Five Guineas 1693 S.3422 Obverse conjoined busts of joint monarchs right. GVLIELMVS ET MARIA DEI GRATIA. Reverse, crowned garnished square topped arms, lion of Nassau in centre. Edge year QVINTO in raised letters on edge, in a PCGS holder and graded MS62, with Prooflike and brilliant fields, a piece with remarkable eye appeal, the bust and reverse design lightly frosted, retaining much mint lustre, must surely be one of the finest known examples of this short series. At the time of writing, the PCGS Population report shows one example graded MS62+ and another at MS63 being the only finer examples. Across the entire William and Mary series combining all Five Guinea dates and varieties, only 4 examples have been graded higher by PCGS. and in August 2020 an example dated 1692 and graded MS63 by PCGS realised $384,000 in Heritage, and is now being offered for private treaty sale at $499,000, and we can tell you that that the difference in grade between MS62 and 63 is negligible. William and Mary were spouses who reigned over the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland. They began their joint reign in February 1689 after they were offered the throne by the Convention Parliament. James II (Mary’s father) had fled the country and William and Mary occupied what was in effect a vacant throne. They were the first joint rulers in England for over 800 years, although Philip II and Mary I had appeared on English coinage together. Mary was to reign until her death from smallpox in December 1694 and William continued his rule alone, until his death in March 1702. The reign of William and Mary was brief and their coins are relatively scarce.
Proof Set 1826 (11 coins) comprising Gold Five Pounds 1826 Proof nFDC with some very minor hairlines and the odd small contact mark barely detract, the fields brilliant and reflective, Gold Two Pounds 1826 Proof nFDC the obverse with beautiful reflective fields, the reverse with slight haze around the legend, one small spot on the drapery to the right, Gold Sovereign 1826 Proof nFDC the bust beautifully frosted, minor wavy line in the obverse field, Gold Half Sovereign 1826 Proof, Extra hair tuft, (Marsh 407C) nFDC the obverse with minor hairlines and contact marks, Crown 1826 Proof nFDC/FDC the reverse beautifully toned, Halfcrown 1826 Proof nFDC the obverse with flashes of blue and gold tone, the reverse blue/green and golden toned with touches of magenta, Shilling 1826 Proof nFDC the obverse with minor contact marks, Sixpence 1826 Proof nFDC colourfully toned, the obverse with some minor contact marks , Penny 1826 Thick Raised line on Saltire, Reverse C, Bronzed Proof (Peck 1426) nFDC/FDC, the obverse with a small spot in the hair and tone spot on the neck, Halfpenny 1826 Raised line on Saltire, Reverse B, (Peck 1437) Bronzed Proof, nFDC with a minor handling mark on either side, and Farthing 1826 Bronzed Proof nFDC with colourful underlying tone, a small edge nick by BR or BRITANNIAR barely detracts, comes in red oval fitted case, with F.G. White July 16 1868 in gold lettering on the lid, only around 400 sets are thought to have been minted, a superb and highly sought after rare and highly desirable set, rarely seen complete on the market
Five Guineas 1693 Obverse conjoined busts of joint monarchs right. GVLIELMVS ET MARIA DEI GRATIA. Reverse, crowned garnished square topped arms, lion of Nassau in centre. Edge year QVINTO in raised letters on edge, GEF reverse better and crisply struck rare thus, prooflike and brilliant fields a piece with remarkable eye appeal, the bust and reverse design lightly frosted, retaining much mint lustre, must surely be one of the finest known examples of this short series. Earlier this year a William and Mary 5 Guineas in MS63 realised $258,000 and in our opinion this coin would be at least MS62 on the US grading scale. William and Mary were spouses who reigned over the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland. They began their joint reign in February 1689 after they were offered the throne by the Convention Parliament. James II (Mary’s father) had fled the country and William and Mary occupied what was in effect a vacant throne. They were the first joint rulers in England for over 800 years, although Philip II and Mary I had appeared on English coinage together. Mary was to reign until her death from smallpox in December 1694 and William continued his rule alone, until his death in March 1702. The reign of William and Mary was brief and their coins are relatively scarce.
Crown 1834 ESC 275 the John Jay Pittman example (David Akers sale Numismatic Inc 6-8 August 1999 Lot 3864) choice FDC pleasing old grey tone with orange and gold hues in places, free of contact marks and hairlines a choice coin. Rated R5 by ESC 5 - 10 examples known, and in today's buoyant and international market a difficult piece to estimate. Heritage of Dallas sold a high grade example in 2011 which realised $69,000 (£44,000 at 2011 exchange rates, £56,000 at todays) but key date rarities in choice grades have surged forward since then. For example the sister coin to this the 1831 crown with a mintage 10 to 15 times greater than the 1834 would have realised £8000 - £10000 in 2011 or put another way the 1834 could expect to realise 4 - 5 times more than the 1831 in a like for like grade, but an 1831 Crown in MS65 just realised £61,000 hammer price in St James Coinex sale September 2016. As this piece is choice and has been graded 88 by LCGS one could predict an MS65 could be given if submitted to the US graders and could argue that a £200,000 - £300,000 price ticket would not be absurd. However we have estimated it more conservatively and will await the results of the bidding. All William IV crowns are rare and sought after by collectors ESC lists three varieties of the 1831 in silver these were made for inclusion in the 1831 Proof Sets which had a mintage of just 225, a gold example is known dated 1831, a trial strike in lead dated 1832 and rated R7 (one or two in existence) and the 1834. This is the first 1834 example we have offered and the only example graded by LCGS whilst we have previously offered 11 examples of the 1831 crown and LCGS have graded three 1831s. Our research has found no other 1834 crowns sold since 2011 and this Pittman example to our knowledge has not been offered at auction since 1999 so if you are interested in choice rarities of the sort offered globally once or twice a decade this is the lot for you.
