Latest news with #TravellerCollection
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Coin collection hidden from the Nazis sells for £5.7m at auction smashing estimates
The first 220 coins of the 15,000 coin 'Traveller Collection' have been sold at auction in Zurich, fetching double their presale estimate. Combined, the coins sold for £5.7million at auction, compared to a presale estimate of £2.7million. Numismatica Ars Classica, the auctioneer, adds a 22.5 per cent fee onto each sale, meaning the coins were purchased for a total of £7million. The lot included an extremely rare 'Una the Lion' £5 coin of Queen Victoria, which sold for £884,163, or $1.2million, including the auctioneer's fee, making it the eighth British coin ever to sell for more than $1million at auction. The 1839 coin was a prototype of a coin designed to commemorate Queen Victoria's coronation. Nusmismatica Ars Classica says it is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful coins ever produced, and is one of just a few known prototypes. The collector purchased the coin for £14, equivalent to £800 today. The coin's estimated sale price was £218,921 and it sold for more than four times' that figure. 'This Traveller Collection is without doubt the most important collection of world coins ever to be offered at public auction in the entire history of numismatics,' directors of Numismatica Ars Classica, Arturo and Giuliano Russo, said. Before heading to auction, the coin collection spend 50 years buried underground after the collector decided to hide them from imminent Nazi invasion during the Second World War. The coins were left undisturbed until the 1990s when the collector's wife revealed the stash to her family members. The collection had been assembled following the Wall Street crash in 1929. The lot also included an George III pattern crown coin, sold for £375,622. The only other example of this coin is held in the Bank of England's collection. Meanwhile, a George V pattern crown sold for £265,165, and a medal of Queen Anne commemorating the capture of a Spanish fleet in 1702 sold for £121,519. David Guest, a consultant on the British coins in the Traveller Collection, said: 'This thrilling sale attracted several significant new buyers, who had never participated in a coin auction before, to enter the market. 'Among them were sophisticated collectors of fine art and antiques captivated by the romance of the Traveller story and the historical importance, rarity and quality of the British coins and medals offered.' The first auction lot was focused on 220 British coins, while the remaining coins are set to be auctioned as part of a three-year series. The collection as a whole includes more than 15,000 coins collected from across the globe. The next auction, of Central European coins, will take place in October. The entire collection is pegged to fetch well over $100million. The prize piece of the collection, yet to be auctioned, is a 100 ducats coin minted in 1629 during the reign of Ferdinand III, archduke of Austria, king of Hungary, Croatia and Bohemia. The coin has not been seen at auction since the before the Second World War. Numismatica Ars Classica's initial sale estimate for the coin was £1.05million. The collection also included coins dating well back to ancient times, with the oldest being a 296BC Athens gold stater with an estimated value of £109,515.
Times
08-05-2025
- General
- Times
Rare coins hidden from Hitler could fetch £75m at auction
One of the world's greatest coin collections lay buried in cigar boxes for 50 years after its owner took fright at a pending Nazi invasion and died shortly after Hitler's troops arrived. The hoard, dubbed the 'Traveller collection', was retrieved only when the collector's much younger wife began to fear her own death and that 'the hiding place might be lost for ever'. Her son-in-law and another relative retrieved the treasures, which had been put in envelopes within cigar boxes and metal boxes, placed them in a bank vault and began the inventory and valuation process. The collection, spanning centuries and continents, has been valued at £75 million and described as the 'most important collection of world coins ever to be offered at public auction'.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
$160 million gold coin collection unearthed in Europe after 50 years underground, now set for auction
An intriguing discovery has been uncovered: a secret stash of valuable gold coins, buried in the ground for over 50 years, now worth over USD 100 million (approximately AUD 160 million). Dubbed the Traveller Collection, the treasure is set to change the face of rare coin collecting. Experts have termed it as "the most valuable numismatic collection ever to appear at auction in its entirety," with an interesting story which rivals the coins' intrigue. Rediscovery of a hidden treasure of gold coins and the upcoming auction series Over 50 years since they were buried, the heirs of the collector re-discovered the coins. The treasure was transferred to a secure bank vault for safekeeping and eventually entered the public sphere. Numismatica Ars Classica (NAC), the auction house, will present the collection in a series of auctions starting on May 20, 2025. The inaugural auction will feature British machine-struck coins from the reigns of monarchs from Charles II to George VI. Many of the coins in the collection have not been seen