FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          AT
THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 1996                           (202) 616-2771
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888


        DOMINION REPUBLIC RARE BANKNOTE COLLECTOR CHARGED
        WITH RIGGING BIDS AT NEW YORK NUMISMATICS AUCTION

     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A Dominican Republic collector of fine
art and rare banknotes was charged today by the Department of
Justice with conspiring to rig bids for the purchase of rare
banknotes sold at a New York City public auction.
     This is the third case in the Department's ongoing antitrust
investigation into collusive bidding at auctions of numismatics
items and other goods.  Thus far, the investigation has resulted
in criminal fines of $175,000.
     In court papers filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan,
the Department's Antitrust Division charged that Inmobiliaria
Samisu S.A., owned by Isaac Rudman, a leading numismatics
collector, and co-conspirators agreed to refrain from bidding
against one another at a major numismatics auction conducted by
Christie, Manson & Woods International Inc., in New York City. 
The auction, which took place on November 28 and 29, 1990,
primarily involved the sale of old and rare banknotes, proofs and
specimens from the archives of the American Bank Note Company.  
     In April 1995, William Barrett Numismatics Limited, a
Canadian corporation, pleaded guilty to a charge of collusive
bidding at the same auction and paid a $125,000 criminal fine.
     In September 1995, Mel Steinberg Inc., a California
corporation, also pleaded guilty to a charge of collusive bidding
at this auction and paid a $50,000 criminal fine.  
     Anne K. Bingaman, Assistant Attorney General in charge of
the Antitrust Division, said that the charges arose in connection
with a grand jury investigation in New York City into collusive
bidding at auctions of numismatics items and other goods. 
Bingaman said that the investigation, which is being conducted by
the Division's New York Office, is continuing.
     The maximum penalty for a corporation convicted of a Sherman
Act violation occurring after November 16, 1990 is the greatest
of $10 million, twice the gross pecuniary gain derived by the
defendant from the offense or twice the gross pecuniary loss
caused to the victims of the crime.
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