FORT LEE, N.J. –  Archives International Auction’s “50th Milestone Auction” held on December 3rd & 4th, 2018 was highlighted by a 1917 Imperial Russian Government 4% Savings Bond Specimen estimated at $400 to $600 and hammering for $12,810 smashing all previous records for Russian Specimen bonds on December 3rd, 2018, the first day of a two day sale, held at the historic Collectors Club in New York City.  

The 1917 Russian Savings Bond was the top lot in an auction packed with more than 1,150 lots of rare and highly collectible Chinese, U.S. and Worldwide Banknotes, Scripophily and important Autographs and Historic Ephemera. The Dec. 3rd session featured nearly 478 lots of U.S. & World Scripophily, U.S. & Chinese Banknotes, Worldwide Banknotes and security printing ephemera. The second day of the sale, on Dec. 4th, had 682 lots of rare banknotes, scripophily and ephemera. All prices include a 22% Buyer’s premium.

“Our December “Milestone” auction was a major success, with many lots hammering for record prices,” said Dr. Robert Schwartz, president of Archives International Auctions. “We’re now looking forward to our upcoming winter auctions to be held in early February and mid-March, featuring hundreds of rare and desirable banknotes, scripophily and historic ephemera items including numerous outstanding consignments and old-time collections.”

The December 3rd session started out with early U.S. stock certificates highlighted by a 1798 Bank of Baltimore stock certificate hammering for $488 followed by future modern classics such as a rare Specimen 1973 Berkshire Hathaway Inc. stock certificate with a Warren Buffet Facsimile signature selling for $488 and an Amazon specimen stock certificate with a facsimile Jeff Bezos signature garnering $550. Three different World War I Canadian 1917 War Bonds hammered $1160, $670, and $1040 bids respectively. Worldwide scripophily included numerous early European as well as New World classic scripophily. A Cuban, 1791 Accion De La Real Compania De La Habana bond sailed away for $2,200; a Danish West Indies Company 1778 issued bond sold for $1,220; a Puerto Rico 1876 Treasury Bond for Indemnification of Slave Owners hammered for $1,464; Spanish Scripophily was highlighted by 3 different classic share certificates, a 1740, Real Compania de San Fernando de Seville; a 1758, Real Compania de Comercio Establecida en Barcelona; and a 1763 Comercio de Los Cinco Gremios Mayores de Madrid, hammering for $2,806; $3,965; and $3,965 respectively; and additionally, a historic 1717 Muscovy Trading Company bond rarity hammered for an impressive $2,806. This was one of the largest offerings of classic scripophily to take place in the U.S. in over 20 years.

U.S. Scripophily was highlighted by a Michigan, 1845 Mackinac and Lake Superior Copper Company mining stock certificate rarity hammering for $2,930; and an 1873, First National Gold Bank of Santa Barbara stock which was captured for $1,525. Security Printing Ephemera was highlighted by a James D. Smille engraved and signed india paper proof of a Portrait of A.B. Durand hammering for $900.  Autographs were highlighted by a 1902 hand written letter by Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) that hammered for $1,320; and a Little Miami Rail Road Company stock certificate from 1854 ITASB Daniel Drew hammering for $1,525. U.S. Obsolete banknotes, type notes and National Banknotes were highlighted by a $5, Yale National Bank of New Haven Connecticut, 1902 PB hammering for a respectable $3,965; A lovely New Jersey, Bank of Jersey City 1856 Obsolete proof note hammered for $1,280; and a Bronx National Bank of the City of NY, 1902 PB rarity hammered for $3,170.

World notes were highlighted by an Australia, 1941 Camp Seven Bank Hay Interment Camp scrip note hammering for $4,880; A 1905 DWI, National Bank of the Danish West Indies $100 Proof hammering for $3,290; and a rare and possibly unique Colombia Specimen Banknote trio from Medellin, Senores Fernando Restrepo & Hijos, all ND (1893) issues hammering for a total of $2,970 to the same astute buyer.

The first day ended with a significant offering 128 lots of rare China and Hong Kong Banknotes and Chinese Scripophily. The highlight of the China section was a Hong Kong, Mercantile Bank of India, 1941, $5 Banknote hammering for $5,185. Additional highlights included a Harbin, Hulunbeier Business Bank 1919 Scrip Note Trio that hammered for $3,050 after vigorous bidding; a ND (1912) Chinese National Pacification Army Issue note hammered for $1,080; a Peoples Bank of China, 1950 Face & Back proofs hammering for $2,160; and a 1919 Shanghai issue, American-Oriental Bank $5 proof face and back hammering for $1,740. There are too many additional highlights to list them all, but overall the auction was very impressive with many high and record prices achieved. 

The second day featured hundreds of moderate priced Banknotes and Scripophily with close to 60% selling. The highlight of the day was an 1857 Polish bond written in Russian and printed on Velum that hammered for $1,950. U.S., Mexico and World scripophily proved very popular with Mexico making a strong showing with considerable active bidding between the internet and floor bidders. The auction ended with 25 lots from the American Banknote Commemorative Inventory of modern souvenir, banknote, philatelic and vignette cards with 84% selling.

Future online catalogs for the upcoming February and March 2019 sales will be placed on the Archives International Auctions website in mid-January and can be viewed via the Archives International live bidding platform. They can also be viewed as a virtual catalog or downloadable .pdf, which can be found on the firm’s website once the sale is listed.  To pre-register for live event internet bidding, visit www.ArchivesInternational.com. 

Archives International Auctions is currently seeking quality consignments for future auctions and is looking for U.S. and worldwide banknotes, coins, stocks, bonds, stamps, postal history, historic ephemera, autographs, and documents to buy outright. Please email them to be placed on their email auction updates and for special offers. To sell or consign one piece or an entire collection, please call AIA at (201) 944-4800; or e-mail them at info@archivesinternational.com.

You may also write to Archives International Auctions, at 1580 Lemoine Ave., Suite #7, Fort Lee, NJ 07024 U.S.A. To learn more about Archives International Auctions and the two-session winter auctions planned for February 7th and 8th, 2017, log on to www.ArchivesInternational.com.