Stack’s Bowers Galleries
will be showcasing the first installment of The Eldorado Collection of
Colombian Coins and Paper Money as part of their official auction January
11-13, 2018 during the New York International Numismatic Convention at the
Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City. The Eldorado Collection, offered in two
auction catalogs, is an important auction event in Latin American numismatics
and is the finest ever cataloged. These catalogs are the initial offerings that
feature many of the rarest and highest grade selections from this epic cabinet.
The paper money
presentation portrays the broadest view of this subject ever published in
English or Spanish. Commencing in 1819 and continuing to the present day are
countless note types, from the majority of known series and issuers, offered in
this and subsequent sales for the first time. The lot descriptions and their
accompanying full-color images often confirm rumored examples listed, but
unpriced, in the Standard Catalog of World Paper Money. Many are first
time individual offerings at public auction.
The collection includes a
pair of unlisted Billete de Tesorería notes printed on watermarked paper. The
Estados Unidos de Nueva Granada-Tesorería Jeneral issue is well represented
with three denominations. Printed on frail paper, their condition is superior
to most known to collectors.
The “Golden Age” of
Colombian paper money (1863-1886), was launched upon the contracts made with
the American Banknote Company in New York. Colombian notes from this quarter
century span are among the most beautifully engraved by the ABNCo. The Eldorado
Collection contains notes from nearly all these private issuers, including
those printed locally by D. Paredes, Bogotá.
Concurrent with the
issuance of the private “bancos,” commencing in the early 1880s, were notes
printed by the ABNCo. for the Banco Nacional. These “National Banknotes” were
backed by the federal authorities and this bank is the precursor of the current
banking system in Colombia. In addition to issuing its own notes, the bank
apparently acted as the clearinghouse for the private banks. Remainder notes
from several of these private banks were overprinted for the Banco Nacional in
Bogotá during the civil war, and the current sale includes the widest selection
of them cataloged individually in any auction sale.
American Edwin Kemmerer
had already worked with other Latin American economies when he was summoned to
work with the Banco de la República for Colombia. In 1923, the Law 25 created
the bank, which would authorize the Peso Oro on a gold standard, control
exchange rates, make loans and perform as a state bank. The 1923 Colombia
series and onward coincided with this law and are recorded in the second ABN
sale record book offered in this sale.
Lot viewing will be
available at the Stack’s Bowers Galleries Santa Ana office before the sale, as
well as in New York City in their offices at 123 West 57th Street
and on site at the Grand Hyatt Hotel immediately prior to the sale itself.
Check StacksBowers.com for specific dates and times. For more information
on bidding in this event, please contact ckarstedt@stacksbowers.com.
