Stamp-coin auction nets $1m-plus

The weekend’s international stamp and coin auctions saw brisk bidding both at the downtown Wellington venue and online, realising over $1 million in sales.

It was the first time both auction events had live online bidding available, and auctioneer John Mowbray, of Mowbray Collectables, says “whilst the online aspect has now become an integral part of these auction events, the showing of people in the room demonstrates that some of the keen bidders still prefer to have the advantage of being able to closely inspect what they’re buying”.

Almost 600 lots of coins, banknotes and medals were on offer on day one and 769 lots of stamps were auctioned on the second day.

Mowbray’s director of coins, banknotes and medals, David Galt, noticed strong interest in NZ military badges, “some of the hard-to-get military badges were sold for up to four times their pre-auction estimate”. One of New Zealand’s $5 notes issued in the weeks following the change to decimal currency in the winter of 1967 sold for $380.

“Our sale of the day would have to be the 1939 South African eight-coin proof set — one of just 30 produced — it went to an overseas bidder for $32,700, about 70 per cent above its pre-auction estimate.”