Baldwin & Sons
Auction 73 8 May 2012
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THE BENTLEY COLLECTION OF BRITISH MILLED GOLD SOVEREIGNS. Victoria (1837-1901), Proof Sovereign, 1871, young head left of third style left, engraved after William Wyon, with double fillet in hair, WW buried over recut WW in thin truncation in relief and meeting field, tip of neck points outwards, finely toothed border within twin linear concentric circles and raised rim both sides, VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D:, obverse letter A’s and colons doubled, rev struck en médaille, engraved after Benedetto Pistrucci, St George slaying dragon with sword, horse with long tail ending in three strands, one extra spur of hair at top left of tail where it curves around, dragon claws all attached, 4 to left and 3 to right foreleg, broken lance on ground-line to left, WWP in relief under lance, date in exergue, narrow date with slight die flaws, hint of doubling, tiny full B.P. to upper right, edge milled, 7.99g, 22.1mm (WR 318 R7; BM Collection 8465). Pleasing red copper tone, a well defined strike, mint state and of extreme rarity
ex Dr. Jacob Y Terner collection, Goldberg, Hollywood, USA, 26-27 May 2003, lot 360 – previously graded as Proof 66 deep cameo by NGC.
These extremely rare proofs were no doubt struck as a matter of record and for presentation to very important people upon the revival of the St George reverse design. The hardest coins to locate amongst these proofs are the milled edge varieties of which there are two types. The other type will be offered in Bentley part three. There are many little subtle differences that occur with the designs of these proofs which perhaps is due to some being struck much later than others. With the obverse, the tip of the neck can point outward or downward, the treatment of the WW on the neck can differ. On the reverse, the treatment of the horse’s tail can differ not only with its terminal strands but just around the outside curve of the tail halfway down, a spur, or two spurs of extra tail hair can occur. The streamer on St George’s helmet can differ in the depiction of the strands which is probably more due to die weakness, as can his cloak, where the hemline can be indistinct. The dragon’s claws also can be all attached or some detached which again is due partly to progressive weakness in some dies but there are at least two arrangements of the claws anyway. The most obvious difference is the treatment of the B.P. in exergue which can be large or small and the date figures can be in or out of line. Some of these features are more differential in the succeeding currency pieces.
The cataloguer would conclude that this milled edge piece was one of the earlier creations of the 1871 Proof.
The Revival of the St George and the Dragon Reverse Sovereign
In 1871 there was a revival of the Pistrucci St George and the dragon reverse on the gold Sovereign which ran concurrently with the shield reverse Sovereign at the London Mint from 1871 till 1874 inclusive. This was in reaction to a wish expressed by the Queen herself and the Royal Mint Council was authorised to revive the St George reverse issued design on the 14 January 1871, and it was in use at London for currency until the 1885 dated coins. There are no issues of these London Sovereigns dated 1875, 1877, 1881, 1882, or 1883, though the “Milled Coinage of England” carries a ghost reference number “543” for the 1883, which was a repeated error it seems from “Brooke’s English Coins” of an earlier era.
This reverse was issued in tandem with the Colonial Branch Mints in Australia, at Sydney from 1871 till 1887 and Melbourne, from 1872 till 1887 dated coins, as the new Mint there was not ready to operate in time in 1871 as intended. That is why the 1872 with 2 over 1 shield reverse Sovereign for Melbourne exists, but more information will be forthcoming about these Colonial pieces in part two of the Bentley Collection.
The St George reverse had last been used in 1825, some 46 years earlier and contemporary thought on its revival can be found in the minutes of the proceedings of the Numismatic Society of London for meetings in 1871, where consternation is expressed about why an “old” design had been revived, and could the Mint have not done something more innovative, as surely the engravers were skilled enough to come up with something better. In fact the Reverend Asheton Pownall brought a brand new 1871 Sovereign to exhibit at the Numismatic Meeting on 16 February 1871, where such comments were garnered. This was just over a month since the revival was authorised at the Mint, and most interestingly it was noted the coin brought to the meeting appeared to have the 7 struck over a 2 suggesting the reuse of an old reverse die of 1821 which again was frowned upon. Such a variety on the 1871 Sovereign is not known today and it is hoped that as a result of this note, one will be discovered soon!
This is in stark contrast to today, for whenever we see the Royal Mint try something different in deference to what is today regarded as iconic design as St George (as has been done in some recent years, and most recently now in 2012 with a different stylistic interpretation of the reverse), we find these are often “one year wonders” before a quick return to the traditional design, which is now over 190 years old, with little variation since the 1821 version.
