Treasure Auction #7: Daniel F. Sedwick, LLC

Auction Details

- SESSION I (Wednesday, April 7, 2pm EDT) Gold coins, shipwreck ingots and coins. > (Lots #1-699)

- SESSION II (Thursday, April 8, 2pm EDT) Silver cobs, world silver up to Mexico. > (Lots #700-1451)

- SESSION III (Friday, April 9, 2pm EDT) World silver coins starting w/Mexico, artifacts & books. > (Lots #1452-2160)


As usual our latest Treasure Auction is full of surprises, but this time we feel it is also very well balanced across many fields, with more general world coins than ever before. Here are some highlights:

In great deference to the Sedwick patriarch, for the first time ever we are offering selections from the Frank Sedwick study collection of 1715-Fleet gold cobs, including plate coins from past editions of the Practical Book of Cobs and other pieces never seen or offered for sale, coins that the pioneering “Dr. Cobs” kept as the best examples among thousands that passed through his hands. The unique opportunity to own a “Frank Sedwick” specimen will start in this auction with just two 1715-Fleet masterpieces: The finest-known Lima 4 escudos 1711 and one of the best Lima 8 escudos 1712 ever offered.

In the same category of quality as Frank Sedwick’s 1715-Fleet gold cobs is a choice Cuzco cob 2 escudos 1698, a plate coin in Marty Meylach’s classic book Diving to a Flash of Gold.

But perhaps most intriguing in the gold cobs this time is a 1715-Fleet Mexican 1 escudo that was flown aboard Apollo 14 in 1971, the only one of its kind. Before this specially engraved coin came to us, we had no idea that the Apollo astronauts included genuine shipwreck treasure in their “flown” souvenirs on their trips to the moon, but apparently the link between NASA and the Real Eight Co. was more than just geographic. We have come to understand that medallions made of 1715-Fleet silver flown to the moon are very hot with space collectors, who will no doubt go crazy for this genuine coin as well, but perhaps the treasure collectors will win out in the end.

Highlights in shipwreck silver coins include large offerings of lion daalders from the Campen (1627), Potosí cobs from the Consolación (1681) and the Boticaria site of the 1681 Fleet off Panama (first-ever offering, also with some artifacts, with updated history), and hundreds of choice (and some interestingly shaped) 1715-Fleet Mexican cobs from the estate of Karl H. Goodpaster (Real Eight Co. conservator), as well as hundreds of Mexican cobs from the Rooswijk (1739). The Goodpaster collection in particular will be fun to watch, as nothing is hotter today than Fleet silver cobs!

In the non-wreck cobs sections we feature the John Pullin collection of over 150 choice, dated Mexican silver cobs, in addition to Part II of the Mark Bir collection of cobs from Mexico, Lima and Potosi. Also highlighted are the mints of Panama and Santo Domingo, as we feature several Santo Domingo SILVER and copper coins of Charles-Joanna AND Philip II (yes, you read that right) in addition to THREE Panamanian silver cobs (half, 1 and 2 reales), following the record-setting prices for such coins in our last sale. Our Spain-cobs section has an abundance of Ferdinand-Isabel coins in all denominations, including a set once featured in the PLVS VLTRA newsletter. One last surprise: the Louis Hudson collection of zoomorphic cobs. You won’t want to miss it!

The world silver coins section this time is massive, featuring the John Pullin collection of Mexican War for Independence silver coins (just in time for this year’s Bicentennial of Mexican Independence), Mark Bir’s milled Spanish colonial coins (various mints) and a HUGE section on all periods of Venezuelan coins (over 100 coins), in addition to many other Latin American countries.

Before we get to the artifacts, let’s just say there is a wealth of gold and silver (and even copper) shipwreck ingots too, both Spanish and Dutch (VOC), including the world's ONLY gold-bar clump! This museum-piece features twin, complete bars (each over 1 kilogram and 10+” long) fused in near parallel by white coral, just the way they were found on the “Golden Fleece wreck” of ca. 1550.

And then our trademark and exclusive, shipwreck artifacts: This time we will have a genuine bronze astrolabe, the most complete and intact one we have ever handled, fully dated 1656 and well detailed, solid and stable, alidade intact, one of fewer than 80 pieces known and among the best from any wreck. We are also showcasing the famous gold box from the ca.-1810 “Coconut wreck,” the single most important item found in this deep-water salvage venture, as it contained 13 gold coins (a Spanish dowry known as an arras) wrapped in an 1809 newspaper talking about sales of slaves… and yes, the intact newspaper comes with it! There is also a genuine gold chain and massive silver candlestick from the Atocha, emeralds from many different wrecks, swords, flintlocks, and much, much more.

It’s over a million dollars’ worth of treasure all in one place, and any part of it can be yours for the high bid… we wish everyone good luck and happy hunting!

- A note about the order: As the world’s leading purveyors of New World cobs and shipwreck coins, we have always separated and highlighted our cob and shipwreck offerings from the rest of what we sell. We have preserved that arrangement in our auctions as well, with cobs presented in order of establishment of each mint (the rare and unusual mints at the end) and the shipwreck coins, ingots and artifacts presented in chronological order by wreck.

