A remarkable coin collection, hidden underground for over 50 years, is set to surpass $100 million at auction. The Traveller Collection, considered the most valuable coin collection ever auctioned, will be sold over three years, beginning May 20. This extraordinary assemblage spans over 100 territories and features coins from ancient times to the modern era, making it a numismatic treasure trove.
The collection’s origins add to its mystique. The original collector, whose identity remains undisclosed, began acquiring gold coins following the Wall Street Crash of 1929. His interest soon expanded to historically significant, rare, and aesthetically remarkable coins, culminating in an astonishing collection of approximately 15,000 pieces. Throughout the 1930s, he and his wife traveled extensively across the Americas and Europe, acquiring rare coins while meticulously documenting their acquisitions.
As tensions rose in Europe due to the looming threat of World War II, the collector took extraordinary measures to protect his collection. Carefully packed into cigar boxes, then placed in aluminum containers, the coins were buried underground, remaining hidden for five decades. When eventually recovered by his heirs, they were stored in a secure bank vault before being presented for auction. The family has chosen to keep further details about their rediscovery private.
The collection boasts an impressive array of exceptionally rare coins, many in an unparalleled state of preservation. Several pieces have never been publicly auctioned, emphasizing their rarity. Thanks to the collector’s meticulous records, researchers at the auction house were able to trace the provenance of many coins back to some of the most prestigious collections from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Among the standout items is a 100 ducat gold coin of Ferdinand III of Habsburg, minted in 1629 during his rule as Archduke of Austria and King of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia. Weighing 348.5 grams of fine gold, it ranks among the largest European gold coins ever produced. Another highlight is a rare set of five Tomans minted in Tehran and Isfahan in the late 18th and early 19th centuries by Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar. Only five such complete sets are known, one of which resides in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
The auction house director described the collection as a historic milestone in numismatics, given its breadth, rarity, and quality. A consultant involved in cataloging the British coins noted the exceptional condition and the presence of types unseen at auction for over 80 years, some entirely undocumented. The sale of this extraordinary collection is expected to be a landmark event in the world of numismatics.
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