A treasure trove of rare coins, buried underground for over half a century, is heading to auction — and it could bring in more than $100 million, making it the most valuable coin collection ever offered for public sale.
The Traveller Collection: A Hidden Legacy
Known as the Traveller Collection, this unprecedented assemblage contains around 15,000 coins spanning over 100 regions worldwide and dates from ancient civilizations to the modern era. Its name pays tribute to the anonymous couple who spent decades crisscrossing the globe in the 1930s, acquiring rare and historically significant pieces along the way.
From Wall Street Crash to Wartime Foresight
The collection’s origins trace back to the aftermath of the 1929 Wall Street Crash. The unidentified collector began purchasing gold coins as a safeguard against economic instability, eventually developing a refined taste for coins of exceptional rarity, beauty, and historical significance.
During their travels through the Americas and Europe, the couple meticulously documented their acquisitions while building an archive to match the physical collection. As political tensions rose in Europe, the coins — placed first into cigar boxes and then into aluminum containers — were carefully buried underground for safekeeping, where they remained undisturbed for nearly 50 years.
Rare Finds and Record-Breaking Potential
Following their recovery by the collector’s descendants, the coins were secured in a bank vault before being presented to Numismatica Ars Classica for auction. Experts say the comprehensive documentation kept by the original collector has made researching provenance significantly easier.
Highlights from the Collection
- 100 Ducat Gold Coin of Ferdinand III (1629) — Minted when Ferdinand III ruled as Archduke of Austria and King of Hungary, this colossal 348.5-gram coin is one of the largest European gold denominations ever struck.
- Five Toman Set (Late 18th – Early 19th Century) — An “exceedingly rare” set minted under Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar in Tehran and Isfahan. Only five full sets are known to exist worldwide, with one housed at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum.
- Five Guinea of George III (1777) — Valued at approximately $340,000, this piece is among the most notable British coins in the collection.
A Sale for the Ages
The Traveller Collection will be sold in stages over the next three years, with the first auction scheduled for May 20. Despite the enormous value, the most captivating element remains the narrative behind the collection — one of global adventure, wartime foresight, and an enduring passion for numismatics.
Experts Weigh In
“The sheer number of great rarities, the collection’s extraordinary breadth, and the story behind its formation will make these auctions a landmark moment in numismatic history,” said Arturo Russo, director at Numismatica Ars Classica.
David Guest, a consultant on the British portion of the collection, added: “While cataloguing, I had to keep pinching myself. The quality was exceptional, and many coins hadn’t been seen on the market in over 80 years — some were previously unrecorded altogether.”
Though the family behind the Traveller Collection has chosen to remain anonymous and declined to disclose further details about the hiding and unearthing of the coins, their legacy is now poised to make history — one coin at a time.
