The Coin Cabinet
Lot 11
GREAT BRITAIN. George III, 1760-1820. Gold half-guinea, 1764. Pattern. Extremely rare, R5. Equal-finest graded.- Rated R5, extremely rare. There are only 6-10 examples.- One of two examples graded as Proof 64. None graded higher by either grading company.- Impressive provenance stretching to 1953, including the Slaney Collection.Smaller laureate bust right; GEORGIVS · III · DEI · GRATIA · [George III, by the grace of God]. / Crowned, garnished shield of arms; date divided above; · M · B · F · ET · H · REX · F · D · B · ET · L · D · S · R · I · R · A · T · ET · E · [King of Great Britain France and Ireland, defender of the Faith, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburgm, Arch-Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire].In secure plastic holder, graded NGC PF 64 CAMEO, certification number 2124454-038. As attractive as is ever seen of the issue. Unblemished portrait and immaculate reverse with striation marks. Extremely rare. 6-10 examples known. Equal-finest graded.ex. Slaney Collection, SPINK 3024, lot 9, 15th May 2003.ex. H.C. Dangar Collection, Glendining, lot 181, 15 April 1953.NGC Proof 64 Cameo. As attractive as is ever seen of the issue. Unblemished portrait and immaculate reverse with striation marks. Extremely rare. 6-10 examples known. Dual finest graded.NGC Census in this grade: 2, equal-finest graded.Total NGC Census: 2Reference: Bull-864 [R5]; Fr-359 [var.]; KM-599 [var.]; MCE-407 [var.]; S-3732 [var.]; WR-128 [R5]Diameter: 21.5 mm.Weight: 3.92 g. (AGW=0.1155 oz.)Composition: 916.0/1000 Gold.The CoinThis is an extremely rare pattern issue by the great Richard Yeo in his prime. Only five examples, including this one, have traded publicly in the last two decades. This particularly delicate and well-proportioned bust exists on no other issue. This is also the joint finest graded example of this unique bust. The svelte slopes of neck, cheek and shoulder are so perfectly and subtly engraved, giving the impression of freshly pressed snow. A velvet lustre shimmers and dances over each curve breathing life into the regnal depiction. Flipping the coin over, a bold and precisely engraved royal shield meets the eye. This contrast perfectly complements each side of the coin, accenting both the softness of royal flesh and the cold strength of aristocracy. All of this boldly stands out against beautifully reflective fields of a subtle olive tone that under direct light erupts into a blazing yellow. Truly a world class example, having graced the Dangar Collection, Slaney Collection and British Collection. Befitting only of the cream of numismatic collectors. Richard Yeo (c.1720-79)Richard Yeo first came to prominence in 1746 upon his creation of the official medal for the Battle of Culloden. From 1749, he was assistant engraver at the Royal Mint under the great John Sigmund Tanner. In 1775, Yeo officially succeeded Tanner as Chief Engraver at the mint. However, as a result of Tanner’s failing eyesight and other health issues Yeo had been acting effectively as Chief Engraver since 1760 but without the appropriate pay. This was amended in 1768 when he was awarded £500 for past labours. Tanner designed and engraved British coinage as Chief until his death in 1779. Yeo was an extremely accomplished engraver producing several patterns and circulation issues throughout his career and his particularly fine style brought a delicate realism to coins of the period.Yeo was also a member of the Incorporated Society of Artists (1761-91) and founding member of the Royal Academy of Arts. He exhibited his works at the Academy in both 1769 and 1770. The Slaney CollectionThis coin was a member of the prestigious Slaney Collection – one of the most revered collections of British coinage ever assembled. For decades collectors had wondered where the cream of the numismatic crop liquidated in the 40s and 50s had disappeared to, only to find most of it in the Slaney Collection, which was sold by SPINK in two sales in May 2003 and May 2015. The collection sold for over £4 million; broke numerous sale records; is considered a milestone in British coinage; and ushered in a new era of serious growth in the market. PLEASE NOTE: 6% Buyer Premium + VAT on this lot. No other fees, including live bidding. Delivery cost will be added to your order.This lot is exempt from VAT. Payment can be made in EUR, CHF, or USD for an exchange fee. Please contact us to find out more.
