Stephen Album Rare Coins Prepares for Massive Auction 56 Featuring Global Numismatic Treasures

Stephen Album Rare Coins, a globally recognized authority in numismatics, has officially announced the details for its upcoming Auction 56, scheduled to take place from September 17 to 20, 2026. Held at the firm’s headquarters in Santa Rosa, California, the multi-day event promises to be a major milestone for collectors and institutions alike, offering an expansive catalog comprising 3,450 meticulously curated lots. The diverse offering spans ancient, Islamic, Indian, Chinese, and world coins and banknotes, covering thousands of years of human history, trade, and political evolution.

The structure of the auction is designed to accommodate both in-room participants and global digital bidders. The first two days of the sale will feature a hybrid format, allowing for both in-person floor bidding and real-time internet participation. The final two days will transition to internet-only sessions, ensuring that collectors from every corner of the globe can compete for the rare pieces on offer.

Auction 56 is further distinguished by several prestigious institutional and private cabinets. Among the highlights bolstering the catalog are the Bob “Swamperbob” Gurney Collection of Cap & Rays 8 Reales, the Edward W. Rataj Collection of World, Ancient & Islamic Coins, alongside the Dr. Dirk Löer Collection of Chinese Coins and the Bernd Löer Collection of Chinese Coins. These specialized cabinets bring exceptional provenance and depth to an already extraordinary auction lineup.

The sale is anchored by a series of sensational individual lots, each carrying rich historical narratives and extreme rarity. Leading the diverse selections is a remarkable piece of Indian numismatic history: Lot 675, a silver rupee issued under the short-lived Mughal Emperor Akbar Adil Shah in 1753 at the Allahabad mint. Weighing 11.35 grams and graded XF details by PCGS, the coin features the auspicious obverse couplet declaring the ruler’s sovereign authority. Akbar Adil Shah, the grandson of Kam Bakhsh, was placed on the throne by Safdar Jang in May 1753 as an opposition figure to Ahmad Shah Bahadur, only to vanish from historical records by late November of that same year.

This artifact stands as the fourth known example of this exceptionally rare Mughal ruler, with all surviving specimens originating from the first year of his reign at the Allahabad mint. Furthermore, it marks only the second time such a specimen has ever been offered publicly on the open market. Numismatic scholars and advanced collectors will recognize its lineage from an article by Jan Lingen and Paul Stevens published in the Journal of Oriental Numismatic Society. Auction specialists have assigned an estimated value of $15,000 to $10,000 for this museum-quality piece.

Equally compelling is Lot 115, a medieval Islamic Arab-Sassanid silver drachm of the Khusraw type, struck in Dimashq (Damascus) in AH 72, corresponding to the years 691–693. Weighing 2.28 grams and graded XF, this coin holds profound significance as the very first Islamic coin to bear the Hijri date written out entirely in Arabic words rather than the traditional Pahlavi script used for earlier dates. Exhibiting the standard reform characteristics of the Umayyad era, the specimen belongs to a rare subtype with the mint name placed to the right and the date written out to the left. Estimated at $12,000 to $15,000, this rarity offers a tangible glimpse into the administrative and linguistic transitions of early Islamic coinage.

Another standout in the medieval Islamic category is Lot 435, a Wajihid gold dinar issued under ‘Umar b. Yusuf during his rule from 952 to 961. Struck in ‘Umān (Oman) in AH 344, this unpublished gold dinar is of the highest conceivable rarity and is very likely unique. The piece features the Sunni kalima divided between the obverse and reverse, along with Quranic inscriptions in the margins and a gold mount added at some point in its history. While silver dirhams from this ruler are occasionally documented, numismatic literature has previously cited no coins in any metal dated to AH 344. Graded bold VF, this unique witness to Omani history carries an estimated value of $10,000 to $15,000.

World coin collectors will find exceptional value in Lot 947, a complete 10-coin proof set from South Africa under George V, dated 1923. Certified by PCGS under KM-PS1, the set includes denominations ranging from the bronze quarter penny to the gold sovereign, encompassing everything from copper-nickel and silver fractions to the prestigious gold half-sovereign and sovereign. Housed in its original case of issue bearing the official inscription "FIRST COINAGE OF SOUTH AFRICAN MINT / PRETORIA / 1923," this well-matched set had a remarkably low mintage of only 655 sets. Its scarcity and immaculate preservation make it a crown jewel for Commonwealth collectors, with an estimate of $10,000 to $15,000.

Chinese numismatics are prominently represented by Lot 1472, a Republic-era silver dollar struck in Wuchang around 1912. Featuring Li Yuan Hong wearing the military cap of the Wuchang New Army, this piece exhibits a rare tripled die reverse type and smoothed surfaces, earning a PCGS UNC details grade. Li Yuan Hong was a pivotal political figure during the twilight of the Qing dynasty and the formative years of the Republic of China, serving twice as president. Formerly part of the Åke Lindén Collection, this historically resonant dollar is estimated at $10,000 to $15,000.

British Indian coinage also takes center stage with Lot 806, a George VI silver rupee dated 1939 and minted in Bombay. Graded AU58 by PCGS, this reeded-edge variety represents one of the greatest modern rarities of British India. Mint records indicate that after 1923, the British Indian government ceased production of the one rupee coin, failing to authorize a new circulation issue for more than 15 years until commerce surged due to the onset of World War II. The resulting 1938-dated coins were largely struck in late 1939 and 1940. However, coins explicitly dated 1939 were minted in extremely limited quantities—estimated between 7,500 and 10,000 pieces—with a survival rate as low as 1% to 2%. This elusive piece is estimated between $6,000 and $8,000.

Additional highlights include Lot 1457, a late Qing Dynasty silver sycee 50-tael trade ingot weighing a substantial 1930.9 grams. Bearing the bank name Yong Chang stamped three times within a rectangular field, the ingot is graded AU58 by GBCA and originates from the Bernd Löer Collection and Numismatik Lanz Auction 142. It is estimated at $5,000 to $7,500.

From the United States comes Lot 1081, a renowned 1918/7-S Standing Liberty quarter dollar graded AU details by PCGS. Discovered in the late 1930s and eagerly pulled from circulation by early numismatists, this over-date variety remains one of the premier key-date silver rarities of the 20th century. Its lustrous fields and historic significance command an estimated value of $5,000 to $7,000.

The auction catalog rounds out with contemporary treasures and ancient masterpieces. Lot 1312 presents a rare two-coin proof and mint-state set from Pakistan issued in 1976 under the Conservation Series, featuring a silver 150 rupees depicting a Gharial and a gold 3000 rupees featuring an Astor Markhor. Produced by the British Royal Mint and complete with original documentation and case, the set is estimated at $5,000 to $7,000. Finally, ancient numismatics are represented by Lot 98, a gold dinar of the Sasanian King Shahpur I, struck between 241 and 272. Weighing 7.40 grams and graded XF-AU, the coin features the king’s diademed bust wearing a mural crown alongside a classic fire altar flanked by armed attendants, carrying an estimate of $3,500 to $4,500.

As preparation for Auction 56 enters its final stages, Stephen Album Rare Coins has announced that it is already actively accepting consignments for its subsequent Auction 57, scheduled for January 21 to 24, 2027, as well as its ongoing schedule of specialized internet-only sales. Collectors and consignors seeking further details regarding upcoming events can visit the firm’s official website.