Baldwin & Sons
Auction 73 8 May 2012
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THE BENTLEY COLLECTION OF BRITISH MILLED GOLD SOVEREIGNS. George IV (1820-1830), Proof Sovereign, 1821, engraved by Benedetto Pistrucci, first laureate head left, 13 leaves in laurel wreath, B.P. below, lettering with horizontally ruled interior compartments, GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:, milled border between linear concentric circles both sides, rev struck with inverted die axis, St George on horseback slaying dragon right with sword, helmet with crest only, horse tail terminates in three strands, broken lance on ground to left, with WWP in relief below, date in exergue, 8 doubled, with B.P. to upper right, edge milled, 7.99g (WR 231 R3; Montagu 926; Murdoch 378; Nobleman 132/5; S 3800). Tiny black spot in front curl of hair and one on rim, a few other light blemishes, hairlines and tiny nicks on neck, otherwise good extremely fine and very rare.
First Type. The reign of King George IV marks the highly significant introduction of the classic design of St George slaying the dragon with a sword by Benedetto Pistrucci we are all familiar with today. Pistrucci’s depiction of the first bust of George IV is very Roman in its style with the King wearing a 13 leaf laurel wreath. Pistrucci’s initials are for a gold coin, significantly prominent on each side of the coin, whereas with his previous George III issue they were incuse and quite well hidden under the broken lance. The initials of the Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole, who was instrumental in commissioning Pistrucci to the Mint in the first place, has his initials placed under the broken lance. The WWP appears quite squiggle-like and indistinct, and amazingly lasts in this position into the reign of George V over a hundred years later. These initials were on the Garter buckle on the reverse in the previous issue of George III.
First Type Obverse and Reverse of the George IV Currency Sovereign
Other features of the first standard design for the currency Sovereigns of King George IV from 1821-1825 are an unusual style of lettering in the legend which reads GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:, each letter has an incuse central compartment upon its limbs ruled with raised horizontal lines. A new type of outer border is employed with fine raised teeth between an inner and outer concentric linear circle, giving quite a square indent between each tooth. The currency coins are struck with an inverted die axis as usual for this period, the figure of St George now brandishes a sword to slay the dragon, his helmet has a crested plume only, and the horse’s tail terminates in three strands. The broken lance with the initials beneath lies on the ground-line to the left, the date and B.P. initials are in the exergue below and the edge is straight grained milled.
ex Spink Numismatic Circular, March 1999, item 788, via Randy Weir Numismatics, Unionville, Ontario, Canada, c.1997
Interestingly these 1821 proofs have the same die axis as the currency Sovereigns. All the denominations issued for the Coronation year of George IV in 1821 were also produced to proof quality, no doubt to present to officials and very important persons. Additionally Pistrucci himself would be able to supply proofs to whomever he pleased or to those who would commission him to do so. This practice later developed into the sale of entire Proof Sets in cases from 1826 for special occasions; though an 1821 Proof Set could theoretically be formed, and this cataloguer did once handle such a set for sale in a contemporary round fitted case, some 15 years ago.
The Reign of King George IV (1820-1830)
House of Hanover
Born: 12 August 1762
Accession: 29 January 1820
Married: Caroline of Brunswick 8 April 1795
later separated and banned from attending the Coronation
Coronation: Thursday, 19 July 1821
Child: one daughter Charlotte
who predeceased her Father 6 November 1817
Died: 26 June 1830, aged 67
Estimate: £4000-4500
First Type. The reign of King George IV marks the highly significant introduction of the classic design of St George slaying the dragon with a sword by Benedetto Pistrucci we are all familiar with today. Pistrucci’s depiction of the first bust of George IV is very Roman in its style with the King wearing a 13 leaf laurel wreath. Pistrucci’s initials are for a gold coin, significantly prominent on each side of the coin, whereas with his previous George III issue they were incuse and quite well hidden under the broken lance. The initials of the Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole, who was instrumental in commissioning Pistrucci to the Mint in the first place, has his initials placed under the broken lance. The WWP appears quite squiggle-like and indistinct, and amazingly lasts in this position into the reign of George V over a hundred years later. These initials were on the Garter buckle on the reverse in the previous issue of George III.
First Type Obverse and Reverse of the George IV Currency Sovereign
Other features of the first standard design for the currency Sovereigns of King George IV from 1821-1825 are an unusual style of lettering in the legend which reads GEORGIUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:, each letter has an incuse central compartment upon its limbs ruled with raised horizontal lines. A new type of outer border is employed with fine raised teeth between an inner and outer concentric linear circle, giving quite a square indent between each tooth. The currency coins are struck with an inverted die axis as usual for this period, the figure of St George now brandishes a sword to slay the dragon, his helmet has a crested plume only, and the horse’s tail terminates in three strands. The broken lance with the initials beneath lies on the ground-line to the left, the date and B.P. initials are in the exergue below and the edge is straight grained milled.
ex Spink Numismatic Circular, March 1999, item 788, via Randy Weir Numismatics, Unionville, Ontario, Canada, c.1997
Interestingly these 1821 proofs have the same die axis as the currency Sovereigns. All the denominations issued for the Coronation year of George IV in 1821 were also produced to proof quality, no doubt to present to officials and very important persons. Additionally Pistrucci himself would be able to supply proofs to whomever he pleased or to those who would commission him to do so. This practice later developed into the sale of entire Proof Sets in cases from 1826 for special occasions; though an 1821 Proof Set could theoretically be formed, and this cataloguer did once handle such a set for sale in a contemporary round fitted case, some 15 years ago.
The Reign of King George IV (1820-1830)
House of Hanover
Born: 12 August 1762
Accession: 29 January 1820
Married: Caroline of Brunswick 8 April 1795
later separated and banned from attending the Coronation
Coronation: Thursday, 19 July 1821
Child: one daughter Charlotte
who predeceased her Father 6 November 1817
Died: 26 June 1830, aged 67
Estimate: £4000-4500