All items are genuine unless noted. Most shipwreck coins and artifacts come with a certificate of authenticity (please check the description for each item). By bidding in this auction you understand and agree to the Terms and Conditions posted here.
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Brass spoon with ornate design.1892 - Brass spoon with ornate design.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Brass spoon with ornate design. 30.9 grams, 6-1/4" long. Unmarked but fully intact spoon with ornate floral design engraved on bottom of bowl,...
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Estimate : 50.00 - 75.00
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Pewter inkwell.1893 - Pewter inkwell.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Pewter inkwell. 671 grams, 2-5/8" x 2-1/4" x 2-3/4". Wonderfully intact artifact, a neat cube with central cup surrounded by holes a...
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Estimate : 200.00 - 300.00
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Pewter candlestick holder.1894 - Pewter candlestick holder.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Pewter candlestick holder. 272 grams, about 4-1/2" x 4" x 3-1/2". Square base with integrated upright portion, intact except for sma...
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Estimate : 40.00 - 60.00
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Pewter ingot cut in half.1895 - Pewter ingot cut in half.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Pewter ingot cut in half. 15 lb 6 oz, 9-1/4" x 4-3/8" x 2-1/2". A heavy half-ingot, cast like a silver "torta" and very si...
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Estimate : 80.00 - 120.00
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Small pewter pitcher, encrusted.1896 - Small pewter pitcher, encrusted.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Small pewter pitcher, encrusted. 259 grams, 4-1/2" tall and 3" in diameter. Fundamentally intact (and very cute!) but with holes and encr...
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Estimate : 50.00 - 75.00
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Lot of 2 large bronze bowls.1897 - Lot of 2 large bronze bowls.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Lot of 2 large bronze bowls. 1094 grams total, each about 11-1/2" wide and 3" tall. Two large, thin-walled bowls (one circular and one ov...
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Estimate : 70.00 - 100.00
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Bronze ship's bell.1898 - Bronze ship's bell.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Bronze ship's bell. About 23 lb, 10" tall and 9" in diameter. Bells from shipwrecks are in same category of price and importance (mor...
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Estimate : 2,500.00 - 3,750.00
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Bronze mortar and pestle.1899 - Bronze mortar and pestle.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Bronze mortar and pestle. 14 lb total, the mortar 6-1/2" in diameter and 4-3/4" tall, the pestle 9-1/4" long. A large, flat-bottomed...
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Estimate : 350.00 - 500.00
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Brass pestle.1900 - Brass pestle.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Brass pestle. 564 grams, 8-1/4" long. Solid brass bar with rounded end for mashing medicines or spices (for example) in a mortar, the other en...
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Estimate : 60.00 - 90.00
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Lot of 3 brass candlestick parts.1901 - Lot of 3 brass candlestick parts.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Lot of 3 brass candlestick parts. 402 grams total, diameters around 4-1/2". Two large bases (one round and tall, darkly toned and encrusted in...
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Estimate : 150.00 - 225.00
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Set of 4 brass nested weights.1902 - Set of 4 brass nested weights.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Set of 4 brass nested weights. 363 grams, 2" in diameter and 1-1/4" tall overall. A plain and incomplete set of cup-weights that nest one...
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Estimate : 200.00 - 300.00
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Brass navigational dividers.1903 - Brass navigational dividers.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Brass navigational dividers. 35.3 grams, 4-3/8" long. Impressively intact, even with one point still sharp (the tip of the other broken), with...
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Estimate : 400.00 - 600.00
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Lot of 4 clumps of brass pins and thimbles.1904 - Lot of 4 clumps of brass pins and thimbles.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Lot of 4 clumps of brass pins and thimbles. 93 grams total. Four attractive lumps of whitish, shelly encrustation with pins sticking out and several
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Estimate : 100.00 - 150.00
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Pair of small brass cannonballs (rare).1905 - Pair of small brass cannonballs (rare).
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Pair of small brass cannonballs (rare). 1612 grams total, each about 2-1/3" in diameter. First examples we have seen of SMALL cannonballs in b...
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Estimate : 400.00 - 600.00
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Bronze musketball mold (rare) with 7 lead musketballs.1906 - Bronze musketball mold (rare) with 7 lead musketballs.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Bronze musketball mold (rare) with 7 lead musketballs. 950 grams total, the mold 3-3/8" x 2-5/8" x 1". This small mold is the first ...
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Estimate : 150.00 - 225.00
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Earthenware olive jar (spherical).1907 - Earthenware olive jar (spherical).
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Earthenware olive jar (spherical). 7 lb 2 oz, 10-1/2" tall and 8-1/2" in diameter. Fully intact, with somewhat greenish (and lustrous) su...
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Estimate : 250.00 - 375.00
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Cinnabar mineral.1908 - Cinnabar mineral.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Cinnabar mineral. 230 grams, roughly 2-1/4" x 2" x 1". A sizable chunk of scarlet-color mineral of striated texture, known as the pr...
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Estimate : 60.00 - 90.00
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Small section of sturdy cloth with design (rare).1909 - Small section of sturdy cloth with design (rare).
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Small section of sturdy cloth with design (rare). 5.1 grams, 4-1/2" long. Thick, brownish burlap with some dark design, just a small section b...
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Estimate : 50.00 - 75.00
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Rack of 6 lead "half" musketballs from mold.1910 - Rack of 6 lead "half" musketballs from mold.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Rack of 6 lead "half" musketballs from mold. 157.4 grams, 5-1/2" x 1-1/8". Six large musketball halves in their original mold, ...
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Estimate : 50.00 - 75.00
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Lot of lead musketballs and "half" musketballs in racks (from mold) plus lead bottle cap.1911 - Lot of lead musketballs and "half" musketballs in racks (from mold) plus lead bottle cap.
Daniel Frank Sedwick, LLC
Lot of lead musketballs and "half" musketballs in racks (from mold) plus lead bottle cap. 162 grams total. Fascinating items showing how ...
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Estimate : 50.00 - 75.00
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