Heritage World Coin Auctions
ANA Signature Sale 3066 17 Aug 2018
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Great Britain
George III silver Proof Pattern 1/2 Penny 1788 PR67 NGC, by William J. Taylor after Droz, P-1012 (Extremely rare). A classic 'Late Soho' creation. Taylor, a Victorian coin dealer, came upon the opportunity to purchase many of the original Soho Mint dies when the Mint closed in 1848 and its components were sold off by the firm Fuller and Horsey, April-May 1850. After polishing and restoring a number of these, Taylor set about making strikes in very limited numbers from the original 18th century dies for the benefit of collectors, as well as concocting some of his own die-pairings. This series introduced many previously unknown proofs and patterns, of which no contemporary examples survived but for which the dies were still extant; accordingly these cannot be said to be 'restrikes', as no original Soho Mint strikings bearing these designs exist, the present silver Halfpenny being a prime example.
An exceptionally rare type to begin with, and in a preservation unsurpassed by any others of the type; were it in a more recent NGC holder it would doubtless receive an 'Ultra Cameo' designation, as well as a star. It is gorgeous. Fields which began life ultra-reflective have matured into magnificent swirling reds, blues, greens, golds, darkening into moody frames at the peripheries; the pattern portrait of George III is immaculate, and fully covered with luxurious gray frost. Britannia on the reverse is similarly matte, her surrounding fields a deep gold-magenta, the margins alight with crescent rainbows. The cataloger has scarcely ever seen a silver coin develop such beauty, and strongly suggests viewing this coin in person as no description can fully do it justice. A magnificent Gem, in every sense of the word.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 6000-8000 USD
George III silver Proof Pattern 1/2 Penny 1788 PR67 NGC, by William J. Taylor after Droz, P-1012 (Extremely rare). A classic 'Late Soho' creation. Taylor, a Victorian coin dealer, came upon the opportunity to purchase many of the original Soho Mint dies when the Mint closed in 1848 and its components were sold off by the firm Fuller and Horsey, April-May 1850. After polishing and restoring a number of these, Taylor set about making strikes in very limited numbers from the original 18th century dies for the benefit of collectors, as well as concocting some of his own die-pairings. This series introduced many previously unknown proofs and patterns, of which no contemporary examples survived but for which the dies were still extant; accordingly these cannot be said to be 'restrikes', as no original Soho Mint strikings bearing these designs exist, the present silver Halfpenny being a prime example.
An exceptionally rare type to begin with, and in a preservation unsurpassed by any others of the type; were it in a more recent NGC holder it would doubtless receive an 'Ultra Cameo' designation, as well as a star. It is gorgeous. Fields which began life ultra-reflective have matured into magnificent swirling reds, blues, greens, golds, darkening into moody frames at the peripheries; the pattern portrait of George III is immaculate, and fully covered with luxurious gray frost. Britannia on the reverse is similarly matte, her surrounding fields a deep gold-magenta, the margins alight with crescent rainbows. The cataloger has scarcely ever seen a silver coin develop such beauty, and strongly suggests viewing this coin in person as no description can fully do it justice. A magnificent Gem, in every sense of the word.
HID02901242017
Estimate: 6000-8000 USD