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Lot 43
British Coins, Victoria, sovereign, 1843, ‘narrow shield’, young head l., rev. crowned shield of arms within wreath (S.3852B; Marsh 26A [R3 in any grade]), a fabulous sovereign displaying full mint brilliance combined with gorgeous gold colour and a marvellous strike, certified and identified erroneously by PCGS as S.3852, graded as Mint State 64, quite possibly the finest known example of this famous rarity and the only example graded MS64 by PCGS The ‘narrow shield’ style of reverse is most easily distinguished from ordinary reverses by the positioning of the laurel leaves to the sides of the shield (on regular reverses, the second-most top inner leaves are in line with the shield’s top but the central leaves are above the shield’s central line dividing the quadrants), making the royal shield appear taller and thinner. There is also a set of inner berries at the top of each laurel cluster on the ‘narrow shield’. In terms of the engraving quality, it may be said to be more delicate on this rare variety, displaying the armorial emblem under the shield as somewhat larger and longer, creating a more artistic uniting of the thistle, rose and shamrock. Why this die was created, and why it was employed so sparingly only during 1838 and 1843, remain unanswered questions. What is apparent is the astounding quality of this specimen, finer than the Bentley coin and finer than all others seen so far. This exceptional piece was described by Charles Wander as one of his favourite coins in his collection.
Lot 47
British Coins, Victoria, sovereign, 1846, young head l., rev. crowned shield of arms within wreath (S.3852), a lovely coin showing a different surface texture and lustre, as here we see not satiny glow but a ‘harder’ surface that is somewhat reflective and very brilliant, the strike consistently bold, while around and on Her Majesty’s portrait a few marks are noticeable, certified and graded by PCGS as Mint State 64+, scarce so fine The only example graded MS64+ by PCGS.
Lot 49
British Coins, Victoria, sovereign, 1848, first (small) young head l., rev. crowned shield of arms within wreath (S.3852; Marsh 31A), lustrous but a bit softly struck and showing some wear and tiny abrasions all over the obverse side, certified and graded by PCGS as About Uncirculated 55 The extremely rare first head variety and only one other example graded AU55 by PCGS. Perhaps the quickest way to identify this rare variety is to check where the I in DEI appears over the downward curve of the queen’s hair immediately to left of the top bunch of hair in her ponytail: on this variety that letter sets centred, whereas on the second head it sets to the left. This is a very rare coin, in point of fact, that was not recognized for most of the time since it was struck, not even by Marsh in his first editions. While it is called the ‘small head’ it is only slightly so compared to the following portrait. Evidently the positioning of the queen’s portrait was altered in this year in an attempt to prolong die-life (as fully explained in the Bentley sale of 8 May 2012, lot 55 footnote). For advanced collectors of sovereigns, this coin presents a true opportunity to obtain a coin absent from almost all collections.
Lot 5
British Coins, George III, proof sovereign, 1820, large date, open 2, straight grained edge,laur. head r., rev. St. George and the dragon (S.3785C; W&R.200 [R7, 1-2 known]; Nobleman 51 [part], lightly impaired but brilliant, certified and graded by PCGS as Proof Genuine Uncirculated Details, Altered Surface, exceedingly rare Proof impressions of any date of the first style of sovereigns issued, late in the reign of George III, are all rare in any state of preservation. These are technically ‘proofs of record’, variously called ‘record proofs’ and ‘VIP proofs’. The Act of Union of 1800 included a provision that instructed the Royal Mint to prepare and preserve examples of the kingdom’s coinage in each year so as to keep an historical record of the coinage using actual examples, not just accounts. This was an innovation. Specimen proofs of almost all coinage issues exist from that date on. When the first sovereigns of the modern era appeared in 1817 bearing the Wyon portrait of the aging monarch combined with Pistrucci’s now-classic image of Saint George (replacing Saint Michael of medieval lore) depicted slaying the dragon (symbol of evil), the coin was instantly admired and continued to be struck into 1820 after the king had died. Proofs of 1817 are most often seen among the specimen coinage, followed by the considerably rarer 1818. It is believed that a single 1819 proof may exist but the coin so described in a 1950 Spink reference has not been seen in many decades. As George III passed away on 29 January 1820, proofs bearing this date seem to have been not much more than an afterthought. The 1820 proof half-sovereign (WR.207) is so rare that the Wilson-Rasmussen reference did not show its image; one appeared in the Terner Collection. The proof 1820 sovereign, as seen in this lot, is equally rare with an estimate of perhaps two examples extant. Its technical grade is of little matter as it is lacking in almost every collection in the world. One lucky buyer will be able to boast of ownership of one of the great sovereign rarities. Everyone else can put it on their wish list.