The Currency Sovereigns of Queen Victoria with St George and dragon reverse
The young head obverse most significantly no longer carries the date of the coin, which for the St George and dragon reverse after Pistrucci is always in the exergue on the reverse side. The obverse is therefore of a different design, though the rendering of the bust style is similar to that seen at the end of the die number series, well engraved with a complete hair “ponytail”. This obverse was no doubt engraved by the Chief Engraver Leonard Charles Wyon, the son of William Wyon, working in the style of his Father and still acknowledging his design of the young head with the initials upon the neck. In fact the main difference with this bust design is upon the neck, where two distinct renderings of the WW initials occur once again. The first type to appear is the raised WW “buried” in the truncation, where the truncation appears literally too thin to support the large characters, and they only partially appear and meet the field below. In some cases as on some of the proof 1871 strikings this raised WW appears to be cut over the top of another even more partial raised WW right on the bottom edge of the truncation. Why this should be so rendered is a little mysterious, but could be as simple as correcting a first attempt at placing the initials, or more intriguingly perhaps Leonard C Wyon was acknowledging himself along with his Father, the twin WW’s literally one within the other.
The second rendering of the raised WW complete on the truncation from 1880 is smaller and more neatly engraved. The legend is a longer and abbreviated one compared to the shield series and reads VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D: the tip of the neck usually points downwards, though there is one proof 1871 Sovereign where it distinctly points outwards (to be revealed and sold in part three). The finely toothed outer border is within twin linear concentric circles and an outer raised rim both sides.
The Sovereigns are struck with an inverted die axis and the reverse is as the 1821 design. The horse has a long tail with a three strand terminal, though this does vary later on. The horse tail length later in this series can be either short or long, and “spurs” of extra tail hair can appear below the top outside curve of the tail. The rendering of the dragon claws can also vary, at most it has four claws all attached on each foreleg. Sometimes one or two claws are detached and as dies start to wear they become more indistinct, being only a tiny detail on the coin. Sometimes the dragon has four claws on the left and three on the right, or three claws on each foreleg. St George himself can have a cloak with either a complete “hem-line” or sometimes it is partly broken and indistinct. The helmet streamer upon his head can also vary in its depiction. The WWP continues to appear in relief under the broken lance on the ground-line.
The most significant variation on the reverse though is the B.P. initials in the upper right of the exergue, which can be either large or small, mostly small in currency. They can be all there, or sometimes with absent stops though this is likely due to die degradation. This becomes more evident in coins where the letters themselves also become very indistinct and only partially there, until we see the “no B.P.” varieties which again are likely due to blockages on the die, though there is a chance that one die may have had the initials left off at the design stage! The edges are always milled for currency as usual.
The Reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901)
House of Hanover
Born: 24 May 1819
Accession: 20 June 1837
Married: Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, 10 February 1840
Coronation: Thursday 28 June 1838
Children: four sons, five daughters
Died: 22 January 1901, aged 81
Estimate: £10,000-12,000
ex Dr. Jacob Y Terner collection, Goldberg, Hollywood, USA, 26-27 May 2003, lot 360 – previously graded as Proof 66 deep cameo by NGC.
These extremely rare proofs were no doubt struck as a matter of record and for presentation to very important people upon the revival of the St George reverse design. The hardest coins to locate amongst these proofs are the milled edge varieties of which there are two types. The other type will be offered in Bentley part three. There are many little subtle differences that occur with the designs of these proofs which perhaps is due to some being struck much later than others. With the obverse, the tip of the neck can point outward or downward, the treatment of the WW on the neck can differ. On the reverse, the treatment of the horse’s tail can differ not only with its terminal strands but just around the outside curve of the tail halfway down, a spur, or two spurs of extra tail hair can occur. The streamer on St George’s helmet can differ in the depiction of the strands which is probably more due to die weakness, as can his cloak, where the hemline can be indistinct. The dragon’s claws also can be all attached or some detached which again is due partly to progressive weakness in some dies but there are at least two arrangements of the claws anyway. The most obvious difference is the treatment of the B.P. in exergue which can be large or small and the date figures can be in or out of line. Some of these features are more differential in the succeeding currency pieces.
The cataloguer would conclude that this milled edge piece was one of the earlier creations of the 1871 Proof.
The Revival of the St George and the Dragon Reverse Sovereign
In 1871 there was a revival of the Pistrucci St George and the dragon reverse on the gold Sovereign which ran concurrently with the shield reverse Sovereign at the London Mint from 1871 till 1874 inclusive. This was in reaction to a wish expressed by the Queen herself and the Royal Mint Council was authorised to revive the St George reverse issued design on the 14 January 1871, and it was in use at London for currency until the 1885 dated coins. There are no issues of these London Sovereigns dated 1875, 1877, 1881, 1882, or 1883, though the “Milled Coinage of England” carries a ghost reference number “543” for the 1883, which was a repeated error it seems from “Brooke’s English Coins” of an earlier era.
