Spring and early summer marked a golden quarter for Spink’s coin department in London, with three landmark auctions exceeding expectations, attracting hundreds of bidders, and firmly cementing our position at the forefront of the global numismatic market.
Back in March, Spink was honoured to present the John Noel Simpson Collection of Hiberno-Norse and Irish Coinage, and the response was nothing short of thrilling. With a 99.7% selling rate and an astonishing hammer total of £229,225 (246% above low estimate), the sale surpassed all expectations. More than 100 bidders, both online and in the room, competed for rare and significant pieces, drawn by the collection’s unmatched breadth and depth.
The Irish hammered section particularly captured the market’s imagination, with lots regularly exceeding estimates by five to tenfold. Among the many highlights was a presumed unique Edward V Halfgroat of Dublin (Lot 97) and a stunning Richard III “Suns & Roses” Groat of Drogheda (Lot 98), which hammered at £15,000 and £14,000 – against estimates of between £2,000-£4,000.
This marked Spink’s most significant Irish coin auction since the Lucien Lariviere Collection in 2006. With a near-perfect selling rate and renewed interest from both long-standing and new collectors, the sale confidently reaffirmed Spink’s Irish coin credentials for the remainder of 2025. D’éirigh thar barr leis an gceant.
In April, our room sale delivered a dynamic offering of British and World coins, headlined by the first instalment of the Heron Collection of English Silver Coins. Despite ongoing market pressures, the auction comfortably hit its stride, achieving a total of £612,500.
Standout results included a rare Anglo-Saxon Gold Shilling from the Bishops of York (Lot 10) which sold for £12,250; a ‘Coronation Crown’ of Charles I (Lot 100) with sold for £5,145; and a highest certified 1676 Charles II Guinea (Lot 129) which sold for an impressive £36,750.
There was also strong competition for Continental rarities, such as a 1906 100 Lei from Romania (Lot 345) and a ‘Reopening of the Mines of Kremnitz’ 1934 10-Ducats of Czechoslovakia (Lot 304) which easily outstripped eager pre-bidding, selling for £8,575 and £29,400 respectively.
Our strategic marketing efforts certainly bore fruit, with over 500 clients participating and a notable number of successful new bidders. A particularly memorable moment came with Lot 256: The Wealden Ring, a Tudor-period masterpiece discovered by a metal detectorist. Thanks to its innate beauty, in-depth research and high-level presentation, the ring soared to £49,000, far surpassing its estimate.
The Heron Collection also performed above expectations, signalling the strong market appetite for fresh, quality material – a trend the department is well poised to continue fulfilling.
In June, Spink achieved its highest-ever online auction result (to date) with the 40th instalment of the Numismatic e-Circular (25121), closing at £551,985. With over 650 lots, 420 global registrants and a high selling rate, the sale exemplified Spink’s continued prowess in the digital space. Encouragingly, more than half of newly registered clients were successful in their bids – evidence of a broad and growing collector base.
Highlights included Lot 1780, a George V 1937 Specimen Proof Five-Pounds, which sold for £9,187; and an Edward the Martyr Penny of Leofric at Ipswich for £7,350 (Lot 1508). More treasures from the Heron Collection performed well yet again here, with the standout piece being a finest certified Milled Halfcrown of Charles from Briot’s Second Milled Issue (Lot 1585). The incredible level of detail and beautiful toning led this extremely fine example to sell for a grand £6,125 against an enticing estimate of £800-£1,200.
With a combined total exceeding £1 million across three sales, the first half of 2025 has been a resounding success for the coin department. The team in London looks forward to continuing this strong momentum into the autumn, particularly with the eagerly anticipated Coinex programme, where we aim to deliver another standout succession of sales. We look forward to welcoming you there!