Gold coins, Rolex watches join fine jewelry, coin ops at Govt. Auction, Aug. 26 Investment grade coins, antique slot machines and premium quality jewelry will be included in the 1,500 lot sale.
News-Antique.com - Aug 21,2012 - TEHACHAPI, Calif. – Today’s collectors want luxury brands, but few will share details of the one consistently reliable source for their favorite finds: Government Auction. This southern California company is the largest of its kind and the only one in the United States that works closely with certain government agencies to acquire high-end assets and confiscated goods such as fine gemstones and jewelry; Rolex watches, gold coins and antiques.
On Sunday, Aug. 26, Government Auction will present a bounty of investment-grade coins, antique slot machines and premium-quality jewelry in a 1,500-lot sale with Internet live bidding through LiveAuctioneers.com. Bidding will start as low as $1 on most items.
Jewels have fascinated collectors for centuries. In describing them, the Victorian novelist George Eliot said, "These gems have life in them: their colors speak, say what words fail of." Eliot’s observations spoke of how those who love and wear jewels forge a personal connection with earth’s glittering rarities, what they symbolize and why they are so highly valued. Her comments of over a century ago seem just as valid today, since jewelry remains the premier gift choice for loved ones and those held in high esteem.
Government Auction’s Aug. 26 sale might very well have captured George Eliot’s attention, with its generous selection of jewelry and loose diamonds. A truly grand design is the 18K gold ring set with a 13-carat emerald and 2.76 carats of diamonds. This impressive ring makes a hefty statement, weighing in at 16.70 grams. Government Auction’s Chris Budge noted that the central emerald does have inclusions. “This is not uncommon with a stone of this size and color,” Budge said.
In Sunday’s sale, collectors of luxury watches can take their pick from dozens of previously owned timepieces, including seven Rolexes. A watch that is attracting considerable presale interest is a Rolex men's Oyster watch. A desirable Perpetual Datejust made of stainless steel and gold, it features a handsome black and gold face. Another fine entry is a Rolex women's Oyster watch. Also a Perpetual Datejust, this watch is crafted of stainless steel with a steel face.
A strong selection of rare gold coins will be featured in the auction. The grouping is led by a true investment piece – 1911 $10 US Indian Head gold coin. Designed by sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the $10 Indian Head gold coin was struck in Philadelphia and features Lady Liberty wearing a full Indian headdress. The reverse bears the image of a proud American Eagle with the motto "In God We Trust." Government Auction’s Chief Auctioneer Paul Sabesky commented, "Collectors consider this coin a ‘must-have’ because of its unique artistic design and gold content."
The auction also features a collection of antique and vintage slot machines. A beautiful example of old-time craftsmanship is the early 1900s Dewey upright slot machine. Coin-operated machines of this type are the mechanical predecessors to the electronic and pull-type slot machines seen in today’s casinos. The "Dewey" was named after naval leader Admiral George Dewey, who is