Five Guineas 1753 George II VICESIMO SEXTO S3666 choice sharp and brilliant and graded MS62+ by NGC extremely rare in this high grade, there are no examples shown on the NGC census above MS62 extremely desirable thus
Proof Set 1893 Long Set (10 coins) Gold Five Pounds to Silver Threepence, comprising Gold Five Pounds 1893 Proof FDC or near so, the fields with very minor hairlines only, retaining beautiful original brilliance, Gold Two Pounds 1893 Proof nFDC with very minor hairlines, the fields brilliant and reflective, Gold Sovereign 1893 Proof nFDC with minor toning, the fields retaining much original brilliance, Gold Half Sovereign 1893 Proof nFDC with very minor hairlines upon brilliant and reflective fields, Crown 1893 LVI Proof, a small mark on the edge, surfaces FDC with choice gold, blue and magenta tone on reflective fields, a superb piece with spectacular eye appeal, Halfcrown 1893 Proof FDC or very near so with gold, blue and magenta tone, a superb and extremely eye-catching piece bordering on choice, Florin 1893 Proof FDC or very near so with blue/grey and gold tone enhanced with flashes of magenta, Shilling 1893 FDC with choice and colourful tone, Sixpence 1893 Proof FDC or near so, one tiny nick on the reverse otherwise choice with beautiful multicoloured tone, Threepence 1893 FDC with beautiful multicoloured tone. The silver beautifully matched, the tone consistent with the classic tone colour seen from storage in the boxes of the period. Comes in a black box with VICTORIA 1893 in gold lettering on the lid
Five Pounds 1887 Gold ProofMarsh F31, S.3864 in an NGC holder and graded PF65 Ultra Cameo. Very few Victorian Gold issues attain the Ultra Cameo designation and all are extremely prized pieces. A superb example beautifully frosted with full crisp detail upon reflective fields enhancing the eye appeal of this rare Proof Jubilee issue. The flagship coin of the Jubilee Head series and the centrepiece coin of the Long Proof set of the year. At the time of writing there had been 116 pieces graded by NGC, with only 2 graded higher. A stunning piece that would grace the finest Victorian Gold Collection.
Five Guineas 1701 Fine Work DECIMO TERTIO choice mint state with proof like fields, Ex Roderick Richardson and with his price ticket £75,000 "Choice Mint State" graded and encapsulated by CGS as 80 (UNC) so offered here having three companies (LCA, CGS and Richardson) concur on a mint state grade. In the 10 years since CGS has been grading coins only two other pre 1750 gold coins have an 80 grade those being a Half Guinea of 1725 and a Guinea of 1713, As for current market indicators Five Guineas in EF of George II can be seen on display at UK coin shows around the £45,000 marker and it was reported to us by the seller and an independent source corroborated that a Charles II 5 Guineas in NGC 61 sold at the March MSCF show for £78,000, the read across table compiled empirically by CGS collectors suggest that USA slabbed coins in MS61 average CGS 65 grade. Regardless of the technically grade and price this is a spectacular coin surely never to be matched for eye appeal and beauty.
Five Guineas 1693 Obverse conjoined busts of joint monarchs right. GVLIELMVS ET MARIA DEI GRATIA. Reverse, crowned garnished square topped arms, lion of Nassau in centre Elephant and Castle below the bust S3423. Edge year QVINTO in raised letters on edge, GEF rare thus, not far off in grade to our lot 857 in LCA 155 Dec 2016 which realised £71,500 hammer. But this piece, the Elephant and Castle variety, is usually more sought after. The famous Samuel King Five Guineas sale by Spink included their well researched analysis of Five Guineas offered for sale in a 40 year period and the 1693 E & C offered here had a frequency of 19 compared to 91 of the S3422 type (1693 without E & C below). Last year a William and Mary 5 Guineas of this same type S3423 Elephant and Castle below in MS63 realised $258,000 in the USA. William and Mary were spouses who reigned over the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland. They began their joint reign in February 1689 after they were offered the throne by the Convention Parliament. James II (Mary’s father) had fled the country and William and Mary occupied what was in effect a vacant throne. They were the first joint rulers in England for over 800 years, although Philip II and Mary I had appeared on English coinage together. Mary was to reign until her death from smallpox in December 1694 and William continued his rule alone, until his death in March 1702. The reign of William and Mary was brief and their coins are relatively scarce, the piece offered here has a very competitive starting price and would truly be a bargain in todays market at the low estimate or in our opinion at several bids above.
