Bowers and Merena to Auction Thousands of World Coins in Baltimore Next February

Centerpiece of World Auction is “Carl F. Chirico Jr. Collection of World Pattern Coins”

IRVINE, Calif. – Bowers and Merena Auctions, America’s leading rare coin auction house, continues as Official Auctioneer of the Baltimore Coin and Currency Convention in 2008, with the next auction scheduled for February 27 to March 2, 2008.  For their first of three Baltimore auctions in 2008, Bowers and Merena will host a very special session of World coins, highlighted by the “Carl F. Chirico Jr. Collection of World Pattern Coins.”

The Chirico Collection will be offered in multiple lots and features more than 2,500 worldwide Proofs, Patterns, Essais, Provas, Pieforts, and Trial Strikes, including:

China. Over 40 Chinese Republic Dollars including all six Sun Yat-sen Pattern “Junk” Dollars; a Mausoleum
Dollar; a General Chu Yu-pu Dollar; 2 Dollars signed “L. Giorgi;” as well as off metal strikes and minor patterns.

Belgium. Over 100 Belgian and Colonial patterns including a 100 Francs 1911 gold pattern.

Cambodia. Several Essais and Proofs including a 1 Piastre 1860 Piefort; and 4 Francs 1860 Proof.

France. Over 1,000 French and Colonial patterns including a gold 10 and 5 Francs 1889; a gold 100 Francs
1929 Piefort; as well as an impressive array of patterns from the 1700s through 1900s, including many Crown size pieces.

Germany. Over 100 German patterns including states issues and several Weimar Republic Crown size pieces.

Italy. Over 150 Patterns and Provas of Italy and colonies, Albania, San Marino and Vatican, including a 5 Lire 1914 Prova; a 1936 nine-piece Prova set; a 5 Lire 1940 Prova; Italian Somaliland 10 and 5 Lire 1925 Provas; and San Marino 20 and 10 Lire 1925 gold Provas.

Latin America. About 100 Patterns and trial strikes including issues from Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia,
Costa Rica, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Uruguay.

Europe. Over 150 Patterns and Essais including issues from Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, England, Luxembourg,
Monaco, Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, and Yugoslavia.

Prior to the February Baltimore auction, Bowers and Merena’s next auction is the Orlando Rarities Sale held prior to the Orlando F.U.N. Show on January 8, 2008. That will be followed by the Bowers and Merena Collector’s Choice Auction, February 4 to 13, 2008, in Irvine, Calif., and then the next Official Auction of the Baltimore Coin and Currency Convention, February 27 to March 2, 2008. A complete auction schedule with consignment deadlines is available at www.bowersandmerena.com.

Bowers and Merena Auctions was founded in 1983 and has grown to become the world’s preeminent numismatic auctioneer with more than half a billion dollars in rare coin and currency sales. Bowers and Merena has handled four of the five most valuable United States coin collections ever sold, including the Louis E. Eliasberg Sr. Collection, the Harry W. Bass Jr. Collection, the Garrett Collection for The Johns Hopkins University, and the Norweb Collection.

For more information about Bowers and Merena and the Official Auction of the Baltimore Coin and Currency Convention in November, call 800.458.4646.  For media inquiries, ask for President Steve Deeds.  Complete prices realized for all past auctions are available at www.bowersandmerena.com.

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