News

Results of the last sale - 6th June 2008

As usual, over 50 people were in the room for the June 3rd Croydon auction. Bidding activity was so brisk that the usual speed of 300 lots an hour was reduced to 250. There were quantities of mixed lots which, although generally low grade, brought far more interest and money than anticipated. Again, there were more people wanting to buy than coins available, even though there were 1067 lots, which shows that interest in coins is still remarkably high despite the gloom which we read about in the financial sections of the newspapers. The most notable example was a lot of 124 tokens, tickets etc which sold for £700 against an estimate of £300. 40 low grade Victorian copper 1/2ds sold at £150 against an estimate of £80.

A halfcrown of 1689 (ESC 508) graded AEF-EF sold for £650 in an American grading service slab which claimed that the coin was AU. Another 1689 (ESC 511)graded AEF sold for £700 in a slab claiming to be EF. Most of the modern gold sold in line with expectations, but there were opportunities to buy sovereigns and ½ sovereigns at relatively modest prices. Croydon have had a number of Maundy collections in the last few sales, and this was reflected in a rather sluggish performance in this section, with a number of lots not sold. Most of these did find a new home in the few days after the sale. Several people, slightly disappointed by not being able to buy as much as they would like were searching through the realisation list for any unsolds that they could buy.

Next sale is 2nd September, including the Alan Bartlett collection of English milled, and an interesting group of war medals.