The Eldorado Collection
of Colombian Coins and Paper Money, to be offered in two auction catalogs, is the
finest ever cataloged and represents an important event in Latin American
numismatics. The Eldorado Collection is so sweeping in scope, that these catalogs
are only the initial offerings, featuring many of the rarest and highest grade
selections from this epic cabinet. Stack’s Bowers Galleries is pleased to be
showcasing the first installment of this collection as part of their official
auction January 11-13, 2018, during the New York International Convention at
the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City. The January offering of the Eldorado
Collection shepherds together many of the most notable highlights from this
wide-ranging cabinet, an accomplishment that was many decades in the making.
The coins span
chronologically from the very first gold coin of the New World — the 1622 2
Escudos struck in Cartagena, a historic masterpiece of global importance — to
modern issues of the Bogotá Mint. In the 350 years of history these coins
bookend, a nation blossomed, from colony, through fits and starts of several
republican (and not so republican) governments, to a modern power. The earliest
coins represent some of the first treasure taken from the ground by representatives
of the Spanish crown, while those of the 19th century show a nation whose
wealth made it a player in world trade, and a home to growing cities and grand
aspirations.
This remarkable
historical legacy is written in gold and, to a lesser but still important
extent, silver. The vast majority of the coins in this offering are gold: onzas
from colonial days and their later descendants, patterns of European
workmanship and great beauty, and smaller denominations intended not for world
trade, but local circulation. The silver coins here are all from Colombia’s
colonial beginnings: a world class collection of cobs, from Cuartillos to 8
Reales; rare Pillar types; and an extensive run of portrait coins depicting
Carlos III and Carlos IV, including many struck during the reign of Ferdinand
VII.
The paper money, featured
in its own sale catalog, 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, cataloged and 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. This is especially true of previously
unlisted types that were discovered in the Archives of the American Bank Note
Company, sold by Christie’s initially on November 28-29, 1990. Nearly all 66
Colombia lots enumerated in that “Leo” moniker catalog (including two immense
and unique record books) were obtained at the sale by Eldorado’s architect, who
recognized their immense research importance and the opportunity to expand the
collection’s scope in the span of a few hours.
Lot viewing will be
available at the Stack’s Bowers Galleries Santa Ana office before the sale, 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.
And of course no
announcement would be complete without a reminder that when you are ready to
sell, Stack’s Bowers Galleries is your source for auction. The firm offers
professional handling of your collection, with a proven track record of
accomplished sales. Currently, they are accepting consignments for their 2018
auction program of live gallery sales and internet auctions. Contact a
consignment specialist at 949-253-0916 or via email at info@StacksBowers.com.
