Baldwin & Sons
Auction 73 8 May 2012
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THE BENTLEY COLLECTION OF BRITISH MILLED GOLD SOVEREIGNS. George IV, Sovereign, 1824, first laureate head left, rev St George slaying dragon right with sword, date in exergue, no upper serif on 1 in date, 7.98g (Marsh 8; MCE 474; S 3800). A myriad of tiny light surface marks, extremely fine, the reverse better.
ex Randy Weir Numismatics, Unionville, Ontario, Canada, purchased 27 September 1990.
Calendar year mintage 3,767,904
It is interesting to note that the following year of 1825, with the first type reverse design of St George slaying the dragon, is the last year this design is used for 46 years until it is revived in 1871.
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.
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: £1800-2200
ex Randy Weir Numismatics, Unionville, Ontario, Canada, purchased 27 September 1990.
Calendar year mintage 3,767,904
It is interesting to note that the following year of 1825, with the first type reverse design of St George slaying the dragon, is the last year this design is used for 46 years until it is revived in 1871.
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.
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: £1800-2200