The Soho Collection was one of the finest collections of copper and bronze that featured in the CGS (Coin Grading Service) league tables, and at various times held finest recorded accolades for many categories. It is offered here in its entirety.
Mr Paul Ellaway who formed the collection gives an insight below into his hobby below. Paul makes the comment that he tried to find the best examples he could and it immediately becomes apparent when perusing his collection he succeeded. Many of these choice coins have been in his collection for decades and once snapped up by collectors in this sale are unlikely to be offered again for at least a generation.
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I will do a brief history of my collecting. It started when I first left school and started working we was renovating a coaching inn and I found a cartwheel twopence and a Bank of England dollar. I had a interest in coins but my collecting started 30 years ago and I found my passion was for copper and bronze when I saw a 1841 penny uncirculated with lustre. I tried to find the best condition coins I could and really enjoyed collecting the best coins I could afford.
Penny 1916 Freeman UNC with practically full lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 80, the joint finest known of 15 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report
Penny 1918 Freeman 182 dies 2+B, Lustrous UNC in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 80, the second finest known of 21 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report, Ex-London Coins Auction A152 March 2016 Lot 3225 hammer price £120
Penny 1921 Freeman 190 dies 2+B UNC with practically full lustre, an eye-catching example with superb eye appeal, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 82, the second finest known of 16 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report, Ex-London Coins Auction A117 June 2007 Lot 1174 (part)
Penny 1950 Freeman 242 dies 3+C UNC toned with slight traces of lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 80, Ex-London Coins Auction A123 December 2008 Lot 1463 hammer price £50, Ex-Cheshire collection NGC MS64 BN, the NGC ticket no longer with the coin
Penny 1951 Freeman 242 dies 3+C UNC with full lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 82, Ex-London Coins Auction A116 March 2007 Lot 1191 hammer price £44
Halfpenny 1925 First Head, Freeman 404 dies 1+A, UNC with around 80% lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 82, Ex-Roland Harris Collection, London Coins Auction A124 February 2009 Lot 1075 (part)
Halfpenny 1926 Freeman 406 dies 2+B, UNC with good, slightly subdued lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 82, the second finest known of 8 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report, Ex-Roland Harris Collection, London Coins Auction A124 February 2009 Lot 1075 (part)
Halfpenny 1930 Freeman 414 dies 3+B Choice UNC and lustrous, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 85, Ex-Roland Harris Collection, London Coins Auction A124 February 2009 Lot 1075 (part), the joint finest known of 10 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report
Halfpenny 1950 Freeman 457 dies 2+O Choice UNC and lustrous, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 85, the joint finest known of 13 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report, Ex-Roland Harris Collection, London Coins Auction A124 February 2009 Lot 1075 (part)
Penny 1841 REG No Colon, Peck 1484, Bramah 2c, F in DEF repaired, VF with some contact marks, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 50, Ex-London Coins Auction A153 June 2016, Lot 3142 hammer price £20
Penny 1889 as Freeman 128 dies 13+N, 14 Leaves in wreath, with 15 teeth date spacing, VF/GVF, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 50, Ex-Frank Stephenson Collection, London Coins Auction June 2017 Lot 2936 (part)
Penny 1896 as Freeman 143 dies 1+B, Gouby BP1896Ab 10 1/2 teeth date spacing, UNC, the obverse with around 75% lustre, the reverse with around 70% subdued lustre, sharply struck, a few very minor contact marks barely detract, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 80, Ex-London Coins A137 3/6/2012 Lot 1747 hammer price £42
Penny 1930 Freeman 203 dies 5+C Choice UNC with around 90% lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 85, the third finest known of 64 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report
Halfpenny 1891 Freeman 364 dies 17+S UNC with traces of lustre, even and pleasing, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 78, Ex-London Coins Auction A128 Marsh 2010 Lot 1460 hammer price £46
Halfpenny 1965 Freeman 492 dies 3+H, Lustrous UNC and choice in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 90, the finest known of 57 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report, at the time of writing a total of 264 Elizabeth II currency Halfpennies have been recorded by LCGS and this remains the only grade 90. Ex-London Coins Auction A120 Lot 1384 hammer price £36
Penny 1896 as Freeman 143 dies 1+B, Gouby BP1896Ac 11 teeth date spacing, UNC, the obverse with around 65% lustre, the reverse with around 50% lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 80, Ex-London Coins Auction A137 June 2012 Lot 1748 hammer price £40
Mint Error - Mis-Strike Penny 1847 DEF Far Colon, struck off-centre with around 2mm blank flan between 9 and 3 o'clock on the obverse and correspondingly so on the reverse, Fine, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 30
Penny 1916 Freeman 180 dies 2+B, UNC with some subdued lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 78, Ex-Trevor Stone Collection, London Coins Auction A107 November 2004 Lot 1282 hammer price £34
Penny 1938 Freeman 222 dies 2+B UNC and lustrous in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 85, the joint finest known of 33 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report
Halfpenny 1895 Freeman 370 dies 1+A Lustrous UNC in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 82, Ex-London Coins Auction A128 March 2010 Lot 1461 hammer price £42