Five Guineas 1687 First Bust S3397 Prooflike and Brilliant About Unc rare thus graded and slabbed by PCGS at MS61, and a coin with fantastic eye appeal, very hard to find James II gold in this grade, indeed we note that an example of a 1688 Elephant and Castle piece, marginally inferior in obverse detail, graded PCGS MS61 WINGS sold recently in a US auction for $108,688 (at the time of writing converted to £84,452), we also note another 1687 Five Guineas of the same type as this lot in NGC MS61 currently being offered for sale at $117,500 on-line
Five Guineas 1681 Charles II Second Laureate Bust, TRICESIMO TERTIO S3331 graded AU58 by NGC rare thus seldom have we seen Charles II coinage so sharp and pleasing as this. This is hard date in any grade with NGC only showing 5 graded and only one finer than this, we have never sold an example of this date and we could find very few examples sold in the past anywhere
Proof Set 1893 Long Set Gold £5 - Threepence (10 coins) nFDC-FDC the gold brilliant with some hairlines, the silver with a matching tone and free of contact marks a very desirable and high grade example of this rarely offered set, comes with the original Royal Mint box
Five Pounds 1887 ProofS.3864 FDC and graded PR62CAM by PCGS without B.P in exergue and a much rarer variety Linecar and Stone 73, considered by connoisseurs to be five times rarer than the issue that has the B.P (Linecar and Stone 72), a choice and beautiful piece and certainly not overgraded at PR62
Five Pounds 1826 Proof, SEPTIMO edge, S.3797, Wilson & Rasmussen 213, Obverse About as struck, expert work by light smoothing in the left obverse field covers a small scratch and has caused a light depression in this area. The Reverse nFDC, the mintage figure estimates for this coin vary from 150 to 225 pieces, an extremely rare coin, sought after in all grades, one of the most beautiful designs of the entire English Milled coinage, would make a centrepiece of an advanced milled gold collection
Proof Set 1831 (14 coins) comprising Gold Two Pounds 1831 Proof nFDC the obverse with minor contact marks and some hairlines to the fields, the edge with some minor abrasions, these only slightly visible when viewed from the faces of the coin, Gold Sovereign 1831 Proof nFDC with minor hairlines to the fields, a small spot by F:D: a small rim nick and a gentle edge bruise, bust and reverse design frosted, the fields reflective, Gold Half Sovereign 1831 Small size Proof nFDC the bust and reverse design with attractive frosting, the fields with very minor hairlines, reflective and lustrous, the only proof issue of the short-lived small size type, Crown 1831 Proof W.W on truncation FDC or near so with touches of blue and magenta tone, a most attractive and eye-catching example, exceedingly rare in this high grade, Halfcrown 1831 WW in script, Plain edge Proof (ESC 658, Bull 2477) nFDC obverse with minimal contact marks, the reverse with minimal hairlines, beautiful hues of gold, blue and magenta add to the excellent eye appeal, this type many times rarer than the 'WW in block' Proof coin, Shilling 1831 Plain Edge Proof nFDC with the odd minor contact mark, retaining lustrous fields, Sixpence 1831 Plain Edge Proof UNC/nFDC with even toning, with two gentle rim bruises, MaundyFourpence 1831 Proof UNC/nFDC the obverse with some thin scratches in the field, Maundy Threepence 1831 Proof UNC/nFDC with a contact mark on the obverse, Maundy Twopence 1831 Proof nFDC and nicely toned, Maundy Penny 1831 Proof FDC or very near so and colourfully toned, Penny 1831 Bronzed Proof, Die axis inverted, (Peck 1457) nFDC lacquered, the lacquering has started to come off the reverse in places, Halfpenny 1831 Bronzed Proof, Die axis inverted, (Peck 1463) a small spot by GULIELMUS FDC or very near so, Farthing 1831 Bronzed Proof, Die axis inverted (Peck 1468) NFDC with attractive soft tone, an extremely rare and desirable set, only around 150 are believed to have been minted, very seldom do these sets come to auction
Farthing 1665 Pattern in Gold, Portrait with short hair, Obverse 1b, Reverse B, unlisted in Gold by Peck, Plain edge, 23.5mm diameter, 8.40 grammes, Lustrous GEF, practically 'as struck' with minor haymarking on the reverse, only four examples are known, with two of these in Museums, an excessively rare coin, and would be a centrepiece coin for any prestige Farthing collection. (Ex-Spink 1986 £4000). Research has uncovered pictures online of two examples, both of these have Reverse A, with the loose drapery. In an NGC holder PF58
Royal MintPattern Decimal Set 1961 a 6-coin set 50 Cents to One Cent, Bull P.D.S.1, comprising 50 Cents 1961 Reverse: Una and the Lion KM#Pn142, in silver with lettered edge PATTERN DECIMAL COINAGE, 7.53 grammes, Lustrous UNC, the reverse with some toning, 20 Cents 1961 Reverse: Standing Britannia, KM#Pn143 in cupro-Nickel, milled edge, 11.34 grammes, Choice UNC, 10 Cents 1961 Reverse: Shield in garter, Crowned, KM#Pn142, milled edge, 5.76 grammes, Lustrous UNC, the reverse with some toning, Five Cents 1961 Reverse: Lion on Crown, KM#141, milled edge, 2.81 grammes, Choice UNC, Two Cents 1961 Reverse: Crowned Trident head KM#Pn140, Freeman 792 (Rarity 19), Plain edge, 5.83 grammes, UNC with practically full mint lustre, One Cent - One Decimal Penny 1961 Reverse: EIIR monogram KM#Pn139, Freeman 793 (Rarity 19), Plain Edge, 2.91 grammes, UNC with practically full mint lustre. the six coins in a fitted Royal Mint black case. The silver designs reminiscent of earlier, classic designs, The famed Una and the Lion from the 1839 Gold Five Pounds, the Standing Britannia from the Edward VII Florin series, the Lion on Crown from the later George IVShilling and Sixpence, and the Crowned Shield in Garter from the later George III Shilling and Sixpence series. The coins were among those stuck in the winter and spring of 1962-1963 as part of a group of coin struck for the 'Decimal Coinage Committee' which had been appointed in December 1961 to advise on the most convenient and practical form that a Decimal currency might take. The Chairman of the Committee was The Rt. Hon. Earl of Halsbury FRS, The Secretary was Mr. N.A.E. Moore, who subsequently became Chairman of the Decimal Currency Board. The Assistant Secretary was Mr. John Rimington. The Trial coins were circulated at the meetings by the Deputy Master of the Mint Mr. J.H. James CB. A truly spectacular and ultra-rare set, only 2-5 sets believed to exist. We can find no record of this set ever being offered in a Royal Mint case, indeed neither Freeman, Krause nor Coincraft mentions the existence of a case, so this set being offered as it is in the Royal Mint case very probably is unique.
