Baldwin & Sons
Auction 73 8 May 2012
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THE BENTLEY COLLECTION OF BRITISH MILLED GOLD SOVEREIGNS. Elizabeth II, Proof Gold Sovereign, 1963, designed by Mary Gillick, young laureate head right, tiny incuse M.G. on truncation, +ELIZABETH. II. DEI. GRATIA. REGINA. F: D:, finely toothed border within twin linear concentric circles and raised rim both sides, rev struck en médaille, engraved after Benedetto Pistrucci, St George slaying dragon with sword, three strand streamer from helmet, horse with long tail, ending with two finer strands, broken lance on ground-line to left, date in exergue, narrow tiny B.P. to upper right, edge coarsely milled, 8.01g (WR 452 R7; S 4125). A few hairlines and some light speckling on reverse, otherwise mint state and extremely rare.
ex Dr. Jacob Y Terner collection, Goldberg, Hollywood, USA, 26-27 May 2003, lot 425 – previously graded as Proof 64 Cameo by NGC.
These proof strikings were produced for special purposes as a matter of record or for presentation to very important persons.
Queen Elizabeth II has ruled for sixty years in 2012 and is the second-longest reigning monarch in British history after Queen Victoria. If she rules beyond the 10 September 2015, Queen Elizabeth will become the longest reigning British monarch.
In her long reign Queen Elizabeth’s coinage has been through several portrait changes, more so since decimalisation in February 1971. The scope of the Bentley Collection really ends at decimalisation with the more modern Sovereigns becoming perhaps too commemorative in their issue today. However the collection does include three coins of the “decimal” bust designed by Arnold Machin, two of which are offered here in part one, being of highest rarity.
The main portrait therefore present in the Bentley Collection is the young head type designed by Mary Gillick (1881 - 27 January 1965), the first woman sculptor to have an adopted design on a British coin. The master punch was engraved by Cecil Thomas, who designed the Coronation Crown of 1953. The young head portrait by Gillick continued on most issues until the 1967 dated coins, with one last final issue for a commemorative 1970 proof set. The Maundy coinage presented each Maundy Thursday continues to carry this young head portrait to the present time. It has become rather worn and touched up on the master tools and famously in 2002 when issued in gold for the Golden Jubilee proof sets, some of the Maundy Twopences literally had no nose on the portrait as the dies were engraved so weakly and shallow.
The first Sovereign of the reign was an excessively rare 1953 proof Sovereign as part of a set of record for Institutional collections only, consisting of a gold Five Pounds, Two Pounds, Sovereign and Half-Sovereign. One set was sold some decades ago by one of the Institutional owners, and has since been broken up into individual coins and sold, though the Bentley Collector has never had the opportunity to acquire one. At least two extra single proof Sovereigns are in private hands, though one of these was stolen and presumably melted many years ago. If one should ever come up for sale it would be one of the most valuable modern British gold Sovereigns.
The Reign of Queen Elizabeth II (1952- )
House of Windsor
Born: 21 April 1926
Accession: 6 February 1952
Married: Philip of Greece and Denmark, 20 November 1947
Coronation: Tuesday, 2 June 1953
Children: three sons, one daughter
Celebrating her Diamond Jubilee Year 2012
Estimate: £6000-8000
ex Dr. Jacob Y Terner collection, Goldberg, Hollywood, USA, 26-27 May 2003, lot 425 – previously graded as Proof 64 Cameo by NGC.
These proof strikings were produced for special purposes as a matter of record or for presentation to very important persons.
Queen Elizabeth II has ruled for sixty years in 2012 and is the second-longest reigning monarch in British history after Queen Victoria. If she rules beyond the 10 September 2015, Queen Elizabeth will become the longest reigning British monarch.
In her long reign Queen Elizabeth’s coinage has been through several portrait changes, more so since decimalisation in February 1971. The scope of the Bentley Collection really ends at decimalisation with the more modern Sovereigns becoming perhaps too commemorative in their issue today. However the collection does include three coins of the “decimal” bust designed by Arnold Machin, two of which are offered here in part one, being of highest rarity.
The main portrait therefore present in the Bentley Collection is the young head type designed by Mary Gillick (1881 - 27 January 1965), the first woman sculptor to have an adopted design on a British coin. The master punch was engraved by Cecil Thomas, who designed the Coronation Crown of 1953. The young head portrait by Gillick continued on most issues until the 1967 dated coins, with one last final issue for a commemorative 1970 proof set. The Maundy coinage presented each Maundy Thursday continues to carry this young head portrait to the present time. It has become rather worn and touched up on the master tools and famously in 2002 when issued in gold for the Golden Jubilee proof sets, some of the Maundy Twopences literally had no nose on the portrait as the dies were engraved so weakly and shallow.
The first Sovereign of the reign was an excessively rare 1953 proof Sovereign as part of a set of record for Institutional collections only, consisting of a gold Five Pounds, Two Pounds, Sovereign and Half-Sovereign. One set was sold some decades ago by one of the Institutional owners, and has since been broken up into individual coins and sold, though the Bentley Collector has never had the opportunity to acquire one. At least two extra single proof Sovereigns are in private hands, though one of these was stolen and presumably melted many years ago. If one should ever come up for sale it would be one of the most valuable modern British gold Sovereigns.
The Reign of Queen Elizabeth II (1952- )
House of Windsor
Born: 21 April 1926
Accession: 6 February 1952
Married: Philip of Greece and Denmark, 20 November 1947
Coronation: Tuesday, 2 June 1953
Children: three sons, one daughter
Celebrating her Diamond Jubilee Year 2012
Estimate: £6000-8000