Q. David Bowers
"Still, nothing was easy. An English company had received authorization to set up an office at the palace where the auction sessions were held. We had used the company's office in the States to make our travel arrangements. Everything was first class, especially the rates charged.
"As we traveled from country to country en route to Egypt, I noticed that in almost every in-stance, at that time, all planes were at tourist fare rates. There simply was no first class space, although the rate sheet quoted first class fares. In short, we traveled tourist class at first class prices! Eventually, after our return home I made a claim and received a refund of $750.
"These experiences, coming as they did, one stop after another, soured my attitude towards this company, which was now in Cairo and was seeking to handle our shipments of purchases. I talked to their representative. Our first shipment consisted of about $75,000 worth of coins, and the company quoted a charge of $2,000 to handle them. I had too much experience with shipping to agree to such a figure. I told them I would consider it.
"In the meantime I had several talks with an American gentleman at the TWA office in Cairo, and I decided to see him about the matter. He could help us out to the extent that, if we delivered the parcel to the Trans World Airlines office at the airport, the carrying charge would be about $37. However, we would have to provide our own insurance. I telephoned to the Cairo office of Lloyd's of London, where a very cooperative Italian gentleman was in charge. I explained the situation. He agreed to wire the London office and get back to me the next day. He did. The charge would be about $350, and we would be insured from the time the package was delivered to TWA at the airport until delivered in the United States Well, that brought the $2,000 cost down to below $400, but we still had to get the coins to the airport.
"I got to Col. Youngs and Maj. Gaafer and had them assign a customs man to it. We went in to pick up our lots against a draft ordering Barclay's Bank to pay the stipulated amount. Barclay's also had a temporary office there. We then began to wrap the coins in toilet tissue and, under the eye of the customs man, prepared the package for shipment. The wrapped parcel was then handed to the customs man, and he accompanied Sol an Vivian Kaplan, Molly and me outside, where we had a small taxi waiting. We all climbed in, and it was close quarters. The customs man sat up front, the parcel on his lap and a gun in his holster and we were off on our journey.
"The reason for the customs man became clean as we approached the palace exit gates. Had we been without him, we would have been oblige, to open the parcel and permit the guard to examine the contents. As I had pointed out earlier, the guards were very thorough but had no species regard for the condition of the coins and certainly no interest in avoiding damage to them. Under the circumstances, a customs man carrying the parcel as well as a special pass permitted us to be briefly stopped and questioned, after which we were allowed to proceed. Proceed we did, but not without apprehension. After a ride which seemed at times as though we were going 90 miles an hour on just two wheels, we finally arrived at the airport, where we were again stopped and questioned. Another examination would have taken place had we not had the customs man with us.
"Finally we were allowed to go to the TWA office, where an Egyptian clerk was in charge. He was not sure he could accept the package. We assured him that we had cleared the matter with the city office. He telephoned there and got our American friend just as he was preparing to leave for the day.
"At last we were relieved of the package. We got a receipt, and then we immediately telephone Lloyd's representative to give him the waybill number. The taxi ride back was a much more relaxed one. When we returned to our hotel, the Continental-Savoy, it was after seven in the evening. A messenger from Lloyd's was waiting for us with the insurance contract. We were emotionally drained but considerably relieved."
It was subsequently reported that all Farouk's collections-art, coins, stamps, and everything else, except for Egyptian antiquities (which were sent to the National Museum)-brought about $2 million, a tiny fraction of what Farouk had paid in exile, Farouk had no control over the disposition of his favorite playthings. Abe Kosoff concludes the epic:
"Farouk spent much time in Rome. His fortune had dwindled. Extravagance and gambling losses mounted. and bad investments took the rest. Finally, toward the end of 1964, Farouk had a coronary attack. He was 44 and weighed close to 300 pounds. He still had his eye on beautiful women. On March 17, 1965, he visited with his latest girlfriend, with whom he went to dinner. The press reported what Farouk ate that night: a dozen oysters, a lobster thermidor, a double portion of coast lamb with potatoes, beans, and a large portion of trifle. Farouk drank much water with his meals. Before he could leave the dinner table, he suffered an attack. A few hours later, Farouk, age 45, died. His brother-in-law pleaded with Nasser, The Egyptian president, to permit Farouk's burial in Cairo. This was done, and only Nasser and a few others knew where Farouk was interred."
While Abe Kosoff was busy with the King Farouk Sale activities, Abner Kreisberg remained in Beverly Hills to conduct business and to work on the next auction. Beginning on April 30, 1954, a two-session sale was conducted by the Numismatic Gallery for the Central States Numismatic Society. Billed as the Silver Anniversary Sale, the 52-page catalogue described 1,269 lots, primarily United States coins, but with significant offerings in the ancient and world series as well.
Sample prices realized: Lot 1, 1856 Flying Eagle cent, Very Fine $167.50; Lot 440, 1865 Proof nickel three-cent piece $45; Lot 441, 1867 nickel three cent piece Proof $9.50; Lot 442, 1868 nickel three cent piece Proof $10; Lot 434, 1864 Large Motto Proof two-cent piece $15; Lot 463, 1792 half disme Fine $137.50; Lot 464, 1794 half dime Extremely Fine $101; Lot 633, 1861 gold dollar Uncirculated $9.50; Lot 637, 1881 gold dollar Uncirculated $15; Lot 642, 1802 over 1 quarter eagle Uncirculated $175; 1806 over 4 quarter eagle Extremely Fine with some mint adjustment marks $135; Lot 805 MCMVII Saint-Gaudens High Relief double eagle Uncirculated $150.