Baldwin & Sons
Auction 73 8 May 2012
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THE BENTLEY COLLECTION OF BRITISH MILLED GOLD SOVEREIGNS. George VI (1936-1952), Proof Gold Sovereign, 1937, by Thomas Humphrey Paget, bare head left, HP in relief below, GEORGIVS VI D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP:, finely toothed border within twin linear concentric circles and raised rim both sides, rev struck en médaille, by Benedetto Pistrucci, St George slaying dragon with sword, four strand streamer from helmet, no mane hair over rein hand, horse with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, broken lance on ground-line to left, date in exergue, tiny B.P. to upper right, edge plain, 8.00g (WR 439; S 4076). Mint state with just a few hairlines.
ex Randy Weir Numismatics, Unionville, Ontario, Canada, purchased 6 February 1990
It is known that 5,501 gold Sovereigns were issued for the Coronation year.
King George VI died 6 February 1952 whilst his daughter Princess Elizabeth was away in Kenya.
Thomas Humphrey Paget (September 1893-May 1974) was the designer of the coinage and postage stamps of not only King George VI but also for his elder brother King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne in December 1936.
Paget had prepared designs of Edward looking to the left like his Father King George V, therefore breaking with the tradition in place since the reign of
Charles II, of succeeding monarchs facing in the opposite direction to their predecessor. He did not see why he should not face the same way as his Father, and seemed keen to break old-fashioned tradition when he could. His eventual abdication was due to the love he had for the American divorcee Wallis Simpson, a story well known to many. Consequently his coinage is of the highest rarity, it only existing at either pattern or proof stage of the process. The only real currency coins are the twelve sided brass Threepence coins which were sent out to vending machine manufacturers to adapt their machinery to, and were subsequently never returned. There are only two Proof Edward VIII gold Sovereigns in private hands, one as part of a larger proof set now in Hollywood, USA. The other single one the Bentley Collector did attempt to purchase at a Tokyo, Japan auction in November 2008, but was the eventual underbidder. The coin sold for the equivalent at the time of £220,000 including buyers premium.
King George VI, was happy to follow the tradition of facing the opposite way to his predecessor on the coinage, and as Edward should have faced right he decided he would face left on his coinage. Gold coinage was no longer required for currency as Great Britain was no longer on the Gold Standard and so gold Five Pound, Two Pound, Sovereign and Half-Sovereign were only produced for the one occasion, the Coronation of 1937. The story of the design and gestation, to be struck as gold proof sets was told in more detail in Baldwin’s Auction 69, 3 May 2011, lot 754, where a matt proof gold set was sold. The Bentley Collection contains the other 1937 matt proof gold set in private hands, which will be offered for sale in part three.
Opportunity was also taken to recut a design after Pistrucci of the St George reverse, supposedly using the original matrix that was used for the gold Pattern Five Pounds of George III from dating to 1820, the main difference being that he WWP initials under the lance are now absent.
The Reign of King George VI (1936-1952)
House of Windsor
Born: 14 December 1895
Accession: 11 December 1936
Married: Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, 26 April 1923
Coronation: Wednesday, 12 May 1937
Children: two daughters
Died: 6 February 1952, aged 56
Estimate: £1500-1800
ex Randy Weir Numismatics, Unionville, Ontario, Canada, purchased 6 February 1990
It is known that 5,501 gold Sovereigns were issued for the Coronation year.
King George VI died 6 February 1952 whilst his daughter Princess Elizabeth was away in Kenya.
Thomas Humphrey Paget (September 1893-May 1974) was the designer of the coinage and postage stamps of not only King George VI but also for his elder brother King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne in December 1936.
Paget had prepared designs of Edward looking to the left like his Father King George V, therefore breaking with the tradition in place since the reign of
Charles II, of succeeding monarchs facing in the opposite direction to their predecessor. He did not see why he should not face the same way as his Father, and seemed keen to break old-fashioned tradition when he could. His eventual abdication was due to the love he had for the American divorcee Wallis Simpson, a story well known to many. Consequently his coinage is of the highest rarity, it only existing at either pattern or proof stage of the process. The only real currency coins are the twelve sided brass Threepence coins which were sent out to vending machine manufacturers to adapt their machinery to, and were subsequently never returned. There are only two Proof Edward VIII gold Sovereigns in private hands, one as part of a larger proof set now in Hollywood, USA. The other single one the Bentley Collector did attempt to purchase at a Tokyo, Japan auction in November 2008, but was the eventual underbidder. The coin sold for the equivalent at the time of £220,000 including buyers premium.
King George VI, was happy to follow the tradition of facing the opposite way to his predecessor on the coinage, and as Edward should have faced right he decided he would face left on his coinage. Gold coinage was no longer required for currency as Great Britain was no longer on the Gold Standard and so gold Five Pound, Two Pound, Sovereign and Half-Sovereign were only produced for the one occasion, the Coronation of 1937. The story of the design and gestation, to be struck as gold proof sets was told in more detail in Baldwin’s Auction 69, 3 May 2011, lot 754, where a matt proof gold set was sold. The Bentley Collection contains the other 1937 matt proof gold set in private hands, which will be offered for sale in part three.
Opportunity was also taken to recut a design after Pistrucci of the St George reverse, supposedly using the original matrix that was used for the gold Pattern Five Pounds of George III from dating to 1820, the main difference being that he WWP initials under the lance are now absent.
The Reign of King George VI (1936-1952)
House of Windsor
Born: 14 December 1895
Accession: 11 December 1936
Married: Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, 26 April 1923
Coronation: Wednesday, 12 May 1937
Children: two daughters
Died: 6 February 1952, aged 56
Estimate: £1500-1800