I just got my catalog for Stack's "The 52 Collection" auction coming up June 29 in NYC. If you have not seen this yet, I recommend you buy a copy of the catalog -- it will most certainly be a reference on par with the 1990 Christie's catalog of the ABNCo Archive auction. In fact many of the items listed here first came to light in that earlier auction. There is something for everyone here: proofs of obsolete notes, colonials, vignette proofs, nationals, fractionals, bank note advertising pieces, and -- take note Darryl -- a number of actual printing plates for banknotes and vignettes. There are even original intaglio worksheets used as reference by Cyril Durand in the 1850s. And a couple Republic of Hawaii proofs with *reverses* which I have never seen before. I'll post some of the items that caught my eye, but if you have any interest in the art of engraving, you should sign up with Stack's (even if you don't plan to bid) and get a look at this auction online. It's like a candy store for bank note fanatics. Here's the URL -- http://www.stacks.com/Auction/Detail/630 Our New York City contingent ought to consider attending this one, I'll bet it will be great fun even as a spectator. If anyone can figure out where they came up with the auction title, then you're a smarter man than me.
A few more fantastical items from The 52 Collection, including a couple from the Cyrus Durand work book. Feast your eyes!
She's a beauty, isn't she? That's the U.S. Mail Ship Illinois, christened in 1851. The vignette was engraved around 1857. It also appears on an obsolete note from Brunswick, Georgia that was reprinted on a 1995 ABNCo souvenir card. I did some research on steamship vignettes I could post if anyone is interested.
That $20 Hawaii note is really something else! Any idea what final sale price will be? Reserve is $2000. http://www.stacks.com/Lot/ItemDetail/217467
They are actually offering a pair of Hawaii $20 proofs, fronts and backs, both gold and silver certificates. Here is the latter. The estimate is $5,000-$7,000 on each. These are so rare and desirable I wouldn't be surprised if they realized more than the estimate.
Beautiful as well. I'm not a paper man by any means, but I tell ya, if I had the money to do so, those notes would be the centerpieces of my entire numismatic collection.
There are a number of souvenir cards of these Hawaii notes printed by ABNCo from the original plates. If you have a little time scroll through the thread below to see them. You can generally find these on eBay for $10-15 apiece. A little less than these auction prices. http://www.cointalk.com/t94663-2/
This one brought less than I would have expected: $4,887.50 which includes the 15% buyer's premium. The Hawaiian silver certificate did not sell, which really surprised me. I'll post some of the other prices realized. I'm just going through them now.
Here are a few tidbits. There were so many cool items you really have to thumb through the catalog or go online. These prices include the buyer's premium: Lot 5475 $100 Legal Tender proof - $6,900 Lot 5484 $50 Interest bearing note proof - $5,462.50 Lot 5496 $5 Educational note proof - $18,400 Lot 5351 "Angels" vignette proof - $517.50 (one of my favorite vignettes) Lot 5609 $13 Merchant's Bank proof - $7,475
Peter if you are tracking this thread, can you tell me why the images only show up on the post as links, not pictures? This is the first time I've loaded anything on the new CT platform so maybe I'm not doing something right.
