Sovereign Rarities
Lot 225
Victoria (1837-1901), silver proof Penny, 1860, struck on a heavy 2.35mm thick silver flan, beaded borders both sides, laureate head bust in bodice facing left, L. C. WYON signature raised at rear of truncation, partly upon bust for designer Leonard Charles Wyon, legend with linear circle surrounding, VICTORIA D: G: BRITT: REG: F: D:, rev. draped Britannia seated wearing plumed helmet facing right on rocks with shield and holding trident, L.C.W. designer initials incuse on ground below shield, lighthouse on rocks to left, ship sailing away to right, sea meets linear circle, denomination ONE PENNY surrounding design, date in exergue, 15.06g (Peck 1621 dies 1+B ER; Freeman 3 dies 1+A R18; Gouby BP 1860SP dies C1/a1 R9; S.3954). Attractively toned though some light tooling in field to right of Britannia and in exergue, otherwise good extremely fine, practically as struck and extremely rare, one of only six known examples, two of which are institutionalized, with a great provenance.The abbreviated Latin legend on the obverse translates as "Victoria by the Grace of God, Queen of the Britons, Defender of the Faith."This series of extremely rare 1860 proofs in gold, silver and bronzed copper always have a weakly struck high point at the centre of the Queen’s laurel wreath in the hair where the leaves and their veins are rendered therefore weakly. Provenance:Ex King Farouk, Palace Collections of Egypt, Cairo, Sotheby, 24th February 1954, lot 2348 plate XXXIII. Ex Philip G. Smith collection, sold privately to Spink in 1967.Ex Michael J. Freeman Collection, Christies, 23rd October 1984, lot 3 plate 1.Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, December 1985, item 9344.Ex St James Auction 9,18th June 2008, lot 722.
