London

The latest Impressionist & Modern auctions in London posted the lowest total for a February series in this category for a decade.

A remarkable collection of books from The Birmingham Assay Office Library will be offered at Forum Auctions in London on March 26.

Gustav Detring (1842-1913) and Constantin von Hanneken (1854-1925) were two of the most influential Germans living and working in China in the late 19th century.

Two very different lots helped Forum Auctions (25/20/12% buyer’s premium) to boost its first major sale of the year.

A UK auction record for a copper coin was set on September 24 when a rare Edward VIII 1937 pattern penny sold at Spink for £111,000 (plus 20% buyer’s premium). The coin was made as a trial, ahead of the king’s abdication in December 1936, and was never released for circulation.

The complete original artworks for two of Edward Ardizzone’s much-loved children’s books were sold for £30,000 apiece at Bonhams (27.5/25/20/13.9% buyer’s premium).

This silver denarius from 43BC is struck to one side with a youthful male of Quintus Arrius, who was praetor in 72BC and propraetor in 71BC.

Spink (20% buyer’s premium) offered the only Victoria Cross group to appear at auction in 2019.

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

Jane Alexander of Dovehouse Antiques Fairs is gearing up for the launch of an ambitious new venture.

This ‘superb’ rose ryal, produced during the third coinage of James I in 1619-20, sold for £34,000 at Baldwin’s of St James (20% buyer’s premium).

If the story of the sinking of the Bismarck in 1941 is well known, the fate of sister ship the Tirpitz is less familiar.

Found in a newly ploughed field close to a Roman road near Dover early in 2019, this gold aureus is one of just 24 recognised from the brief reign of Allectus (293-296AD).

A record take of £48m and a one-third increase in the number of lots available to bidders – ATG reviews a healthy 2019 for London numismatic saleroom

This silver half crown proof from 1839 sold for £6000 at London Coin Auctions (20% buyer’s premium).

Sovereign Rarities (20% buyer’s premium) conducted its second joint auction with The Royal Mint in the second half of last year.

This rare Umayyad gold dinar dated 105AH (723AD) equalled the auction record for an Islamic coin (or any coin sold in Europe) when it was hammered down at £3.1m at Morton & Eden (20% buyer’s premium).

This bronze Albert Medal, awarded to Lieutenant John Edward Gibbons (1905-71) for saving life at sea, sold for £8000 (plus 20% buyer’s premium) at Bonhams Knightsbridge.