Five Guineas 1706 QVINTO edge, Shield of Post-Union type S.3566 EF and lustrous with a small planchet fault below the first A of ANNA and in the corresponding position on the reverse below the E of REG, nevertheless a splendid example with a hint of red toning in the reverse legend. Queen Anne Gold coinage seldom encountered in high grades, and would make a spectacular centrepiece to any collection, similar grade pieces were reported to be on offer with a £70,000 plus ticket price at recent London Coin Fairs
Five Guineas 1729 Plain below bust, S.3663 GEF with touches of red toning in the legends, minor contact marks only, a glorious example, the reverse retaining original mint lustre, this type far more scarce than the E.I.C coin of this date, despite the pricing figures in the Spink catalogue. Our archive database shows we have handled 4 examples of this type and 11 examples of the E.I.C coin of this date
Sovereign 1841 Marsh 24 the key date Victorian variety and with unbarred As in GRATIA EF the reverse better this being choice and lustrous, graded as 70 by CGS and in their holder
Guinea 1663 First Bust with Elephant Below S.3339 EF or near so with some pleasing orange toning a small striking fault reverse field hardly detracts from this rare and seldom offered type
Five Guineas 1687 Second Bust S.3397A TERTIO edge in a PCGS holder and graded AU55. Flashes of red toning and lustre in the legends enhance the eye appeal of this impressive piece. We note an example graded NGC 58 recently changed hands in the USA for $78000 (around £60000). The example offered here displays only slightly more overall wear to the obverse and with a superior reverse. The piece offered here would be a worthy addition to an advanced early milled gold collection. We note this is now listed at £70,000 in EF in the Spink catalogue, compared to £22,500 back in 2014, so the catalogue price of this coin has tripled in just 7 years.
Crown 1839 Plain edge Proof, as ESC 279 with die axis inverted CGS variety 02, the reverse retaining much brilliance, the obverse with a choice blue and gold tone, slabbed and graded CGS 82, cross-graded MS65 by ICCS
Sovereign 1841 Marsh 24 the key date Victorian variety and with unbarred As in GRATIA EF the reverse better this being choice and lustrous, graded as 70 by CGS and in their holder
Five Guineas 1688 QVARTO Second Laureate Bust S.3397A Choice EF with brilliant prooflike fields, and rare to find so nice, James II 5 Guineas in similar choice grade as this have been reported with retail ticket prices approaching £50,000 at major London Coin Shows
Crown 1831 Plain Edge Proof with W.W. incuse on truncation ESC 271, Bull 2462 nFDC deeply toned with flashes of gold, blue/green and magenta, a tiny, hardly noticeable edge nick on the reverse by ANNO mentioned for completeness, all William IV Crowns very rare and highly prized, one of the classic designs of the entire English milled series
Sovereign 1841 Marsh 24 the key date Victorian variety and with unbarred As in GRATIA EF the reverse better this being choice and lustrous, this coin is a full grade better than the one we sold in August 2013 (LCA 142 Lot 640) which realised £20,000 hammer and can be viewed on our historical results feature on the London Coins website
Sovereign 1922S Marsh 282 UNC with minor cabinet friction, extremely rare rated R3 by Marsh, one of the key dates in the series, we note we have not offered this type in 11 years
Five Guineas 1701 Fine Work S.3456 about EF scarce thus. The impressively executed Fine Work Five Guineas was a highly important coin in the history of the milled coinage, it introduced more intricate detail and a superb sharp striking to the portrait, marking a significant advance to the quality of minting at the time, leading to further higher relief designs being produced in the 18th Century, right up to the introduction of the later machine-made milled coinage
Crown 1847 Gothic UNDECIMO edge, ESC 288, Bull 2571, UNC with very light cabinet friction to the highest points only, the obverse with minor hairlines and some tiny rim nicks, the fields prooflike and reflective, the bust displaying considerable mint frosting, the reverse with a sharp and full strike, exhibiting flashes of gold, blue/green and magenta, a superb example with outstanding eye appeal