Lot 503
British Medals, Edward VI, Coronation 1547, a coin-like silver medal, crowned Tudor rose on stalk, E – R to either side, EDWARD VI REX ANG FRANC HIBER ZC, rev. legend and date in 5 lines, INSIGNIA POTENTISSIMI REGIS ANGLIE 1547, rosette and pellet stops, 26.5mm., wt. 6.64gms. (Pagan 63 cf. MI.55/3; cf. Cook 7; cf. Foley 14), believed late 18th century, extremely fine and toned *bt. B. A. Seaby, 1976 The original medal is considered to be perhaps a Pattern half-sovereign or crown. The gold specimen in the Foley Collection sold for £30,000 (hammer price). H. E. Pagan (BNJ 40, 1971, “Mr. Emery’s Mint”), records that Edward Emery ‘the well-known forger and producer of fantasies’, is known to have made a Coronation medal of Edward VI, but neither this piece nor that in the following lot, conform to Emery’s style. By the standards of today this medal should be considered ‘very rare’. See also lots 501 and 502.
Lot 504
British Medals, Edward VI, Coronation 1547, a coin-like silver medal, a second example, crowned Tudor rose on stalk, E – R to either side, EDWARD VI REX ANG FRANC HIBER ZC, rev. legend and date in 5 lines, INSIGNIA POTENTISSIMI REGIS ANGLIE 1547, rosette and pellet stops, 27.5mm. 7.38gms. (Pagan 63 cf. MI 55/3; cf. Foley 14), believed late 18th century, superb mint state with rich blue-grey tone *bt. Spink & Son, 1985 H. E. Pagan (BNJ 40, 1971, “Mr. Emery’s Mint”), records that Edward Emery ‘the well-known forger and producer of fantasies’, is known to have made a Coronation medal of Edward VI, but neither this piece nor that in the following lot, conform to Emery’s style. By the standards of today this medal should be considered very rare. See also lots 501 and 502.
Lot 578
British Medals, William and Mary, Coronation 1689, the Festivities at the Hague, silver medal, unsigned, crowned shield of William III, as Prince of Orange, BRITTAN LIBER RELIG IUSTIT LEG VIND MDCLXXXIX rev. standing figure of Liberty holding Phrygian cap on staff and resting arm on a Bible placed on decorated altar, HANC TUEMUR HAC NITIMUR, milled edge, 33.5mm. (MI.677/53; vL.III, 389), rich tone and bloom, choice mint state, rare in this condition *ex Spink 8, 27 February 1980, lot 481 This coin-like piece was struck for distribution at the Coronation-day festivities at the Hague. The reverse is the same design as the Florin, Gulden or Guilder introduced in 1681, but with the addition of an English rose to the front of the altar.
Lot 610
British Medals, George I, Coronation 1714, small coin-like silver medallet or counter, unsigned, laureate and armoured bust rev.., Royal arms and supporters, 25.5mm. (MI.428/18; Eimer 471; Brockmann 836), mint state Struck early in the reign these pieces are considered to commemorate the Accession or Coronation of the King.
Lot 638
British Medals, George III and Queen Charlotte, Marriage and Coronation 1761, silver medal, signed both sides BG, conjoined busts r., he laureate, GEORGIVS III ET CHARLOTTA, and below, NUPT SEP VIII / CORO XXII MDCCLXI, rev. Britannia with lion and Neptune with naval emblems, seated at altar on which two hearts, UNDIQUE TUTUS, in ex. BRIT ET MEGA CONJUNCTÆ, 35.5mm. (BHM.34), nearly extremely fine and rare *bt. London Coin Fair (when at the Cumberland Hotel) The identity of the medallist is not known.
Lot 641
British Medals, George III: Queen Charlotte, Coronation 1761, the official medal, in gilt-copper, by Lorenz Natter, draped bust r., hair held by beaded ribbon, signed L.N. F, rev. Fame flies above Queen and crowns her, globe and altar to right, legend on ribband, QVAESITVM MERITIS, 34.5mm. (BHM.66, not listed in gilt; Eimer 696; Woll.xiv; Nau 155), extremely fine and very rare *bt. Oxford Coin Centre
Lot 647
British Medals, George III and Queen Charlotte, Coronation 1761, two pairs of ‘souvenir’ medals, busts of George and Charlotte, vis-à-vis, crown above, reads CROWNED SP 22 1761, rev. Royal arms and supporters, 33mm. (BHM.Supplement, 40A); conjoined busts l., crown above, rev. similar Royal arms, 24.5mm. (BHM.51); busts vis-à-vis, no crown above, GEORGIVS III GRATIA CHARLOTTA REGINA, rev. coin-like crowned arms, date at top 1762, 31mm. (BHM.-); laureate bust of George II r., rev. coin-like crowned arms, 1761, 23.5mm. (BHM.56), good very fine, excellent grades for cheaply made souvenir medals (4) *First bt. B. A. Seaby, 1975; last bt. Spink & Son, 1977 Brown can be forgiven for muddling the Coronation medals of George III; there are many varieties and even with further listings in the Supplement, it is inevitable that further pieces, such as the example dated 1762, will come to light.
