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Wednesday, 18th November 2009 (3484 views)

Some "exceptionally rare" gold coins and medals are set to go on sale in New York next month.

The event on December 3rd will be the first auction of rare coins and banknotes to be held by Bonhams New York and will feature 400 lots dating from 1692 to the early 21st century.

The 1796 gold $10 is expected to be one of most sought-after lots in the sale. Dating from the earliest years of regularly issued coins in the United States, this "exceptionally rare" piece is expected to fetch between $65,000 and $75,000 (£38,603 and $44,542).

Another rare coin on offer is the 1915 $50 Panama-Pacific Round. Issued to commemorate the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco, California, this piece has been in high demand since the 1920s.

The exposition marked the completion of the Panama Canal and the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the Pacific Ocean by the explorer Balboa.

Featuring the helmet head of Minerva on one side and an owl on the other, the Panama-Pacific Round is the largest official coin ever produced by the US Mint. This extremely rare piece is expected to go under the hammer for between $50,000 and $60,000.

Elsewhere, the sale will include a Captain Robert Dexter Conrad Gold Medal for Scientific Achievement. This unique piece was awarded to Dr Harry Hoogstraal in 1971 for his pioneering research into diseases including malaria.

 

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