The January 2024 New York International Numismatic Convention (NYINC) Auction was a great success for Stack’s Bowers Galleries with prices realized totaling nearly $13 million. Remarkable results were achieved across a wide range of specialties, including the session offering Spanish Colonial Cuartillos from the Emilio M. Ortiz Collection. Featuring a vast array of ¼ Real issues spanning the entire period of Spanish colonial power, the sale included many rarities and unique offerings. Fierce bidding from numerous specialist collectors resulted in impressive prices at the live auction in New York City. (All prices include the buyer’s fee.)
The standout was a stunning, extremely rare overstruck issue from Santo Domingo that featured clear details from both the undertype and overstrike and realized $15,600. The catalog’s many Venezuelan rarities also generated great enthusiasm, exemplified by pieces such as the copper Guayana ¼ Real graded NGC AU-55, which far overperformed expectations landing at $7,800, and the 1805 Caracas ¼ Real graded NGC EF-45 that sold for $6,600.
Possibly the most unusual and unique piece in the sale, the Potosi Cob 2 Reales overstruck with milled Cuartillo dies, attracted competitive bids and brought $10,800. The extremely rare 1822 Guatemalan ¼ Real made its auction debut selling for $7,800, the highest price recorded for any Cuartillo from that mint. The collection’s Filipino coins achieved noteworthy results, with items such as the 1830-F Quarto in NGC EF-45 realizing $5,520 and the interesting backward-dated “2281” Quarto in NGC VF-35 reaching $5,280.
Colombian Cuartillos were led by a stunning Cartagena issue in NGC MS-64 that sold for $8,400 while a charming Cob from Bogota graded NGC VF-35 reached $4,080, reflecting its great rarity. The milled issues performed well, with a seldom-seen Popayan Cuartillo in NGC AU-58 smashing past its estimate to sell for $5,760 and an anepigraphic issue from Bogota in NGC MS-62 bringing $5,040.
This landmark sale demonstrates Stack’s Bowers Galleries’ commitment to the meticulous cataloging and attention to detail demanded by such a highly specialized collection, as well as their place as a global leader for Latin American numismatic rarities. The firm now looks forward to presenting the second part of the Emilio Ortiz Collection, focused on Latin American Cuartillos from the Republic era, at their August 2024 Global Showcase Auction. To consign your ancient coins, world coins, and world paper money to the August auction or another upcoming Stack’s Bowers Galleries event, visit StacksBowers.com, call 800-458-4646, or email Consign@StacksBowers.com.
Additional highlights from the Stack’s Bowers Galleries 2024 NYINC sale of the Emilio M. Ortiz Collection:
PERU. Cob 1/4 Real, ND (ca. 1568-70)-R. Lima Mint. Philip II. NGC AU Details–Environmental Damage. – $6,000.
PERU. Cob 1/4 Real, ND (ca. 1577-88)-P Do. Lima Mint. Philip II. NGC EF-45. – $3,840.
PERU. 1/4 Real, 1794-LIMAE IJ. Lima Mint. Charles IV. NGC MS-62. – $6,000.
BOLIVIA. 1/4 Real, ND (ca. 1789-95). Potosi Mint. Charles IV. NGC MS-65. – $3,840.
MEXICO. 1/4 Tlaco (1/8 Real), 1814-Mo. Mexico City Mint. Ferdinand VII. NGC MS-63 Brown. – $3,360.
PHILIPPINES. Quarto, 1823-F. Manila Mint. Ferdinand VII. NGC F-15. – $4,560.
CHILE. 1/4 Real, 1792-So. Santiago Mint. Charles IV. NGC AU-53. – $3,120.
About Stack’s Bowers Galleries
Stack’s Bowers Galleries conducts live, Internet and specialized auctions of rare U.S. and world coins and currency and ancient coins, as well as direct sales through retail and wholesale channels. The company’s nearly 90-year legacy includes the cataloging and sale of many of the most valuable United States coin and currency collections to ever cross an auction block — The D. Brent Pogue Collection, The John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection, The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Collection, The Joel R. Anderson Collection, The Norweb Collection, The Cardinal Collection, The Sydney F. Martin Collection and The Battle Born Collection — to name just a few. World coin and currency collections include The Pinnacle Collection, The Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. Collection of World Gold Coins, The Kroisos Collection, The Alicia and Sidney Belzberg Collection, The Salton Collection, The Wa She Wong Collection, and The Thos. H. Law Collection.
The company is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, with galleries in New York, Boston and Philadelphia. Offices are also located in New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia, Hong Kong, Paris and Vancouver. Stack’s Bowers Galleries hosts an annual Global Showcase in August featuring United States coins and currency, Ancient coins and World coins and currency in its Costa Mesa auction gallery. They are also the Official Auctioneer for several important numismatic events, including the New York International Numismatic Convention, the Whitman Coin & Collectibles Spring, Summer and Winter Expos, the Spring and Fall Hong Kong shows, and the Maastricht Paper Money Shows.
