Stephen Album has a stunning auction coming up to start 2022 with over 3000 lots coming through the auction block. Spread over 4 auction days, the auctioneer is presenting Ancient & Islamic Coins, Indian & Chinese Coins, a selection of World Coins as well as Ethnographic material. The first three days are running live auctions and the sale wraps up with an internet only session on January 23rd. Register and place absentee bids now and be part of the action during auction week.
Here is the full auction schedule and breakdown:
THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2022
Session A | 09:00 PST | Lots 1-316 | Ancient & Islamic Part I
Session B | 14:00 PST | Lots 317-855 | Islamic Part II & India & China
FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 2022
Session C | 09:00 PST | Lots 856-1177 | World Coins Part I
Session D | 15:00 PST | Lots 1178-1741 | World Coins Part II & Ethnographic
SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022
Session E | 10:00 PST | Lots 1742-2324 | Internet-Only Lots Part I
SUNDAY, JANUARY 23, 2022
Session F | 10:00 PST | Lots 2325-3200 | Internet-Only Lots Part II & Group Lots
Here are some great examples of what you can find at the auction:
Lot 239 – ABBASID OF YEMEN: al-Muti’, 946-974, AV reduced weight dinar (1.88g), Madinat ‘Adan, AH334, VF
ABBASID OF YEMEN: al-Muti’, 946-974, AV reduced weight dinar (1.88g), Madinat ‘Adan, AH334, A-1062A, Zeno-269316 (this piece), standard Abbasid legends, without reference to the “amiri” denomination; slightly bent; known only from a small group posted on Zeno, where it is assigned to the Ma’nid dynasty, VF, RRRR. None on CoinArchives, and probably never previously offered at auction.
Lot 728 – KWEICHOW: AR dollar, year 17 (1928), NGC AU53
KWEICHOW: Republic, AR dollar, year 17 (1928), Y-428, L&M-610, “auto dollar” type, variety with three grass blades, a bold lustrous strike! NGC graded AU53. Chou Hsi-ch’eng (Zhou Xicheng) was the provincial warlord and governor of Kweichow (Guizhou) from 1926 to 1929. During his brief tenure, he focused heavily on education and modernizing the province through public works, and was responsible for the province’s first machine-struck coin. This fascinating issue commemorates the completion of the Kweichow Provincial Highway, the first modern roadway in the mountainous and impoverished province. It went north and west from Kweiyang (Guiyang), spanning some 220 kilometers. An American engineer, O.J. Todd, who assisted in the project, wrote a book about his work in China that included photographs of Governor Chou and his car, an American model purchased in Canton. Due to Kweichow’s inaccessibility, the car had to be taken apart, carried on horseback, and reassembled. It was the first car in the province, and Chou would often drive it around the capital city, drawing huge crowds. So when he decided to mint Kweichow’s own silver dollar (on machinery looted by his soldiers from the Chungking Mint according to Bruce Smith), it was an eccentric but appropriate choice to feature his prized personal automobile on the road he built. If you look carefully, you can see his personal name of Hsi-ch’eng (reading from right to left) hidden among the grass.
Lot 1110 – HEJAZ: AV dinar hashimi, (Mecca), AH1334 year 8, NGC MS62
HEJAZ: al-Husayn b. ‘Ali, 1916-1924, AV dinar hashimi, Makka al-Mukarrama (Mecca), AH1334 year 8, KM-32, “King of Arab Lands” type, NGC graded MS62, RRRR. To our knowledge, only four pieces bearing the legend “Malik al-Bilad al ‘Arabiya” (“King of the Lands of Arabia”) are known today. It is said that this regal legend claiming sovereignty over the Lands of Arabia outraged other Arab leaders, in particular King ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, then ruler of the Nejd. In order to placate his critics, al-Husayn b. ‘Ali ordered that the offending legend be amended to “The Renaissance of the Lands of Arabia”. This is the highest graded by either PCGS or NGC and is likely the finest known example of this extremely rare type!
With over3200 lots to view and bid, bidders can enjoy a great week leading up to the auction. All items are online with photos and descriptions. You can call them at 707-539-2120 or email them at info@stevealbum.com.
About The Auctioneer
Stephen Album Rare Coins is a numismatic auctioneer and retail company, founded by Stephen Album in 1976. Our firm is widely considered to have some of the top experts in the world for Indian, Islamic, Chinese and other Asian coinage. In addition we carry coins from all time periods including Ancient coins, European coins and coins of the Americas. Three major auctions are held each year in January, May and September. Smaller online auctions are held each month in addition to the larger auctions. We also have items on our website for direct sale, and set up at numerous coin conventions around the world.
The company attends many of the world`s major numismatic conventions, including:
- American Numismatic Association`s World`s Fair of Money
- Central States Numismatic Association (previously CICF)
- Coinex London
- Florida United Numismatists (FUN)
- Hong Kong Coin Show
- Hong Kong International Numismatic Fair
- Long Beach Expo
- New York International Numismatic Convention
- NUMISMATA München
- Shukla Day Coin & Philately Fair in Mumbai
- Tokyo International Coin Convention
- US-Mex Convention in Arizona
- Whitman Coin & Collectibles Expos in Baltimore
Stephen Album began as a full time dealer in numismatics in 1976. The firm grew in 1981 when Norman D. Nicol joined the firm as Stephen’s full time assistant. In 2001 Joseph Lang joined the firm and became a full partner in 2004. The firm has grown considerably since Michael Barry joined the firm in 2008, and in 2010 the company moved to a new much larger office in Santa Rosa, California. The addition of Paul Montz as partner in 2011 broadened the firm’s scope to include more machine struck coins of Europe and Latin America. The years since then have seen steady growth and record-setting prices in the firm’s thrice-yearly auctions.
If you are interested in selling or consigning your collection to us, please contact either Steve or Joe at info@stevealbum.com. We can offer very competitive terms.
