Bowers and Merena Auctions, one of the world’s preeminent auctioneers for rare coins and currency, realized more than $8 million as the Official Auctioneer of the June 2010 Whitman Coin & Collectibles Baltimore Expo.

The eight-session sale, occurring June 17-19, included more than 6,000 lots of U.S. coins and currency, ancient and foreign coins, and foreign paper money. Prices realized for U.S. coins and currencies amounted to $6,438,778. Ponterio & Associates, a division of Bowers and Merena Auctions, added an additional $1,608,082 in prices realized with ancient and foreign coins and paper money.

“Our highly successful June 2010 Baltimore Auction saw spirited bidding for many different areas of U.S. numismatics,” said Steve Deeds, president of Bowers and Merena Auctions. “Specialists in classic gold coinage were particularly enthused about our offering of the Windermere Collection of rare date Liberty Double Eagles."

The highlight of that collection is clearly lot 3847, the 1861-S A.C. Paquet Reverse in NGC AU-50 that traded hands for $69,000. An important and rare one-year type, the 1861-S Paquet features an experimental reverse that proved unsuitable for regular issue production and widespread circulation. The San Francisco Mint struck only 19,250 examples of this issue before returning to the traditional Liberty Double Eagle reverse design by Chief Engraver James Barton Longacre.

“For Ponterio & Associates, the most notable sale was lot 8278, an extremely rare Kublai Khan, the fifth Great Khan and grandson of Genghis Khan, 50 Tael Sycee Ingot. Issued in Year 14 (A.D. 1273) of China’s Yuan Dynasty, the piece realized $64,900,” said Rick Ponterio, executive vice president of Ponterio & Associates. “Iranian bank notes and Chinese coinage also proved to be particularly popular.”

Additional U.S., ancient and foreign coin and currency highlights in the Bowers and Merena and Ponterio & Associates June 2010 Baltimore Auction include:

• Lot 178, 1881 Hawaii Pattern Five Cents, Medcalf-Russsell 2CN-1, MS-64 (PCGS), Secure Holder, realized $28,750
• Lot 1658, 1937-D Buffalo Nickel, FS-901 (FS-020.2), 3-Legged, MS-65 (PCGS), CAC, realized $37,375
• Lot 2030, 1864 Seated Liberty Quarter, MS-67 (PCGS), realized $26,450
• Lot 3411, 1872 Pattern Commercial Dollar, Judd-1217, Proof-64 RB (PCGS), realized $25,875 (one of only three specimens known to exist)
• Lot 3432, 1852 Augustus Humbert $50 Gold, Reeded Edge, K-11, 887 THOUS, AU-55 (PCGS), realized $52,900
• Lot 3443, 1849 Mormon $2.50 Gold, K-1, VF-35 (PCGS), CAC—Gold Label, OGH—First Generation, realized $53,763
• Lot 3605, 1795 Capped Bust Right Half Eagle, Small Eagle, BD-8, MS-61 (NGC), realized $71,428 – From the Fab Five Collection of Early Half Eagles
• Lot 3824, 1850-O Liberty Double Eagle, Open 5, AU-58 (PCGS), CAC, realized $32,200 – From the Windermere Collection
• Lot 3833, 1855-O Liberty Double Eagle, AU-55 (NGC), realized $50,025 – From the Windermere Collection
• Lot 6037, Greece, 10 Lepta, 1831, cf.KM-12, cf.Geo-13, Chase-411-F.e, missing first "H" in "KYBEPNHTHE,” Very Fine, realized $8,850
• Lot 6089, Mexico, Charles II (1665-1700), Escudo, 1879 (J), Fr-5, KM-50, Very Fine, realized $8,850 (the first dated gold coin of Mexico)
• Lot 6551, Great Britain, William III (1694-1702), 5 Guineas, 1701, Fr-310, S-3456, KM-508, NGC EF-45, realized $10,325
• Lot 6601, India, Travancore, Sovereign, ME1057/1881, Fr-1403, KM-32, NGC MS-63, realized $9,853
• Lot 6750, Transylvania, 10 Ducats, 1605, Fr-305, KM-18, Resch-2a, NGC VF-30, realized $16,520
• Lot 7410, Iran, 1 Toman, 12.2.1924, P-1b, Extremely Fine, realized $9,440
• Lot 7420, Iran, 5 Tomans, 30.3.1925, P-13, Choice Very Fine, realized $9,440.

For a complete list of prices realized for Bowers and Merena and Ponterio & Associates June 2010 Baltimore Auction, visit the firm’s Web site at www.bowersandmerena.com or call toll-free at 800-458-4646. Bowers and Merena’s next auction is the Boston Rarities Sale in August.