Morton & Eden

A look at some of the numismatic lots that caused a stir in 2024, starting off with a scarce example of Civil War coinage

A Dickin Medal – the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross – is expected to reach £30,000-40,000 at coin and medal auction specialist Morton & Eden in London on December 4.

Noonans was the dominant player in the London coins and medals auction market in 2023 with a market share of almost 32%, ATG’s exclusive annual special report reveals.

One of the great masterpieces of ancient Greek numismatic art, this silver tetradrachm was struck in c.460BC in commemoration of the refounding of the city of Naxos. Its citizens had been exiled to Leontinoi by the tyrant Hieron of Syracuse.

Total sales across London coin and medals auctions were £61.6m in 2023, just a fraction down on 2022’s record aggregate

A collection of Greek coins formed over 20 years ago by a European connoisseur will be sold by Morton & Eden in London on September 26-27.

The unexpected but very welcome increase in demand that the market experienced amid Covid lockdowns continued in 2022 as restrictions eased – and auction houses are optimistic about another strong performance this year

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.

A group of medals awarded to the great scientist, explorer and naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) was fiercely contested at auction last week, hammered down for a £273,000 (or £327,600 with buyer’s premium) total against a high estimate of £80,900.

Nelson held his protégé Captain Sir William Hoste KCB (1780-1828) in high esteem.

The finest-known example of a New England shilling sold for £220,000 at Morton & Eden in London on November 26.

The finest-known example of a New England shilling sold for £220,000 at Morton & Eden in London on November 26 (plus 20% buyer’s premium).

A tin of coins and medals consigned to Morton & Eden’s autumn sale included a number of early pieces from the American colonial period.

Letters written by Nelson to his wife make obvious his esteem for Captain Sir William Hoste KCB (1780-1828)

In the absence of face-to-face contact, 2020 was a difficult year for the numismatics market as a whole... but the auction business found a way to thrive.

After striking a few coins in both gold and silver which were still closely related to Byzantine and Sasanian prototypes, ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan ibn al-Hakam, the fifth Umayyad caliph, ruling from 685-705AD (65-86H), made a clean break with the pre-Islamic past and introduced a completely new gold coinage in 77H.

The Medals, Orders and Decorations sale at Morton & Eden in November featured two Victoria Crosses awarded during the Indian Mutiny. They sold to the same buyer for a combined hammer price of £300,000.

Two Victoria Cross medals awarded during the Indian Mutiny offered by Morton & Eden (20% buyer’s premium) in London sold to the same buyer.