Lot 71
British Coins, British Coins, Victoria, sovereign, 1861, young head l., rev. crowned shield of arms within wreath (S.3852D), a wonderful gold coin, boldly struck in every detail and shimmering with rich satiny lustre and delicate gold colour, with only the tiniest abrasions present in the soft gold, a real treasure for this date, certified and graded by PCGS as Mint State 64, choice
Lot 724
British Medals, William IV and Queen Adelaide, Coronation 1831, the official silver medal, by William Wyon, bust of William r., WILLIAM THE FOURTH CROWNED SEP 8 1831, rev. diademed head of Queen Adelaide r., ADELAIDE. QUEEN CONSORT CROWNED SEP 8 1831, 33mm. (BHM.1475; Eimer 1251; Woll.xvi), 2,000 specimens struck, in velvet and silk-lined red leather case of issue, brilliant mint state *bt. B. A. Seaby, 1977, Coin and Medal Bulletin, no. U557 There are varying accounts of the numbers struck as some were subsequently melted.
Lot 779
British Medals, Victoria, Coronation 1838, silver medal, by W. J. Taylor, bust l., VICTORIA BRITANNIA REGINA, rev. crown over legend within oak wreath, with rose, thistle and shamrock, BORN MAY 24 1819 CROWNED JUNE 28 1838, coin-like milled edge, 42mm. (BHM.1837/1835; W&E.130B, listed only in white metal), in fitted snakeskin case, choice extremely fine, toned The medal not listed as such in BHM. but is a combination of an obverse of an R4 medal and reverse of a medal only listed in white metal and R3. Brown comments on the odd repetition of the date. He has no record of any medal by Taylor with a milled edge.
Lot 78
British Coins, Victoria, sovereign, 1863, 827 on truncation, die no. 22, young head l., rev. crowned shield of arms within wreath (S.3853A; Marsh 48A [R6 in any condition]), lightly cleaned, the all-important features ‘827’ and die number sharp, certified and graded by PCGS as Repaired, Very Fine Details No sovereign of this variety is yet known in Mint State, the finest being a somewhat lustrous choice Extremely Fine coin discovered by this cataloguer some twenty years ago and sold to Spink. Until 1954, the existence of this rarity remained unknown to the numismatic community. The number of ‘827’ sovereigns minted is also unknown although it can be deduced, more or less, if the theory is correct that the numerical designation appearing on the queen’s bust at the truncation (well hidden from view) is that of a bar of gold made into sovereigns in order to make a reliable count of how many sovereigns are equal to such a gold bar in storage at the Royal Mint or at the Bank of England. Pieces so produced were at the time nothing but an accounting check for the mint, or the bank, and all were seemingly bagged and placed into commercial circulation. The English sovereign was the world’s measure of money in 1863, and doubtless many of these ‘827’ coins were shipped abroad, were used hard and were eventually melted. Only a handful have ever come to light, this specimen being typical. This is one of the rarest of all sovereigns.
Lot 784
British Medals, Queen Victoria, a modern gilt-silver medallic reproduction of the Una and Lion five-pound coin, 1839, the original by William Wyon, bust l., rev. the Queen as Una stands before the British Lion, 86.75mm., wt. 296.33gms., in case of issue, proof-like mint state *bt. SAS [Special Auction Services], 19 September 2014, lot 724
Lot 82
British Coins, Victoria, sovereign, 1869, die no. 60, young head l., rev. crowned shield of arms within wreath (S.3853), a gleamingly lustrous coin, with a sensational strike for this date and the surfaces displaying only tiny abrasions in the soft gold, certified and graded by PCGS as Mint State 64+, choice and a prize among later date Young Head issues for any serious collector of sovereigns The only example graded MS64+ by PCGS.