Sovereign 1828 Marsh 13, S.3801, Good Very Fine grade 50 by CGS and in their holder, rated R4 by Marsh one of the classic key rarities in the entire milled Sovereign series. This being the highest grade of only 2 of this date we have offered
Crown 1831 W.W on truncation ProofESC 271 toned FDC and graded CGS 85 so the finest of three 1831 crowns so far recorded and a very choice grade for this early type
Penny 1827 Peck 1430 Toned UNC, slabbed and graded CGS 80 the finest known of 5 examples thus far recorded by the CGS Population Report, 1827 Pennies are notorious for having poor surfaces and usually show up in grades VF or below, this superb example has no trace of the usual pitting associated with this issue and is one of only a handful of survivors in higher grades
Proof Set 1937 (4 coins) Five Pounds to Half Sovereign Choice and encapsulated by NGC Five Pounds PF65 CAMEO, Two Pounds PF66 CAMEO, Sovereign PF67 CAMEO, Half Sovereign PF64 CAMEO accompanied with red case of issue
Five Guineas 1675 S.3328A in an NGC holder and graded XF45 a pleasing and collectable example, our archive database stretching back to 2003 shows that we have only offered four previous examples of this date in 19 years
Crown 1831 WW incuse on truncation Plain edge Proof, ESC 271, Bull 2462, die axis inverted, 27.34 grammes, nFDC with rich original gold and blue/green tone, a very rare and desirable type forming part of the Proof set of the year. All William IV Crowns are highly prized and this type is missing from many advanced Crown collections
Five Guineas 1729 EIC S.3664 in an NGC holder and graded AU50 an impressive and pleasing piece with touches of red toning on the shield, and a good collectable example of the popular East India Company type
Five Guineas 1677 first bust hair of different style S3328A approaching EF/EF with sharp reflective fields once cleaned, a much rarer date, we have sold 125 Five Guineas in the past but never an example dated 1677
Groat 1836 Gold Pattern with Plain edge, Wilson & Rasmussen 273, ESC 1921, Bull 2518, Davies 380G, weight 3.43 grammes, in an NGC holder and graded PF63, rated R5 by Wilson & Rasmussen, (estimated 6-10 specimens known). An excessively rare and desirable example of the William IV Britannia type. Four different patterns of this date were minted in gold, two of which used the '4P in field' type reverse, the remaining two used the Britannia reverse later adopted for the currency issue, namely this piece and an equivalent piece struck on a thin flan. Of significant interest to the Gold Pattern collector, or specialist collector of the William IV series. By comparison, the Proof coins included in the 1831 Proof set each had a mintage of 225 pieces, so if you are interested in choice rarities of the sort offered globally once or twice a decade this is the lot for you
Proof Set 1936 V.I.P a six coin silver set encapsulated by NGC Crown PF64, Halfcrown PF65, Florin PF65, Shilling PF64, Sixpence PF66, Threepence PF65 nice matching tone rare and desirable especially in these choice grades and seldom offered Ex-Slaney 2, Spink Auction 14/5/2015 Lot 433; Purchased from Baldwin £21, extremely rare as an original set
Five Guineas 1701 Fine Work S.3456 NEF a very small depression and some hairlines are visible in the obverse field below GRA, however a high grade coin overall
Sovereign 1839 Plain Edge Proof, Die axis inverted, Second I in BRITANNIARUM with no top left serif giving the appearance of a reversed 1. Marsh 23B, S.3852, Wilson & Rasmussen 303, The bust attractively frosted, on reflective fields, this type is part of the 1839 'Una and the Lion' Proof Set of the year, with a mintage of around 300 pieces, seldom offered and highly desirable, one of the key coins of the Victorian Sovereign series, in an NGC holder and graded PF64* Cameo. Coins with the star designation have exceptional eye appeal for their designated grade
Sovereign 1887 Jubilee Head Gold Proof, G: of D:G: closer to the Crown, Marsh 125E, S.3866B, beautifully frosted upon reflective fields, in an NGC holder and graded PF67 Ultra Cameo. At the time of writing, 103 examples of this type have been graded by NGC with only two examples graded PF67 Ultra Cameo. We note also that the finest known PCGS graded coin is Proof 66, so this is the joint finest known example. Certainly a coin for the connoisseur and would enhance any top quality Sovereign Collection.
