Bruun Scandinavian Auction Offers 500+ NGC-Certified Pieces

More than 500 Scandinavian coins, tokens, and medals certified by NGC are being offered in a Stack’s Bowers Galleries auction, including a Norwegian rarity believed unique in private hands and expected to approach $1 million.

Bidding is underway for the March 2026 L. E. Bruun Collection — A Corpus of Scandinavian Numismatics — Part IV auction, with Session 1 closing March 24 and Session 2 closing March 25.

Top Lot: Norway 1661 10 Ducat

The auction’s leading highlight is a Norway (1661) 10 Ducat — Fort Aggershus graded NGC AU Details (Session 2, lot 18103), carrying an estimate of €600,000 to €800,000 (about $699,000 to $932,000).

The coin is believed to be unique in private ownership, with the only other two known examples held by the Danish government and a Norwegian university.

Its obverse features Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway from 1648 to 1670, while the reverse depicts Akershus, the fortified castle in Oslo where a 1661 ceremony marked the establishment of his absolute rule.

Additional Six-Figure Frederik III Rarities

Several other issues tied to Frederik III are expected to realize six-figure prices, including a Denmark 1664 10 Ducat graded NGC AU Details (Session 1, lot 17074), estimated at €150,000 to €200,000 (about $175,000 to $233,000).

Struck in gold and weighing more than an ounce, the piece is believed to have been produced for the king’s personal use.

Danish West Indies Coins Featured

With the sale taking place in New York City, the auction includes a selection of coins from the Danish West Indies, now the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Among them are:

• 1904 10 Daler graded NGC MS 68 (lot 18044), estimated at €35,000+ (about $40,000)
• 1749 VH West Indies Company 2 Ducat graded NGC MS 63 (lot 17126), estimated at €20,000+ (about $23,000)
• (1850) 25 Cents counterstamped on an 1849 U.S. quarter graded NGC MS 63 (lot 18034), estimated at €35,000+

Bruun Collection Background

The collection was assembled by Danish entrepreneur Lars Emil Bruun, who built his fortune in butter and real estate. NGC certified the coins, encapsulating them with special labels denoting the Bruun pedigree.

This auction represents the fourth installment in a multi-sale dispersal of the collection. The first auction, held in September 2024, was led by a Denmark 1496 Noble graded NGC AU 55 that realized €1.2 million (about $1.33 million), setting a record for a Scandinavian coin.

More than 6,300 coins, medals, and tokens from the Bruun Collection have been offered to date, and you can view high-resolutions images of them in a searchable gallery at NGCcoin.com/gallery/bruun.

Additional NGC-certified highlights in this auction include:

• an undated 2 Ducat graded NGC MS 66★ (Session 1, lot 17085), with an estimate of €150,000 to €200,000 (about $175,000 to $233,000)
• a Norway 1678 PG 4 Speciedaler graded NGC XF Details (Session 2, lot 18111), with an estimate of €150,000 to €200,000 (about $175,000 to $233,000)
• a Denmark 1653 5 Ducat graded NGC MS 62 (Session 1, lot 17066), with an estimate of €100,000 to €130,000 (about $116,000 to $151,000)
• a Denmark 1663 10 Ducat graded NGC AU Details (Session 1, lot 17072), with an estimate of €110,000 to €130,000 (about $128,000 to $151,000)
• a Denmark 1592 5 Ducat graded NGC AU Details (Session 1, lot 17041), with an estimate of €90,000 to €110,000 (about $105,000 to $128,000)
• a Denmark 1659 5 Ducat graded NGC AU 55 (Session 1, lot 17069), with an estimate of €80,000 to €100,000 (about $93,000 to $116,000)
• a Norway 1678 PG 3 Speciedaler graded NGC AU Details (Sessions 2, lot 18112), with an estimate of €80,000 to €120,000 (about $93,000 to $140,000)
• a Denmark 1870 NC//CS 2 Christan d’Or graded NGC MS 69 (lot 17227), with an estimate of €30,000 to €40,000 (about $35,000 to $46,000)
• a Denmark 1911 VBP GJ 20 Kroner graded NGC MS 68+ (lot 17275), with an estimate of €6,000 to €7,000 (about $7,000 to $8,000)