A remarkable coin collection, buried underground for half a century, is poised to make history as the most valuable numismatic collection ever auctioned in its entirety. The “Traveller” collection, with an insurance valuation exceeding $100 million, will be sold over the next three years, starting with an auction in Zurich on May 20.
The first auction, organized by the Swiss firm Numismatica Ars Classica, will take place at the renowned Hotel Baur au Lac. The collection consists of approximately 15,000 coins sourced from over 100 countries, spanning both modern and ancient coins.
Arturo Russo, Director of Numismatica Ars Classica, emphasized the significance of the collection: “The exceptional range, the remarkable quality, and the fascinating history of this collection, including the many rarities, will make these auctions a pivotal event in the world of numismatics.”
The story behind the Traveller collection begins after the 1929 Wall Street crash. The anonymous European collector spent the following decade traveling across Europe, North and South America, and meticulously cataloguing each coin acquired. In the late 1930s, as World War II loomed, the collector buried the coins in aluminum boxes to protect them from the approaching Nazi invasion.
Following the collector’s death during the war, the coins remained buried for more than 50 years, their location known only to the collector’s wife. It wasn’t until the 1990s that she disclosed the secret to her family, and the collection was unearthed and stored in a bank vault. According to Numismatica Ars Classica, the meticulous cataloging and preservation of the coins mean they are “in a state of preservation never seen in modern times.”
Among the many rare and unique pieces is a 1629 100 ducats coin from the reign of Ferdinand III, Archduke of Austria. Weighing 348.5 grams, this gold coin, one of the largest denominations of European gold coins ever minted, has not been seen at auction since World War II. Numismatica Ars Classica expects it to fetch upwards of £1.05 million.
Other highlights include a 1621 70 ducats coin of Sigismund III of Poland, estimated at £394,260, and a five guinea coin from 1777 during the reign of George III, with an expected value of £262,900. The collection also features a gold stater from Athens, dating back to 296 BC, with an estimated value of £109,515.
The first batch of coins up for auction will include British machine-struck coins from the reign of Charles II to a specimen set minted for George VI in 1937. A standout among these is a £5 Una and the Lion coin by William Wyon, expected to sell for £218,921.
David Guest, director of David Guest Numismatics and consultant to the Traveller Collection, remarked, “Cataloguing the British coins from this collection was a surreal experience. The quality was exceptional, and many of these coins hadn’t been available for sale in over 80 years — some were even unrecorded.”
With such an extraordinary story and unparalleled collection, the Traveller coins are set to capture the attention of numismatists and collectors worldwide as they prepare for their debut at auction.
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