Sixpence 1924 Trial strike in gold, Obverse with number 2 officially stamped before the King's face, the Reverse with the number 2 officially scratched in front of the lion. Wilson & Rasmussen 430 (Rarity 6) Bull 3891, 3.06 grammes, UNC .Three examples known, each with the respective numbers scratched on the obverse and reverse, missing from all but the highest quality Sixpence collections, Ex-Bole&searchtype=1">Alfred Bole Collection
Guinea 1774 Proof with a plain bevelled edge, S.3728, Wilson & Rasmussen 95, die axis upright, this example without the die flaw often associated with this type (both types noted to exist -see illustration and notes in Wilson and Rasmussen Page 140 footnote), in an NGC holder and graded PF63 Cameo, a most attractive piece exhibiting a considerably superior level of finish to the currency coin. Would make a handsome and attractive addition to any quality collection of early milled gold
Crown 1825 Plain EdgePatternESC 255 nFDC with an attractive grey tone, slabbed and graded CGS 88, the finest of 2 examples thus far recorded by the CGS Population Report, listed as R3 by ESC, we note a similar coin realised over $35,000 in the USA (January 2015 Heritage Auction)
Sovereign 1926S Marsh 286 GEF Extremely Rare, one of the key dates in the series and our auction archive stretching back to 2003 shows that this is the first we have handled of this date and type
Two Pounds 1820 LX edge Pattern, Marsh 15.90 grammes, S.3784. Obverse: Laureate head right, Reverse: George and the Dragon, UNC with minor cabinet friction, hairlined in the fields, the reverse with a nick behind the horse's rear legs, portrait and reverse design nicely frosted, retaining much original lustre, one of the classic rarities of the entire English Milled series, very seldom offered in any grade, and missing from all but the most advanced of gold collections. Workers at the mint preparing the Gold Patterns of the Five Pound and Two Pound piece were working through the night when the death of King George III was expected. The coins were literally finished as the King died on 25th January 1820, only 25 pieces of each had been officially ordered, but due to a misunderstanding, a total of 60 Two Pound pieces were produced. A miniscule mintage, all pieces of this type are highly prized
Sovereign 1831 Second Bust Plain Edge Proof, Nose points to second I of BRITANNIAR, W.W. incuse on truncation, Marsh 16D, S.3829B, Wilson & Rasmussen 261, in an NGC holder and graded PF64 Ultra Cameo, This issue seldom offered, and of great interest to the Proof collector or William IV specialist, Rare with only around 225 pieces struck and in a spectacular grade for a pre Victorian Sovereign at PF64
Proof Set 1911 Long Set (12 coins) Comprising Gold Five Pounds, Gold Two Pounds, Sovereign , Half Sovereign, Halfcrown, Florin, Shilling, Sixpence and Maundy Set, nFDC-FDC the odd small nicks and minor hairlines are present as usual, the silver with a deep matching tone, very minor hairlines and a contact mark on the Shilling mentioned for completeness of detail, an extremely eye-catching set bordering on Choice comes in the red Royal Mint box of issue
Sovereign 1871 George and the Dragon, Large B.P., Die Axis upright, Plain Edge ProofS.3856, Wilson & Rasmussen 316, rated R4. Extremely Rare (Estimated 11-20 examples known) the portrait and reverse design retaining much original mint brilliance and frosting. in a PCGS holder and graded PR64 DCAM
Five Pounds 1887 ProofS.3864 nFDC, Very minor hairlines, a small edge nick and minimal contact marks only on this beautiful piece, we note a steep increase in values for these pieces in recent times and consequently the better examples are becoming very difficult to find with values in the tens of thousands
Two Guineas 1735 S.3667A sharp and prooflike and graded AU58+ by NGC and certainly not over graded by them, a rare date in this George IIYoung Head series and seldom offered in this high grade or in fact in any grade
Five Guineas 1691 TERTIO edge S.3422 pleasing VF, a few minor edge faults barely detract, a very sought after issue with a 1693 example of S3422 realising £135,000 in our last sale
Five Guineas 1673 VICESIMO QVINTO S.3328 About EF/EF with some contact marks, a nicely struck pleasing example with much eye appeal, a slightly better but similar coin of the same date from the Slaney collection auction in mid-May sold for £162,000
Two Pounds 1887 Gold Proof, Small date and Small B.P. Obverse 1A, Reverse 2, Marsh T27, S.3865, DISH P203, in an NGC holder and graded PF65+ Ultra Cameo. Fully frosted with razor sharp detail, with superb eye appeal. Examples graded 65 and upwards are always highly prized and extremely sought after. All Victorian examples attaining Ultra Cameo designations rare and highly desirable. At the time of writing NGC had graded 110 examples with only 5 just one point finer
Crown 1831 W.WYON on truncation, Plain edge ProofESC 273 UNC with very light cabinet friction, by far the rarer of the two silver types, slabbed and graded CGS 78, Ex-London Coins Auction A111 27/11/2005 Lot 885
Part Proof Set 1893 (4 coins) comprising Five Pounds 1893 S.3872, Marsh F34, UNC cleaned with some contact marks and many hairlines, Two Pounds 1893 S.3873, Marsh T36 UNC cleaned with some contact marks and hairlines, Sovereign 1893 S.3874, Marsh 145A, UNC the obverse repaired, with some scuffs and hairlines, Half Sovereign 1893 Proof S.3878, Marsh 488A, the obverse with many hairlines and some scratches, the reverse with some deeper hairlines causing a shallow depression in the field, all coins retaining some brilliance
Two Guineas 1720 over 17 George I S3627 brilliant EF with some peripheral orange tone, so choice eye appeal NGC AU53, a seldom offered date certainly the first example we have offered and the over date rarer than the standard state
Guinea 1774 ProofS.3728 Wilson & Rasmussen 95, upright die alignment, Plain bevelled edge, in a PCGS holder and graded PR64 Cameo, and with WINGS gold sticker (choice for the stated grade) a superb piece, choice and rare, showing the characteristic die flaw in the reverse field associated on some examples of this type (see illustration and notes in Wilson and Rasmussen Page 140 footnote). Stunning detail and eye appeal, the quality of strike considerably superior to the comparable currency issues of the period, a handsome and attractive addition to any quality collection of early milled gold. The only one graded by PCGS so yet another indication of this coins rarity
Sovereign 1908C (Ottawa Mint) Satin FinishS.3970 in a PCGS holder and graded SP63. One of the rarest Sovereigns in the entire series. See Notes in Marsh pages 81-83. Marsh stated that he had only recorded 11 examples, a superb piece and missing from many advanced gold collections.
