Category Archives: Memorabilia

Holabird Western Americana Collections Presents Live Christmas Chronicles Auction – December 7th – 10th, 2023.




VIEW AND BID TODAY!

Check out this fantastic winter auction with over 4500 lots coming through the auction block. Spread over 4 auction days, the auctioneer is presenting their biggest sale of the year, the 2023 Christmas Chronicles! This December Auction is their Grand Finale of 2023 and they’ve included every collecting category as a Christmas Thank-You for their valued customers. All 4 days are live auctions and start at 8:00AM PST on all days.

Here are some great examples of what you can find at session 1 of the auction:

Lot 1047: Tucker Smith Limited Edition Framed Western Print “A Break” [161765]

Lot 1180: Boxwood Root Sculpture – Buddha and Coiled Dragon [172006]

Lot 1234: George’s Gulch, 1909 Gold Nugget Necklace and Nuggets [175990]

Lot 1235: Blue Montana Sapphire/Diamond Lady’s Ring Set (2 rings) [170154]

Lot 1260: Nez Perce Beaded Dress c1940 [172150]

Here are some great examples of what you can find at session 2 of the auction:

Lot 2001: Large Quartz Crystal Cluster, Exceptional (4′ x 4′) [175981]

Lot 2054: California Gold Rush Money Vest, c1850s [168004]

Lot 2090: Troemner Assay Balance, Encased, 12″ Beam [173119]

Lot 2147: CJ Arvidsson’s Assay Office Memorandum, Placerville 1868 [158071]

Lot 2153: Waters & Co. – Gold Receipt, rec’d from D.O. Mills & Co. RARE! 1859 [169231]

Here are some great examples of what you can find at session 3 of the auction:

Lot 3001: NFLPro Set 1991 Football Cards, 452 1991 [168824]

Lot 3008: Gans-Nelson Fight Film Reproduction 1906 [119712]

Lot 3021: MacQueen HoU.S. e Montana Territorial Token [173557]

Lot 3022: King & Ward/ Two Brothers Saloon Token [175845]

Lot 3035: Rocky Mountain Detective Agency Silver Badge [173762]

Here are some great examples of what you can find at session 4 of the auction:

Lot 4016: Great Cariboo GMC, Stock, 1915, Nuggets Galore! [173215]

Lot 4038: Empire Gold & Silver Mining Company Bond, Bodie 1864 [168001]

Lot 4044: Mokelumne and Campo Seco Canal & MC stock, 1859, Rare [173182]

Lot 4073: RARE Phoenix Gold Mining Company Stock, 1853 1853 [

Lot 4098: Rocky-Bar Mining Stock 1854 [160131]

With over 4500 lots to view and bid, bidders can enjoy a great selection in this auction.  All items are online with photos and descriptions.  You can call them at 778-851-1859 or email them at info@holabirdamericana.com.

About The Auctioneer

The Holabird name in the company title draws its roots from Fred Holabird, company advisor, co-founder and the fun spirited auctioneer we’ve come to know and love. Fred Holabird has been presenting Americana auctions in Reno since 1984. From 2006-2014 Fred managed Holabird-Kagin Americana and headed up the production team that produced dozens of fixed price and auction catalogs with sales in excess of 16 million.

In 2012 Mr. Holabird co-founded new company, HWAC, to fill the needs of Americana collectors looking for rare and unique collectibles below the minimum lot prices of most larger auction houses. The goal of the company was to put the fun back in collecting and bring an array of noteworthy collectibles to Americana aficionados with all budgets.

When Holabird-Kagin Americana closed the Reno office in 2014, HWAC expanded their operations into the former Holabird-Kagin building and now bring some of the best and rarest collectibles at all price points to meet the needs of collectors everywhere.

HWAC is devoted to bringing collectors only the greatest Western Americana rarities, with an emphasis on western Americana mining collectibles, gold rush collectibles and numismatics. Under the leadership and direction of Fred Holabird—and assisted by the hardworking Reno HWAC office—we combine our efforts to bring you a unique piece of western American history in every item we sell and in every catalog we publish. It is our goal to ensure our clients the most accurate, detailed item descriptions and well-researched, historically factual backgrounds.

We specialize in buying, selling, and appraising western Americana, numismatica (coins, ingots, banknotes), exonumia (pioneer minor coinage/trade tokens), western antiquities, and railroad/mining goods. Our auctions typically feature wide selections of coins, tokens, stocks certificates, documents, photographs, assay certificates, postcards and other antiques and collectibles relating to western history, numismatics and mining, dating from c.1800 to c.1930. We hold many Americana and numismatic auctions each year inclusive of some of the greatest rarities extant, working personally with our clients to help them build significant collections. We have become known for our well-researched histories on the mining companies, historical figures, and mining districts of the items we sell. Here at Holabird’s Western Americana Collections, we not only set record-breaking sales prices at our auctions, but we create legends.