Another 10 Ducats, this and Second Class. These sumptuous works of numismatic art are also of
time a hexagonal issue of 1663 of Michael Apafi of Transylvania, will enormous rarity. There were in fact only 25 members of the Order in the
attract attention not only for its curious shape but also for the remark- First Class in its century-long existence, making the First Class Cross an
able half-length armored portrait on the obverse. For those who prefer extreme rarity—in fact, we believe it is the only specimen in private hands!
coins of the ancient world, we note a lustrous gold Aureus of Lucius While we have enjoyed reviewing some of the biggest collections
Verus in Superb Extremely Fine. or most expensive coins, many other consignors have made this well-
The Rajj Collection, another of our headline consignments composed balanced sale possible. Take for example the superb 1830 8 Escudos of
exclusively of precious metal coinages, also makes up nearly 300 lots of Argentina, a great rarity from the Porteño Collection, or perhaps the
the sale and dovetails quite nicely with the Querendon Collection. Col- Gem 1935 Proof Set of New Zealand featuring the Waitangi Crown that
lected chiefly in the 1980s and 1990s, the Rajj Collection combines some hails from the W.L. Carson Collection; we sold Mr. Carson’s U.S. Proof
of the rarest and most iconic issues of the World with modern issues Sets to great fanfare in our 75th Anniversary Sale this past November. Or
that came into their own in the 1960s through 1980s. In a time before consider a German pattern coin from the Douglas Jennings Collection of
kilo-size or even larger gold coins (see the 10-kilo Australian gold piece this genre—many high style pieces by famed designer Karl Goetz are on
in this sale, for example!), the Rajj collector strove to acquire the largest offer here in whatever metal and price range you desire! Or perhaps you
gold coin available from every country he could locate. We think he’s crave coins of the Ancient World? If so, consider the choice Decadrachm
done a remarkable job, and we trust that you will feel the same. Feast of Syracuse from the collection of our very own Dave Bowers, or perhaps
your eyes on what is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful coins in one of the wonderfully styled pieces of Ancient Greek silver coinage
the world, an 1839 Una and the Lion 5 Pounds of Great Britain, graded from Part I of the Syracuse Collection (further offerings from this col-
Proof-62 CAMEO by NGC. Joining Una are 5 Guineas or 5 Pounds lection will be featured in our April 2011 Coin Galleries Sale).
pieces of nearly every British monarch from Charles II to George VI, We hope you like what you see in the pages to follow, and that you
including a super-choice 1711 5 Guineas of Anne, graded AU-58 by will be able to pick up at least one piece—whether $500, or $50,000—for
NGC. Among many other classic early issues we should mention a very your collection. If your collecting activities have slowed and selling
rare Russian Catherine II 10 Rubles dated 1772 struck over a 10 Rubles has been on your mind, please call and speak to Vicken Yegparian,
of her predecessor Peter III. If beauty and rarity are watchwords by Greg Cohen, or John Pack to devise a sales plan that’s right for you.
which to collect, the Rajj collection has been quite successful. Among Keep in mind that as the Official Auctioneer of the July 2011 ANA Sale
its modern issues are many stupendous designs, such as the Great Wall in Chicago, we are seeking quality consignments of Ancient and World
and dragon motifs on the Chinese 500 Yuan of 1988. Multiple dozens of Coins in addition to U.S. Coins and Paper Money. Pick up the phone
low mintage coins will tantalize—how about a Bhutanese Platinum 5 and call us today!
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