in over 80 years, some never previously recorded within official numismatic archives, says NAC's director, Arturo Russo. Source: Indian Defence Review by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Invest $200 in Amazon without buying stocks to earn a second salary Marketsall Sign Up Undo Amongst the most incredible items in the Traveller Collection are a number of gold coins of unparalleled worth and historical significance. One of the stand-outs is a 1629-gold coin of 100 ducats minted for Ferdinand III of Habsburg. It weighs 348.5 grams and is estimated at around $1.35 million USD. Another highlight is a 70 ducat gold coin in 1621 for Polish King Sigismund III, weighing 243 grams and worth about $471,700 USD. The Traveller Collection's origins and the hidden treasure beneath the surface The history of the Traveller Collection begins in the wake of the 1929 Wall Street Crash. A European collector and his wife set out on a quest to discover the most rare and historically important coins from Europe and the Americas. Driven by history, rarity, and beauty, they carefully curate a diversified collection, thoroughly documenting each acquisition. When the prospect of World War II threatened and Nazi troops were starting to overtake Europe, the collector found himself in the unenviable position of needing to safeguard his precious treasure. In a decision that would come to be revealed as prudent later on, he placed the coins in cigar boxes and aluminum cylinders and buried them in the ground to keep them safe from war's destruction. Then the collector disappeared from record, and the whereabouts of the treasure buried with him were unknown for decades. A rare treasure of Tomans and Coins from across the ages The Traveller Collection also comprises an incredibly rare collection of five Tomans that were struck in Tehran and Isfahan between the late 18th and early 19th centuries by Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar. Just five complete sets of the coins are known to have survived, one of which is in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, UK. One outstanding piece from this collection is a 50 Toman coin, one of the incredibly rare sets, that will also be auctioned. The Traveller Collection encompasses coins from more than 100 areas, with a history ranging from ancient societies to the present day. Specialists are especially amazed by its outstanding variety, excellent quality, and the great preservation of most of the items. The press release by NAC draws attention to the fact that "several types have never been offered in a public auction," which stresses the uniqueness and importance of numerous coins included in the collection. Due to the meticulous recording and archives of the original collector, researchers were able to trace the provenance of numerous coins back to historic sales of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, adding yet more layers of historical interest. Also Read | Ancient 3,000-year-old civilisation uncovered in Maharashtra, offering new insight into early history
CNN
27-03-2025
- Business
- CNN
$100 million coin collection, buried for decades, up for auction
A vast coin collection, much of which was buried underground for more than 50 years, is expected to fetch in excess of $100 million at auction, according to experts. The Traveller Collection, thought to be the most expensive coin collection to ever come to auction, will be sold off over the next three years - with the first sale taking place on May 20. Whatever the outcome, it is the origin story of this valuable set of coins that is so remarkable. It features coins from more than 100 territories around the globe, ranging in age from ancient times to the modern era. But what makes the lot, set to be auctioned by Numismatica Ars Classica, even more extraordinary is the fact that the majority of the coins were buried underground for half a century. According to a press release about the sale sent to CNN, the original collector - who has not been identified - first began buying gold coins after the Wall Street Crash of 1929. He soon developed 'a taste for coins with great historical interest, beauty and rarity' and eventually had in his possession around 15,000 coins. The man and his wife spent the 1930s travelling extensively through the Americas and Europe, picking up rare and historically significant coins as they went - while also compiling a detailed archive of their purchases. The pair eventually settled in Europe, despite the dark shadow that Hitler's Nazi party was casting over the continent. The collector must have felt the imminent threat, however, as the coins were packed carefully into cigar boxes that were then transferred into aluminum boxes and buried underground - where they remained for five decades. 