NGSA Offers NGC-certified Vintage European Rarities Worth Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars

Vintage European gold rarities are among hundreds of coins certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company™ (NGC®) in auctions presented by Numismatica Genevensis SA in Geneva, Switzerland. Bidding is already underway for Auction 16 and Auction 17, being held November 14-15, 2022.

The top world coin in the auctions is a Switzerland 1741 Basel 20 Ducat graded NGC MS 65 PL (Auction 16, lot 362), which has a starting price of CHF 600,000 (about $600,000). Celebrated as the most beautiful Swiss coin ever minted and the most important City View coin in the world, it shows an elaborate Basel cityscape on one side and a basilisk on the other. Situated where modern-day Switzerland, Germany and France meet, Basel was an important industrial and banking center in the 17th and 18th centuries. (To learn more about this coin and see a video of it, click here.)

Switzerland 1741 Basel 20 Ducat graded NGC MS 65 PL. Click images to enlarge.

The auction also features what is widely regarded as Great Britain's most beautiful coin: an 1839 Una and the Lion 5 Sovereign. The coin is named after an allegorical scene on the reverse that shows the young Queen Victoria as Lady Una from Edmund Spenser's "The Faerie Queene," guiding a lion that represents England. This example is graded NGC PF 63 Cameo and attributed as W&R-280, a very rare Plain Edge variety (Auction 16, lot 280). It has a starting price of CHF 200,000 (about $200,000).

Great Britain 1839 Una and the Lion 5 Sovereign graded NGC PF 63 Cameo Click images to enlarge.

The auction also features an Italy (1709) Venice 25 Zecchini graded NGC AU 55 and pedigreed to the Paramount Collection (Auction 16, lot 326). The coin depicts St. Mark anointing the Doge of Venice, the leader of that republic, which endured from the eighth to the 18th century. Weighing 86 grams (just over 3 ounces) with a diameter of 51 mm, the coin is encapsulated in an NGC Oversize Holder. It has a starting price of CHF 150,000 (about $150,000).

Italy (1709) Venice 25 Zecchini graded NGC AU 55 and pedigreed to the Paramount Collection Click images to enlarge.

The auctions also include a phenomenal group of ancient coins, including a Roman Empire, Constans A.D. 342 or 343 Gold Medallion graded NGC Ancients MS, 5/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface (Auction 16, lot 67) with a starting price of CHF 75,000 (about $75,000). For more information about this and more ancient coins in the sale, click here.

Other NGC-certified highlights in the auction include:

• an Austria (1662-65) Hall 20 Ducats graded NGC MS 61 and pedigreed to the Paramount Collection (Auction 16, lot 196) with a starting price of CHF 150,000 (about $150,000)
• an Italy 1926R Gold 10 Lire (NGC MS 63), Gold 20 Lire (NGC MS 66), 50 Lire (NGC MS 65) and 100 Lire (NGC MS 65+) (Auction 16, lot 308) with a starting price of CHF 200,000 (about $200,000)
• a Great Britain 1777 Gold Pattern 2 Guinea graded NGC PF 63 Cameo (Auction 16, lot 278) with a starting price of CHF 100,000 CHF (about $100,000)
• an England 1686 5 Guineas graded NGC UNC Details (Auction 16, lot 276) with a starting price of CHF 75,000 (about $75,000)
• a Portugal (1367-83) Lisbon Dobra graded NGC MS 65 (Auction 16, lot 348) with a starting price of CHF 75,000 (about $75,000)
• an Austria 1690/89 IAN Graz 5 Ducats graded NGC MS 62 (Auction 16, lot 197) with a starting price of CHF 50,000 (about $50,000)
• a Germany 1825 Bavaria Taler - Coronation (1902 Gold Ferrari Issue) graded NGC MS 62 and pedigreed to the Farouk Collection (Auction 16, lot 180) with a starting price of CHF 50,000 (about $50,000)
• a Germany 1828 Bavaria Taler - Royal Family (1903 Gold Ferrari Issue) graded NGC MS 64 and pedigreed to the Farouk Collection (Auction 16, lot 181) with a starting price of CHF 50,000 (about $50,000)
• a Germany 1835 Bavaria Taler - Prince Otto (1903 Gold Ferrari Issue) graded NGC MS 62 and pedigreed to the Farouk Collection (Auction 16, lot 182) with a starting price of CHF 50,000 (about $50,000)
• a Germany 1835 Bavaria Taler - Mortagage Bank (1903 Gold Ferrari Issue) graded NGC MS 64+ and pedigreed to the Farouk Collection (Auction 16, lot 183) with a starting price of CHF 50,000 (about $50,000)
• a Germany 1835 Bavaria Taler - Customs Union (1903 Gold Ferrari Issue) graded NGC MS 66 and pedigreed to the Farouk Collection (Auction 16, lot 184) with a starting price of CHF 50,000 (about $50,000)
• a Germany 1835 Bavaria Taler - Maximilian I Joseph Monument (1903 Gold Ferrari Issue) graded NGC MS 63 and pedigreed to the Farouk Collection (Auction 16, lot 185) with a starting price of CHF 50,000 (about $50,000)
• a Germany 1837 Bavaria Taler - Order of Merit (1903 Gold Ferrari Issue) graded NGC MS 65+ and pedigreed to the Farouk Collection (Auction 16, lot 186) with a starting price of CHF 50,000 (about $50,000)
• an Italy 1901R 5 Lire graded NGC MS 65 (Auction 17, lot 1329) with a starting price of CHF 50,000 (about $50,000)
• an Italy 1902R Gold 20 Lire with Anchor graded NGC MS 65 PL (Auction 17, lot 1323) with a starting price of CHF 40,000 (about $40,000)

All starting prices are provided by the auction house. The $ symbol represents US Dollars.