Collectables

Our regular listing of UK and Irish book auctions.

Henry III (1216-72) issued his ‘gold penny’ for probably less than a year from August 16, 1357.

Instituted by Maria Dickin, the founder of the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), in 1943, the Dickin Medal has been awarded on 71 occasions – 32 of them going to pigeons, 34 to dogs, four to horses and one to a cat.

The corpus of Anglo-Saxon coins lists only 20 coins for the Kentish king Eadberht.

The sale of gallantry awards held by Baldwin’s (20% buyer’s premium) on September 15 included this Edward Medal Exchange George Cross awarded for bravery at the Hedley Pit in 1930.

It is thought that Thomas Edison invented the first PsychoPhone in an effort to record messages from the subconscious or the afterlife.

Harmers’ (20% buyer’s premium) third numismatic auction held on September 26 was topped by this Indian rarity, a Gold Mohur issued under the Mughal emperor Nur al-Din Muhammad Jahangir (1605-27).

Sixteenth century work edited by Hakluyt aimed to encourage English expansion and influence

A sale of Banknotes at Noonans included this One Rupee note issued by the Banco Nacional Ultramarino in Goa in 1917. The rare first issue note took £13,000 (plus 24% buyer’s premium).

Large collection of action figures offers multiple examples of hitherto scarce models to test the market

An unusual visitor to UK shores last year was this gold ‘Liberty head’ quarter eagle (two and a half dollars) from 1830.

The Indian Mutiny Victoria Cross offered by Morton & Eden (20% buyer’s premium) on July 20 was awarded to Master George Bell Chicken, a civilian volunteer attached to the Indian Naval Brigade.

Of only 26 flying Victoria Crosses issued to date, four were awarded for the Malayan campaign in December 1941-February 1942.

Potter & Potter in Chicago will sell more items from the collection of magician Ricky Jay on February 25.

This 4ft 7in (1.4m) Victorian painted mahogany shop display sign promotes the merits of guns by Holland & Holland.

A 15th century first edition of a pioneering work by Johannes Gallensis surfaced at auction late last month.

The completion of the US transcontinental railroad in 1869 was the marvel of its age.

Extraordinary collection generates £64,000 bid for collaborative works by the playwright and poet