Heritage Auction Galleries reported $709.6 million in net sales for 2008, the largest in its history. This figure represents results from all of Heritage’s 26 departments, and includes all auction and private treaty sales.

“This was a year of sales growth, right from the very beginning,” said Greg Rohan, president of Heritage, based in Dallas. “We started the year with a record-breaking auction at the Florida United Numismatists convention – more than $63.5 million, making it the second biggest coin and currency auction ever held after our $78 million 2007 FUN auction.”

Heritage said it recorded $252.7 million in U.S. coin auction sales, a 20 percent increase over 2007. Heritage tallied $40.9 million in currency sales, a 35 percent increase over its record 2007 sales.

The company’s sports division generated $8.2 million in sales. Sales for its other divisions included Comic Books and Comic Art, $21.1 million; Movie Posters and Associated Memorabilia, $9.8 million; Sports Collectibles: $8.2 million; Natural History, $7.4 million; Civil War Memorabilia, $5.9 million; and Illustration Art, $5.8 million.

The company reports it now has 422,414 registered bidder members.