This reverse was issued in tandem with the Colonial Branch Mints in Australia, at Sydney from 1871 till 1887 and Melbourne, from 1872 till 1887 dated coins, as the new Mint there was not ready to operate in time in 1871 as intended. That is why the 1872 with 2 over 1 shield reverse Sovereign for Melbourne exists, but more information will be forthcoming about these Colonial pieces in part two of the Bentley Collection.
The St George reverse had last been used in 1825, some 46 years earlier and contemporary thought on its revival can be found in the minutes of the proceedings of the Numismatic Society of London for meetings in 1871, where consternation is expressed about why an “old” design had been revived, and could the Mint have not done something more innovative, as surely the engravers were skilled enough to come up with something better. In fact the Reverend Asheton Pownall brought a brand new 1871 Sovereign to exhibit at the Numismatic Meeting on 16 February 1871, where such comments were garnered. This was just over a month since the revival was authorised at the Mint, and most interestingly it was noted the coin brought to the meeting appeared to have the 7 struck over a 2 suggesting the reuse of an old reverse die of 1821 which again was frowned upon. Such a variety on the 1871 Sovereign is not known today and it is hoped that as a result of this note, one will be discovered soon!
This is in stark contrast to today, for whenever we see the Royal Mint try something different in deference to what is today regarded as iconic design as St George (as has been done in some recent years, and most recently now in 2012 with a different stylistic interpretation of the reverse), we find these are often “one year wonders” before a quick return to the traditional design, which is now over 190 years old, with little variation since the 1821 version.
The Currency Sovereigns of Queen Victoria with St George and dragon reverse
The young head obverse most significantly no longer carries the date of the coin, which for the St George and dragon reverse after Pistrucci is always in the exergue on the reverse side. The obverse is therefore of a different design, though the rendering of the bust style is similar to that seen at the end of the die number series, well engraved with a complete hair “ponytail”. This obverse was no doubt engraved by the Chief Engraver Leonard Charles Wyon, the son of William Wyon, working in the style of his Father and still acknowledging his design of the young head with the initials upon the neck. In fact the main difference with this bust design is upon the neck, where two distinct renderings of the WW initials occur once again. The first type to appear is the raised WW “buried” in the truncation, where the truncation appears literally too thin to support the large characters, and they only partially appear and meet the field below. In some cases as on some of the proof 1871 strikings this raised WW appears to be cut over the top of another even more partial raised WW right on the bottom edge of the truncation. Why this should be so rendered is a little mysterious, but could be as simple as correcting a first attempt at placing the initials, or more intriguingly perhaps Leonard C Wyon was acknowledging himself along with his Father, the twin WW’s literally one within the other.
The second rendering of the raised WW complete on the truncation from 1880 is smaller and more neatly engraved. The legend is a longer and abbreviated one compared to the shield series and reads VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REG: F: D: the tip of the neck usually points downwards, though there is one proof 1871 Sovereign where it distinctly points outwards (to be revealed and sold in part three). The finely toothed outer border is within twin linear concentric circles and an outer raised rim both sides.
The Sovereigns are struck with an inverted die axis and the reverse is as the 1821 design. The horse has a long tail with a three strand terminal, though this does vary later on. The horse tail length later in this series can be either short or long, and “spurs” of extra tail hair can appear below the top outside curve of the tail. The rendering of the dragon claws can also vary, at most it has four claws all attached on each foreleg. Sometimes one or two claws are detached and as dies start to wear they become more indistinct, being only a tiny detail on the coin. Sometimes the dragon has four claws on the left and three on the right, or three claws on each foreleg. St George himself can have a cloak with either a complete “hem-line” or sometimes it is partly broken and indistinct. The helmet streamer upon his head can also vary in its depiction. The WWP continues to appear in relief under the broken lance on the ground-line.
The most significant variation on the reverse though is the B.P. initials in the upper right of the exergue, which can be either large or small, mostly small in currency. They can be all there, or sometimes with absent stops though this is likely due to die degradation. This becomes more evident in coins where the letters themselves also become very indistinct and only partially there, until we see the “no B.P.” varieties which again are likely due to blockages on the die, though there is a chance that one die may have had the initials left off at the design stage! The edges are always milled for currency as usual.
The Reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901)
House of Hanover
Born: 24 May 1819
Accession: 20 June 1837
Married: Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, 10 February 1840
Coronation: Thursday 28 June 1838
Children: four sons, five daughters
Died: 22 January 1901, aged 81
Estimate: £10,000-12,000