Lot 850
British Medals, Edward VIII, fantasy ‘proof’ set of seven crown-size coin-like medals, one portrait and six reverse designs crown, halfcrown, two-shillings, shilling, sixpence and threepence, common monogram reverse, in polished wood fitted case, mint state (7) *bt. SAS [Special Auction Services], 3 November 2015, lot 3
Lot 854
British Medals, The Three Kings of 1936, a set of three silver nut or sweetmeat dishes, by Robert Edgar Stone (1903 – 1990), probably for Asprey & Co. Ltd., the rose-shaped dishes with quaiche-like handles either side in the form of a regal crown, each set with a silver commemorative medal: George V and Queen Mary, official Jubilee medal, 1935, by Percy Metcalfe; Edward VIII, Abdication, 1936, by L. E. Pinches; and George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Coronation, 1937, by Messrs. John Pinches, each with London hallmark, 1936, maker’s mark and facsimile signature, 132mm. (handle-tip to handle-tip) (3) *bt. Dreweatt Auction, 14 June 2011, lot 298 Robert Edgar Stone was a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths and, as with the three pieces in this lot, his work was usually stamped with a facsimile signature. He learnt his craft at the Central School of Arts & Crafts, London, establishing his own workshop in 1929. To commemorate George V’s Silver Jubilee in 1935 he produced a large collection of items including caddy spoons, book marks, letter openers and 2 handled bowls with a coin or medal sunk in the centre. These usually featured a crown motif for the handles or terminals. He then adapted these designs for the Coronations of Edward VIII in 1936 and George VI in 1937.
Lot 896
Coin Cabinets, A handsome small early to mid 19th century walnut collector’s cabinet, double panel doors, with lock and key, revealing 11 velvet-lined plain shallow trays/drawers and two deeper (25mm. & 28mm.), with roped beading to base and standing on turned ‘knob’ feet, 365mm. W x 330mm. D x 380mm. H (including feet), in excellent condition
Lot 1042
British Coins, Henry VIII, third coinage (1544-1547), half sovereign, Tower mint, mm. pellet in annulet, king enthroned facing, holding orb and sceptre, rose below, rev. crowned shield of arms with lion and griffin supporters, wt. 6.07gms. (S.2294; N.1827), somewhat short of flan as so often seen but nearly extremely fine, the full-length robed and seated image of the famous king boldly detailed and finer than usually seen, his royal shield crisply detailed at the centre, fine flan-crack, in all a pleasing example of this classic Tudor gold coin
Lot 1048
British Coins, Elizabeth I, a handsome Art Deco period napkin ring of rectangular form with angled corners, inset with a milled silver sixpence of Elizabeth I, 1562, mm. star, decorated dress, small rose (S.2596), Birmingham hallmark, 1934, maker ‘D. BROS’ (either Davies Brothers or Dingley Brothers), the coin in excellent condition - extremely fine
Lot 1152
British Coins, George III, proof farthing, 1806, K on truncation, date double-struck, laur. bust r., rev. Britannia std. l., holding trident and olive branch (S.3782; P.1386), about mint state An extremely interesting coin, with a double-struck date reading 11880066. The portrait is the one used on the 1806 Irish farthings.
Lot 12
British Coins, George IV, sovereign, 1823, laur. head l., rev. St. George and the dragon (S.3800; Marsh 7, [R3 in any condition]), a marvellous example, lustrous with choice surfaces, certified and graded by PCGS as Mint State 63+ Certainly the finest known of this very rare date, and the only example graded MS63+ by PCGS Superior to the Bentley specimen, which fetched £18,000. This is a special coin. Retaining so much lustre, as a rarity seldom seen in any condition approaching that of the presently offered coin, it is indeed a special example of the rarest date sovereign of this design type. In all, some 21 million sovereigns of the Laureate Head style were coined between 1821 and 1825, but only during 1823 did the mintage fall below one million (616,770 struck in 1823). After only five years, this regal style ended, being replaced at the king’s own command by the Bare Head portrait issue. It’s a familiar story that, during 1823, in the middle of this style’s short existence, a new portrait showing George IV without the laurel wreath and more thin-faced was first prepared as a medallion by Sir Francis Chantrey. The obverse die for the sovereign was engraved by J.B. Merlen, as the senior engraver Pistrucci famously refused to simply copy the work of another artist. The king approved of it without delay, and in mid-year 1825 the new portrait began to appear. George IV was a luxurious man who had admired a large bust of himself in this style, showing him to be slimmer in demeanour than the Laureate portrait suggested; but he was not slim at all, and in fact the first style of portrait, as seen on this sovereign, is the more lifelike. There seems to be no specific reason for this date’s rarity. Economic activity in 1823 was not out of the ordinary and in reality, it was a period of economic plenty, and this would account for the issuance of a then-novel £2 gold coin, struck only during 1823 for commerce, the same time as this sovereign was minted. Half-sovereigns of 1823 were accordingly also struck in smaller numbers compared to other dates in this series. It is a logical assumption, then, that the £2 coin was seen, at the time, as fulfilling the requirement for gold used in commercial transactions, although clearly the larger coin was deemed unnecessary in subsequent years, as no others were made for commercial purposes until the Jubilee issue of 1887. We must ultimately conclude that sovereigns of 1823 saw continual use, wore down over the years, and that the majority of remaining pieces were part of the 90 million sovereigns melted into bars by the Bank of England during 1930 and 1931.
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