Campaign: Prospero Coin Auction
Client: Noble Investments UK
PR team: Abchurch Communications
Timescale: September-January 2012
Budget: £5,000
Objective
- To find potential buyers for the collection.
Strategy and plan
Capitalising on the lack of faith in the euro, the PR team approached journalists covering alternative investments, contrasting the eurozone's potential collapse with the high value of the 2,000-year-old coins. It also targeted journalists covering art and antiques and invited several reporters to see the coins on display, with experts on hand.
Measurement and evaluation
Coverage was generated in The Daily Telegraph, the Financial Times, The Times, BBC History magazine and The Mail on Sunday. In the international press, the auction was covered by The New York Times and Reuters, among others.
Results
Every auction lot was sold, while a world record was paid for a Greek Gold Slater, which fetched $3,802,500 (£2,380,430), breaking the previous record of one million Swiss Francs (£0.66m).
As AH Baldwin & Sons' holding company, Noble Investments UK's share price increased from 166.5p in December 2011 to 185p in January following the auction.
