Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Steven L. Contursi and Rare Coin Wholesalers of Dana Point, Calif., will publicly display the King of Siam proof set Oct. 5-7 at the the Atlanta Show in Georgia.
This set of 11 proof coins, originally presented as a diplomatic gift on behalf of President Andrew Jackson to the King of Siam in 1836, was purchased by Contursi, president of RCW, last year for $8.5 million.
“One of the coins in the King of Siam set is a treasure of its own, an 1804-dated U.S. silver dollar. It’s one of only 15 known and described by collectors as the King of Coins,” said Contursi.
While the coins have been removed from the original custom-made case and encapsulated by Professional Coin Grading Service, the display includes the yellow leather and blue velvet case. This is the same case that held the coins when U.S. State Department envoy Edmund Roberts presented them to King Ph’ra Nang Klao (Rama III) of Siam in April 1836 on behalf of President Jackson.
The coins range in denomination from a copper half cent to $10 gold eagle. The set also contains an 1833 gold medal depicting Jackson.
“In the annals of American numismatics, nothing can compare with the legendary presentation set of U.S. coins that was given to the King of Siam,” said Kenneth E. Bressett, a former president of the American Numismatic Association and co-author of a reference book about the coin set.
“No other group of coins can boast of a more absolute pedigree, or such an illustrious past. Measured in terms of collector appeal, rarity, romance and value, this set is unparalleled and will forever hold its place as one of the most desirable numismatic items in the world.” The set was previously exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution in 1983 and for a year at Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas in 1999.
The Atlanta exhibit will include the ship’s log from the diplomatic mission of Roberts when he took the coins to Siam.
Public hours of the Atlanta Show are Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 5-7, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free. The show will take place at the Cobb Galleria Centre, Two Galleria Parkway, Atlanta. It is sponsored by the Whitman Coin and Collectibles Atlanta Expo.
To learn more, call (404) 214-4373 or e-mail.