Penny 1898 Freeman 149 dies 1+B, Gouby BP1898Aa 10 1/2 teeth date spacing, UNC with good subdued lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 80, Ex-Trevor Stone Collection, London Coins Auction A107 November 2004 Lot 1264 hammer price £26
Halfpenny 1897 Freeman 373 dies 1+B, UNC or near so and lustrous, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 75, Penny 1900 wide spaced 00 in date, Gouby BP1900Ab in an LCGS 'yellow ticket' holder and graded Corrosion UNC
Halfpenny 1929 Freeman 412 dies 3+B Choice UNC with around 85% lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 85, the second finest known of 15 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report, Ex-Roland Harris Collection, London Coins Auction A124 Feb 2009 Lot 1075 (part)
Halfpenny 1933 Freeman 420 dies 3+B UNC and lustrous, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 82, the second finest known of 13 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report, Ex-London Coins Auction A127 December 2009 Lot 2051 hammer price £48
Halfpenny 1952 Freeman 461 dies 2+P Choice UNC with around 75% lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 85, the joint finest known of 18 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report, Ex-Roland Harris Collection, London Coins Auction A124 February 2009 Lot 1075 (part)
Halfpenny 1960 Freeman 485 dies 3+E, UNC with practically full lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 88, the finest known of 6 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report, only one currency Elizabeth II Halfpenny has graded higher (the 1965 graded LCGS 90 also listed in this sale)
Penny 1863 Open 3 in date Gouby BP1863B (J+g), Satin 46, Poor with some misty areas, the variety clear, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 3, Ex-London Coins Auction A137 June 2012 Lot 1719 hammer price £180
Penny 1920 Freeman 188 dies 2+B UNC with around 80% lustre, the reverse with touches of attractive red tone, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 80, Ex-London Coins Auction A127 December 2009 Lot 2078 hammer price £55
Penny 1861 F over E in ONE, Freeman dies 6+G, LCGS Variety 35, VG in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 8, Ex-London Coins Auction A152 March 2016 Lot 3151 hammer price £150
Halfpenny 1898 Freeman 375 dies 1+B UNC with good subdued lustre and some tone spots, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 80, Ex-London Coins Auction A121 June 2008 Lot 899 hammer price £34
Halfpenny 1934 Freeman 422 dies 3+B UNC with around 75% lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 82, Ex-Roland Harris Collection, London Coins Auction A124 February 2009 Lot 1075 (part)
Halfpenny 1935 Freeman 424 dies 3+B UNC with around 75% lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 82, the second finest known of 9 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report, Ex-Roland Harris Collection, London Coins Auction A124 February 2009 Lot 1075 (part)
Halfpenny 1936 Freeman 426 dies 3+B Choice UNC with practically full lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 85, the joint finest known of 16 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report, Ex-Roland Harris Collection, London Coins Auction A124 Feb 2009 Lot 1075 (part)
Penny 1874 Freeman 77 dies 8+G, Fine, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 25, rated at R14 by Freeman, Ex-London Coins Auction A152 March 2016 Lot 2417, Ex-Croydon Coins Auction September 2001
Penny 1918 Freeman 182 dies 2+B, UNC or very near so with around 50% lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 75, Ex-Trevor Stone Collection, London Coins Auction A107 November 2004, Lot 1284 hammer price £30
Halfpenny 1874H D over higher, tilted D in F:D: also the lower colon dot after the F in F:D: is crescent shaped, Fine in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 25, an unusual type and the only example thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report
Halfpenny 1932 Freeman 418 dies 3+B UNC, the obverse attractively toned, the reverse with good lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 82, the second finest known of 7 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report
Halfpenny 1963 Freeman 489 dies 3+F, Choice UNC with practically full lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 88, the finest known of 11 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report, only one currency Elizabeth II Halfpenny has graded higher (the 1965 graded LCGS 90 also listed in this sale)
Halfpenny 1964 Freeman 491 dies 3+E, UNC with practically full lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 88, the joint finest known of 8 examples thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report, only one currency Elizabeth II Halfpenny has graded higher (the 1965 graded LCGS 90 also listed in this sale)
Penny 1860 Toothed Border dies 2+D, with double thin crossbar to the A of VICTORIA, LCGS Variety 41, NVG in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 5, Ex-London Coins Auction A150 June 2015 Lot 2585 hammer price £70
Farthing 1928 Freeman 609 dies 3+B Choice UNC and lustrous, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 85, Ex-London Coins Auction A1222 September 2008 Lot 1996 hammer price £20
Penny 1927 Freeman 197 dies 4+C UNC with around 30% lustre, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 82, Ex-London Coins Auction A122 September 2008 Lot 2048 hammer price £32
Penny 1874 as Freeman 72 dies 7+H, as Gouby BP1874Da dies K+j, but with the extra linear circle showing in the exergue, VG in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 10 the variety and all major details very clear, Ex-London Coins Auction A139 December 2012 Lot 2094 (part), the only example thus far recorded by the LCGS Population Report
Penny 1892 as Freeman 134 dies 12+N, with Double linear circle below the 189 of the date. Recorded by Gouby for 1879, 1883, 1883 and 1886 but not for this date, LCGS Variety 05, Good Fine, in an LCGS holder and graded LCGS 35
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