Five Guineas 1694 S.3422 SEXTO edge, in an NGC holder AU Details, Reverse Spot removed, Cleaned. The coin displays much detail and eye appeal, EF, the reverse with minor scratches between the base of the shield and the commencement of REX. A high grade example with excellent portraits, indeed the obverse is a bold even strike with the only significant wear being on the highest hair curl. With low grade and/or damaged Five Guineas now realising £5000-£6000, this being several grades above represents very good value in today's market at the low estimate, or in our opinion at several bids above
Sovereign 1830 William IV Gold Pattern by W.Wyon after Chantrey's Model. Coarse hair and with flat-topped ear, Coarse Beading, the nose points to the last I in BRITANNIAR. W.W. incuse on the truncation. Reverse by J.B.Merlen. Die Axis inverted. S.3829B, Wilson & Rasmussen 260 and rated R5, in an NGC holder and graded PF61 Cameo, some hairlines in the fields but retaining much original mint lustre, a key rarity and an interesting Pattern for the William IV collector, with no William IV currency coins minted for this date. We note the Bentley example realised £19,200 hammer price as far back as 2013. Now lists in the Spink catalogue at £21,500
Guinea 1685 Elephant and CastleS.3401 UNC retaining much original mint lustre and with a peripheral light tone. Very attractive and fully struck, vastly superior in grade and strike than the Jacob.Y.Terner example (Ex-Bridgewater House collection), which graded NGC MS63, described as 'mint fresh and beautiful', and realised $18,400 at Ira and Larry Goldbergs Auction in 2003 (Lot 20), similar in quality to the illustration on page 9 of the Bentley Collection catalogue detailing the history of the Gold Sovereign and it predecessors. A truly stunning example of this rare two-year type, and seldom offered in any grade, perhaps one of the finest examples extant. The elephant and castle was the emblem of the Royal African company, founded in 1660 as the Company of Royal Adventurers Trading in Africa. This organisation held a monopoly on trade along the West African coast. In 1667 the original company collapsed but later merged with the Gambian Merchants Company to become in 1672 the Royal African Company. Trading was chiefly in gold and silver, and sadly for several decades, human slaves
Guinea 1716 Fourth Laureate Head as S.3631 but with Hanoverian Shield at date, the shields and sceptres all rotated by 90 degrees clockwise. Unlisted as such, and internet searches have failed to locate another such example offered for sale. Many silver varieties of this period have shield positioning varieties, however this is believed to be the first such error found on a gold coin of this period. A potentially unique opportunity for the milled gold or Guinea collector. In an NGC holder and graded XF40, with a scratch across the chin, Ex-Goldbergs 5/2/2013 Lot 4900
Crown 1831 ESC 273 W.WYON on truncation rated R4 by ESC (11-20 examples believed to exist) with some hairlines and contact marks in the fields and some rub on the truncation otherwise nFDC
Proof Set 1937 (4 coins) Five Pounds to Half Sovereign Choice and encapsulated by NGC Five Pounds PF64 CAMEO, Two Pounds PF64* Sovereign PF65 CAMEO, Half Sovereign PF64 accompanied with red case of issue
Crown 1934 ESC 374 NGC MS66 and the finest so far graded by NGC from a total population of 60 coins graded. So this coin ticks every box for desirability a key date rarity and the finest recorded example
Five Guineas 1711 DECIMO edge S.3568 in an NGC holder VF Details, Damaged, all Queen Anne Five Guineas hard to find, we note that our archive database stretching back 20 years shows that we have only previously offered seven Queen Anne of all dates, with only one 1711 example so possibly scarcer than catalogue values would suggest
Five Guineas 1692 Elephant and Castle, QVARTO edge, S.3423 VF/NVF the obverse with some contact marks and thin scratches, a collectable and desirable example of this popular type
Half Sovereign 1817 Milled Edge ProofS.3786, Wilson & Rasmussen 204. Reverse with crowned angular shield, with dot below. Frosted Bust and Reverse design on brilliant fields, in a PCGS holder and graded PR64DCAM. Of 7 examples on the PCGS Population Report, only this coin and one other have achieved the Deep Cameo designation. Only one is graded higher
Five Guineas 1701 Fine Work S.3456 VF or slightly better/About VF, bold and attractive, with a gentle edge bruise at 12 o'clock on the obverse, pleasing for the grade retaining much eye appeal, a popular coin in today's market. A highly important coin in the history of the milled coinage, the Fine Work type introduced more intricate detail and a superb sharp striking to the portrait, a significant advance to the quality of minting at the time, leading to further higher relief designs being produced in the 18th Century, right up to the introduction of the later machine-made milled coinage
Five Guineas 1687 Second Bust, TERTIO edge S.3397A NEF/GVF the fields showing some signs of light tooling under magnification, displays small touches of red tone, light haymarks do not detract, overall of pleasing and even appearance and considerable eye appeal
