Lockdown Brings Increased Interest In International Coin Auction

There has been strong interest in the international numismatic auction planned for Friday March 12 in Central Wellington. From a midday start, there will be more than 600 lots to auction, with participants bidding both in the room and online.

David Galt, director of coins, medals and banknotes at Mowbray Collectables believes the weeks of Covid Lockdown in 2020 gave people time to research collectable items and re-visit the hobby of collecting unique coins or banknotes. “With a bit of spare time people have been taking the time to find out more about family medals and coins which they may have access to” David Galt says. “We are seeing more collectors now, and they are from all demographics”.

The public event, being held at West Plaza Hotel will feature large collections from coin enthusiasts in Auckland, Mid-Canterbury and Hawkes Bay plus military medals from a private collection.

A New Zealand Fifty Pound note from 1940 – 55 has an estimate of $2000 on it, due to both its rarity and condition and the fact that it represented several month’s working wage at that time. A run of five, pristine New Zealand Two-Dollar banknotes all incorrectly printed with different serial numbers on the same side are expected to attract a lot of interest.

There will also be coins on offer from Ancient Greece, Judaea and Rome, making up 38 of the lots to auction. One is a coin of Brutus, the infamous assassin of Julius Caesar, dating from 54BC. “Whilst this is not unusual in numismatic terms, it is truly amazing that people in New Zealand now can hold and see up close these silver and bronze lots that have survived 2000 years” David Galt says.

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