'The collection spans all geographical areas and contains exceptionally rare coins often in a state of preservation never seen in modern times. Several types have never been offered in a public auction, highlighting their considerable rarity,' the press release says. When they were finally retrieved by the collector's heirs, the coins were stored in a bank vault and later presented to the auction house for sale. Unfortunately, no further details have been made available about the hiding or discovery of the coins, due to the family's request for privacy. The collector's detailed records made it easier for the team at the auction house to research the provenance and value of the coins, some of which could be traced back to auctions of some of the greatest collections of late 19th and early 20th centuries. Among the highlights is a 100 ducat gold coin of Ferdinand III of Habsburg, which was minted in 1629 when he was Archduke of Austria, King of Hungary, Croatia and Bohemia, the release says. Made up of 348.5 grams of fine gold, it is one of the largest denominations of European gold coins ever minted. Also featured is an 'exceedingly rare' set of five Tomans, minted in Tehran and Isfahan in the late 18th and early 19th century by Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar. Only five complete such sets are known, one of which is in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, in the United Kingdom. Arturo Russo, director of Numismatica Ars Classica, said in the release: 'The vast range and superb quality of the coins offered, the sheer number of great rarities and the fascinating story of the collection's formation will make these sales a landmark in the history of numismatics.' David Guest, director of David Guest Numismatics and consultant to the collection, said in the release: 'When it came to cataloguing the British coins from the Traveller Collection I had to keep pinching myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. 'Not only was the quality exceptional but many of the coins before me were of types not known to have been offered for sale in over 80 years and, in some cases, completely unrecorded.'
CNN
27-03-2025
- Business
- CNN
$100 million coin collection, buried for decades, up for auction
A vast coin collection, much of which was buried underground for more than 50 years, is expected to fetch in excess of $100 million at auction, according to experts. The Traveller Collection, thought to be the most expensive coin collection to ever come to auction, will be sold off over the next three years - with the first sale taking place on May 20. Whatever the outcome, it is the origin story of this valuable set of coins that is so remarkable. It features coins from more than 100 territories around the globe, ranging in age from ancient times to the modern era. But what makes the lot, set to be auctioned by Numismatica Ars Classica, even more extraordinary is the fact that the majority of the coins were buried underground for half a century. According to a press release about the sale sent to CNN, the original collector - who has not been identified - first began buying gold coins after the Wall Street Crash of 1929. He soon developed 'a taste for coins with great historical interest, beauty and rarity' and eventually had in his possession around 15,000 coins. The man and his wife spent the 1930s travelling extensively through the Americas and Europe, picking up rare and historically significant coins as they went - while also compiling a detailed archive of their purchases. The pair eventually settled in Europe, despite the dark shadow that Hitler's Nazi party was casting over the continent. The collector must have felt the imminent threat, however, as the coins were packed carefully into cigar boxes that were then transferred into aluminum boxes and buried underground - where they remained for five decades. 'The collection spans all geographical areas and contains exceptionally rare coins often in a state of preservation never seen in modern times. Several types have never been offered in a public auction, highlighting their considerable rarity,' the press release says. When they were finally retrieved by the collector's heirs, the coins were stored in a bank vault and later presented to the auction house for sale. Unfortunately, no further details have been made available about the hiding or discovery of the coins, due to the family's request for privacy. The collector's detailed records made it easier for the team at the auction house to research the provenance and value of the coins, some of which could be traced back to auctions of some of the greatest collections of late 19th and early 20th centuries. Among the highlights is a 100 ducat gold coin of Ferdinand III of Habsburg, which was minted in 1629 when he was Archduke of Austria, King of Hungary, Croatia and Bohemia, the release says. Made up of 348.5 grams of fine gold, it is one of the largest denominations of European gold coins ever minted. Also featured is an 'exceedingly rare' set of five Tomans, minted in Tehran and Isfahan in the late 18th and early 19th century by Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar. Only five complete such sets are known, one of which is in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, in the United Kingdom. Arturo Russo, director of Numismatica Ars Classica, said in the release: 'The vast range and superb quality of the coins offered, the sheer number of great rarities and the fascinating story of the collection's formation will make these sales a landmark in the history of numismatics.' David Guest, director of David Guest Numismatics and consultant to the collection, said in the release: 'When it came to cataloguing the British coins from the Traveller Collection I had to keep pinching myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. 'Not only was the quality exceptional but many of the coins before me were of types not known to have been offered for sale in over 80 years and, in some cases, completely unrecorded.'