Proof Set 1911 Long Set (12 coins) Five Pounds to Maundy Set, comprising Gold Five Pounds 1911 Proof nFDC with some tiny nicks to the portrait, minor hairlines in the fields, Gold Two Pounds 1911 Proof nFDC with very minor hairlines only, very light toning on brilliant and reflective fields, an eye-catching example, Gold Sovereign 1911 Proof nFDC with small nicks in the obverse field, and minor hairlines, brilliant and eye-catching, Gold Half Sovereign 1911 Proof FDC or near so, the odd tiny nick and minor hairlines barely detract, fully brilliant and eye-catching, Halfcrown 1911 Proof FDC with choice grey toning enhanced by flashes of gold and magenta, Florin 1911 Proof FDC with choice gold, blue and magenta tone, Shilling 1911 Proof FDC with choice and colourful tone, Sixpence 1911 Proof FDC and choice with grey, blue and magenta tone, Maundy Set 1911 Proof nFDC to FDC with colourful matching tone, the Fourpence with a minor tone spot in the field, a superb set with many coins bordering on choice, a highly sought after set, comes in the red case of issue
Five Guineas 1687 Second Bust, TERTIO edge S.3397A NEF/GVF the fields showing some signs of light tooling under magnification, displays small touches of red tone, light haymarks do not detract, overall of pleasing and even appearance and considerable eye appeal
Crown 1746 ProofESC 126 FDC or very near so, a choice example, slabbed and graded CGS 88, Ex-London Coins Auction A135 4/12/2011 Lot 1484, the finest example thus far recorded by the CGS Population Report,
Crown 1839 Plain edge ProofESC 279 light hairlines and contact marks on the obverse with an attractive grey toning and hints of underlying blue, otherwise FDC or near so and most attractive
Proof Set 1937 (4 coins) Five Pounds, Two Pounds, Sovereign and Half Sovereign nFDC to FDC, with minor hairlines and the odd contact mark, retaining virtually full mint brilliance, the Five Pounds particularly nice and problem free in the Royal Mint box of issue, this in good condition
Five Pounds 1911 Gold ProofS.3994, Marsh F38, in an NGC holder and graded PF64 Cameo, the only George V Gold Five Pounds issue, very desirable in this high grade
Crown 1839 Plain Edge ProofESC 279, Bull 2560 UNC and lustrous with blue and golden tone over original lustre, a series of fine hairlines in front of the bust has caused a shallow depression in the field, the edge with some smoothing in places, the Crowns of this date only issued in the Proof set of the year
Five Guineas 1669 VICESIMO PRIMO S.3328 About EF, with much fine detail apparent to the bust and the reverse design, some surface marks and scratches more than usually found on an EF coin, the edge with all lettering intact displays some consistent roughness suggests possibly an ex-shipwreck piece, and perhaps once cleaned. With low grade and/or damaged Five Guineas realising £5000-£6000 in the recent past, this being several grades above represents very good value in today's market at the low estimate, or in our opinion at several bids above. We note Spink now lists this coin in VF at £16,000 and EF at £80,000
Sovereign 1863 with the die number 827 on the truncation Marsh 48A Rarity 5, Spink 3853A no die number variety GVF reverse better a comparison to the Bentley example catalogue picture suggests this coin looks superior, the Bentley example realised £18,600, extremely rare and the first we have offered, and a must have for all serious Sovereign collectors
Five Guineas 1738 DVODECIMO George II Young Laureate Head reverse with revised shield S3663A in a PCGS holder and graded AU50 by them, the only example thus far recorded by PCGS on their Population Report
Proof Set 1937 (4 coins) in Gold comprising Gold Five Pounds, Two Pounds, Sovereign and Half Sovereign nFDC with some hairlines, the Five Pounds with a tiny edge fault, the set retaining much original mint brilliance, in the Royal Mint box of issue, the box with some small tears to the base overall in good condition
Halfcrown 1839 the rare currency issue, WW incuse, with two plain fillets, ESC 672 EF with a minor depression in the obverse field around the date area, one of the key rarities in the entire English milled series, very few examples known and seldom offered for sale
Sovereign 1923S Marsh 283 GEF Extremely Rare, one of the key dates in the series and our auction archive stretching back to 2003 shows that this is the first we have handled of this date and type
Proof Set 1937 (4 coins) Gold Set Five Pounds to Half Sovereign, comprising Five Pounds 1937 Marsh F40, S.4074, nFDC with minor hairlines and light toning around the legends and design, Two Pounds 1937 Marsh T46, S.4075 nFDC with light hairlines and the odd small nick, lightly toning around the legends and design, Sovereign 1937 Marsh 296B, S.4076, nFDC with a thin line on the portrait, lightly toned around the legends and design, Half Sovereign 1937 Marsh 543A, S.4077 nFDC with a thin line on the portrait, in the red Royal Mint box of issue
Five Pounds 1937 Gold ProofS.4074, Marsh F40, in an NGC holder and graded PF65 Ultra Cameo, the only George VI Gold Five Pound issue and remains a popular coin, especially in high grade
Proof Set 1937 (4 coins) Gold Set Five Pounds to Half Sovereign, comprising Five Pounds 1937 Marsh F40, S.4074 UNC with a scratch on either side, and a tone spot in the obverse field, retaining much original brilliance, Two Pounds 1937 Marsh T46, S.4075, UNC to nFDC with some hairlines, retaining much original brilliance, Sovereign 1937 Marsh 296B, S.2076 nFDC lightly toned with a minor contact mark on the portrait, and Half Sovereign 1937 Marsh 543A, S.4077 nFDC with a tone spot on either side, in the red Royal Mint box of issue
Proof Set 1937 (4 coins) Five Pounds to Half Sovereign comprising Five Pounds UNC to nFDC with some hairlines and light toning, Two Pounds UNC toned with some minor contact marks and some toning, Sovereign UNC toned with some hairlines and Half Sovereign UNC with some cloudy tone with some red tone spots, all coins retaining varying degrees of original mint brilliance, in the Royal Mint box of issue