NEW YORK, NY.- Appearing at auction for the first time in its history, a legendary 1897 South Africa Republic gold proof pattern 6 Pence – with provenance to the peerless Royle Baldwin Collection – sold for $329,000 in Heritage Auctions' Jan. 5 World Coins & Ancient Coins Signature® Auction held in conjunction with the New York International Numismatic Convention (NYINC). The South African 6 Pence was one of several six-figure coins sold during Heritage's World & Ancient coin events Jan. 4-5, 2015 in New York and a non-floor sessions Jan. 13-14 on HA.com, which collectively exceeded $15.25 million.

"Collectors were looking for rare, fresh-to-market additions to their portfolios and they found them at Heritage in New York," said Cristiano Bierrenbach, Executive Vice President of International Numismatics. "It's always gratifying to watch an auction set multiple records. I am especially happy for our 250+ consignors!"

Another six-figure coin was an 1839 Victoria "Una and the Lion" Gold Proof 5 Pound, graded PR64 Deep Cameo by PCGS, which sold for $258,500 following interest from eight bidders. The rare proof is tied for the finest ever certified and is a testament to today's strong market for British coins, particularly 19th century examples, as it set a world record for the type at auction.

A Joao V gold 6400 1732-B Reis (Peça), one of only two known for this date and the finest available example realized $146,875 and an Australian George V 6-Piece Proof Set of 1934, an important group of six coins of which only 100 were reportedly struck, brought $105,750.

Rare coins from the Far East generated intense interest as 11 bidders pushed the hammer price of a rare mint state 1907 Manchurian Dollar – a scarce date type in relation to other issues from the three Eastern Provinces' Fengtien mint – to $114,562, more than four times its pre-auction estimate. A 1906 Korea Japanese Protectorate Gold 20 Year Won, with the famed Eliasberg pedigree, sold for $99,875.

A Russian 1904 5 Kopecks Nicholas II Silver Proof sold for nearly twice its auction estimate when it closed at $76,375 and an 1836 1-1/2 Roubles Nicholas I Novodel Family, the "Family Rouble" closed for $70,500.

Collectors of ancient coins focused their attention on condition as a lustrous Lucius Verus AV aureus, struck AD 161-169 and graded Gem MS?, the highest NGC grade possible, sold for $64,625, more than double its pre-auction estimate to set a world record for a coin of its type. A deeply struck tetradrachm from Macedon, struck circa 470-450 BC, sold for $49,350. An extremely rare gold solidus of Licinia Eudoxia, the wife of the emperor Valentinian III, sold for $44,650 in possibly its first ever appearance at auction.