One of the key ingredients for this is The Pikes Peak Collection, a fantastic collection of fascinating gold issues from all over the world.
The consignor of The Pikes Peak Collection remains anonymous, but we know that his love for coins started early, with a small collection assembled as a child.
In the mid-1990s, he decided to collect world gold coins, challenging himself to collect an appealing example from as many different countries as he could. The April 2005 offering of Louis Eliasberg's world gold coins was pivotal for him.
 We're ready for you, Amadeus... The Salzburg 6 Ducats coin |
Louis Eliasberg will need no introduction to coin collectors. He is best remembered for putting together the only complete collection of United States coins ever assembled, and his name was given to one of the famous five 1913 Liberty Head Nickels.
The Pikes Peak collector has collected more than 100 of Eliasberg's pieces, both rarities and more accessible issues, all pedigreed on their certified holders.
The April 2005 catalogue itself is important to him as well; his practice of buying books and catalogues relating to his coins let him acquire the necessary knowledge to build a great library alongside a great collection.
Amongst the Eliasberg pieces the consignor has some favourites including the Austria-Salzburg 6 Ducat of 1628, which commemorates the dedication of the Salzburg Cathedral, where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart played the organ more than a century later.
This boasts intricate details with an aged rose gold patina and is thought to be worth $10,000-12,000.
Then there is a Franz Joseph I 1896 9 Ducat of Hungary, which commemorates the millennium of Hungary and is one of the coins seen in the famous portrait of Eliasberg from the 1953 Life magazine article.
The rare and impressive coin has been graded Proof 63 NGC and is of similar value.
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One of the greatest coins which Eliasberg himself never owned is an 1863 Thailand Rama IV gold 8 Baht coin. Graded MS62 by the NGC, it is a choice example with full glowing mint brilliance with the elephant still looking striking on the obverse.
However, perhaps the most valuable coin in the collection - likely to top $50,000 at Heritage is a British coin: a Victoria Proof £5 1839 piece, which can be known as 'Una and the Lion'.
The PR63 Ultra Cameo, as rated by the NGC, shows the portrait and lion motif in stark relief against deeply mirrored fields with orange-peel texture. The proof impression is really excellent, with relatively few abrasions or hairlines appear. It is clearly a choice specimen.
With coins of this calibre, the sale of the Pikes Peak collection is certainly a very rare opportunity for collectors to get their hands on some world class rarities.
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