The quintessential "large lot"...

MrEureka

38,000 coins. One bid. No tears!

JCMhouston

Doesn't seem a smart way to do things. The original owner is probably rolling in his grave, thinking about all the work he did to put the collection together and donate it to a museum, just to see it sold off.

MrEureka

Doesn't seem a smart way to do things.

I have to assume that there's a good reason for doing it this way. These are not stupid people. Perhaps it's important to the Hispanic Society that other institutions have the opportunity to buy the collection intact, and they're willing to leave eight figures on the table to see that happen.

marcmoish

I agree Sotheby's is way to savvy to just sell 38K pcs poof - there has got to be a damn good reason for doing that.

The choice of auctioneer for this lot is questionable but than thats JMHO

MrEureka

I agree Sotheby's is way to savvy to just sell 38K pcs poof

I would not assume that this was Sotheby's idea. In fact, it's highly unlikely. After all, the commissions would most likely be much higher if the coins were auctioned individually.

pruebas

I would expect the ANS to be submitting a bid on this collection.

How can you know what, if any, money is being left on the table if you haven't seen the coins or at least an inventory?

I agree with JCM--Huntington is probably rolling over in his grave at these coins being sold.

SYRACUSIAN

How can you know what, if any, money is being left on the table if you haven't seen the coins or at least an inventory?


(from the article):

The entire collection will be on public exhibition at Sotheby’s New York’s galleries on York Avenue in during February. Highlights from the collection will be on view from Jan. 3-6 and again on Jan. 9.



<< <i>
Doesn't seem a smart way to do things.

I have to assume that there's a good reason for doing it this way. These are not stupid people. Perhaps it's important to the Hispanic Society that other institutions have the opportunity to buy the collection intact, and they're willing to leave eight figures on the table to see that happen. >>



(from the article):
In 2008 the Hispanic society won a judgement that it owned the coins and that the ANS had to return them.

It seems likely, that the judgement was between the Hispanic society's commitment to sell them in one lot, to increase the chances of the collection going "to an institution, a public institution, like a museum. We’d like the collection to remain intact and we’d like the scholarly community to have access to the coins." against ANS' argument as it was formulated by Ute Wartenberg Kagan's (later or earlier) statement to The Art Newspaper in 2008 that she believed that Mr. Huntington intended for the coins to remain at the Numismatic Society, and selling material integral to the Hispanic Society’s mission should not be allowed with she believed being the key word.

If my assumption is correct, I personally agree with the judgement.