The New York Sale
Auction 40 11 January 2017
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WORLD COINS, GREAT BRITAIN, George III, (1760-1820). Copper Pattern for a Crown-sized Coinage, dated 1816. Struck in pure copper, 37.7mm, 23.75g. Three Shillings Bank Token dies struck with a lettered edge. Laureate head right, legend surrounding, GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA REX, border of dots around rim. Rev. Inscription within laurel and oak wreath, BANK / TOKEN / 3 SHILL / 1816 in four lines, edge inscribed with incuse letters on sunken edge between two plain rims, * DECUS ET TUTAMEN * ANNO REGNI QUINQUAGESIMO SEPTIMO, struck en medaille, Two small spots and small rim bruise on the obverse, a little weakly struck at centre. (cf L&S 151 for Halfcrown; cf MSCE Patt 12; cf Bull 2089). Unpublished and of the highest rarity, this the only known example. Choice extremely fine.
This unpublished piece is akin to the known 1816 Halfcrown dies, Crown-sized pattern of similar dimensions (38mm) listed in the references quoted above. This piece has been researched further at the Royal Mint by Mr G P Dyer (their letter accompanies this lot). It is best described as a technical trial piece leading to the eventual striking of the silver Crowns with lettered edges (issued from 1818), though the Royal Mint record remains silent as to the circumstances of the striking of this piece. As the Royal Mint letter details, there is an edge marking tool still in the Royal Mint Collection that is very similar to the inscription on this piece. The Halfcrown specimen has been linked in the past to George Rennie who was appointed Superintendent of Machinery at the Royal Mint in May 1816 and was in correspondence with Matthew Robinson Boulton of the Soho Mint in Birmingham about the striking of lettered edge Crown-sized pieces. Preparations for the Crown pieces was known from documentary sources to have been underway by March 1817 under the leadership of William Wellesley Pole for which this was an experimental die trial. A highly important piece in the history of the milled coinage.
Estimate: $ 4,000
This unpublished piece is akin to the known 1816 Halfcrown dies, Crown-sized pattern of similar dimensions (38mm) listed in the references quoted above. This piece has been researched further at the Royal Mint by Mr G P Dyer (their letter accompanies this lot). It is best described as a technical trial piece leading to the eventual striking of the silver Crowns with lettered edges (issued from 1818), though the Royal Mint record remains silent as to the circumstances of the striking of this piece. As the Royal Mint letter details, there is an edge marking tool still in the Royal Mint Collection that is very similar to the inscription on this piece. The Halfcrown specimen has been linked in the past to George Rennie who was appointed Superintendent of Machinery at the Royal Mint in May 1816 and was in correspondence with Matthew Robinson Boulton of the Soho Mint in Birmingham about the striking of lettered edge Crown-sized pieces. Preparations for the Crown pieces was known from documentary sources to have been underway by March 1817 under the leadership of William Wellesley Pole for which this was an experimental die trial. A highly important piece in the history of the milled coinage.
Estimate: $ 4,000