A rare and historically significant coin collection, valued at over $100 million, will be auctioned off after being hidden underground for more than five decades. The collection, named the Traveller Collection, consists of approximately 15,000 coins sourced from over 100 regions across the globe.
The auction will be managed by Numismatica Ars Classica, with the first event scheduled for May 20. The sale is expected to span the next three years and is anticipated to be the largest and most valuable coin auction in history.
A Legacy of Rare Coins
The Traveller Collection was amassed by a private collector who began acquiring coins following the 1929 stock market crash. While the collector’s identity remains undisclosed, it is understood that he focused on acquiring rare, beautiful, and historically significant pieces. His passion for numismatics grew during the 1930s, when he and his wife traveled extensively throughout the Americas and Europe, acquiring significant coins and meticulously documenting each purchase.
A Hidden Treasure
Amid the growing political unrest in Europe during the rise of Nazi Germany, the couple made the decision to settle on the continent. Fearing for the safety of their valuable collection, the collector packed his coins into cigar boxes, sealed them in aluminum containers, and buried them underground. The collection remained undisturbed for nearly 50 years, hidden from view.
After the collector’s death, the coins were unearthed by his heirs and placed in a secure bank vault. The family later entrusted the collection to Numismatica Ars Classica, but declined to provide further details regarding its burial or recovery.
Coin Highlights
The Traveller Collection contains several extraordinary pieces, with some items tracing their origins back to landmark auctions of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Among the most notable is a 100-ducat gold coin from 1629, minted under the rule of Ferdinand III of Habsburg. Weighing 348.5 grams, it is considered one of the largest gold coins ever produced in Europe.
Another significant item is a complete set of five Tomans, minted in Tehran and Isfahan in the late 1700s and early 1800s under Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar. Only five complete sets are known to exist, with one housed in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England.
A Landmark Auction
Arturo Russo, director of Numismatica Ars Classica, called the upcoming sale “a landmark in the history of numismatics,” highlighting the collection’s scale, quality, and historical importance. David Guest, a consultant for the auction and director of David Guest Numismatics, also praised the collection, noting that many of the coins had not been offered for sale in over 80 years, with some being completely unrecorded.
The auction promises to be a momentous event in the world of numismatics, offering collectors a rare opportunity to acquire some of the most important and valuable coins ever discovered.
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