Baldwin & Sons
Auction 73 8 May 2012
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
THE BENTLEY COLLECTION OF BRITISH MILLED GOLD SOVEREIGNS. Victoria, Sovereign, 1845, 4 struck over inverted 4, closer date, larger 5, first young head left, ponytail terminates in single curved strand of hair, date below, light raised flaw between 8 and 4, last A of legend partly filled, rev crowned quartered shield of arms within laurel wreath, emblems below, 7.98g (Marsh 28A R2; MCE 506; S 3852). A little weakly struck at shield, some very light bagmarks and hairlines, otherwise extremely fine / good extremely fine and very rare.
ex Spink and Son Ltd, November 2000
Calendar year mintage 3,800,845
This is the most spectacular variety shared by 1844, 1845 and 1846 Sovereigns, and the overstrike and undertype are very apparent and clear on the example offered here.
The variety was first discovered on the 1844 version way back in September 1974 when a certain “Goldfinger” wrote to the Spink Numismatic Circular (page 341) alerting readers to the variety with a clear illustration.
In fact this coin was the first that turned up of this date for this variety, and was shown to the late Michael Marsh so it could be included in the most recent published version of the Gold Sovereign. Most collectors ask how such a striking can occur. This is due to a true engravers error, punching in the date, the 4 punch was obviously entered inverted on the first attempt and then shoddily corrected with a second punching over the top. In the numismatic trade such errors and corrections are fondly referred to as “after lunch” coins, in that it is assumed the engraver made such an error for today’s collectors to enjoy, when working after a hearty lunch and maybe having imbibed too much ale. More likely though was that it was perhaps easy to mistake the orientation of the 4 punch, or perhaps working under candle-light or the poorer light of a dark day such a mistake could occur. The fact that the error and correction exists for three consecutive years suggests someone working at the Mint may have made the same mistake three times, and another sign of workmanship slipping, though at least it was corrected before any coins could be struck for circulation. This variety remains very elusive.
4 over inverted 4
Victoria First Small Young Head Type Currency Sovereign
The currency Sovereigns of Queen Victoria begin with a standard Young head design engraved by William Wyon with date below. The head does not quite fill the field as a later depiction does from 1848, and has the hair bound with a double fillet. It also has a large bun at the rear of the head that drops down into a “ponytail,” which on this earlier issue terminates at the bottom in a single strand ring-like curl. The engraver’s initial’s W.W. appear raised on the truncation. The legend reads VICTORIA DEI GRATIA. The border is finely toothed with a linear circle around the raised border which features both sides with a milled edge. The young head obverse design in basic from runs from 1838 till 1887. There are no Sovereigns dated 1840. However, this first young head is of a smaller design and only lasts for ten years inclusive from 1838-1848.
The reverse engraved by Jean Baptiste Merlen features a new crowned shield design with a laurel wreath surrounding to left and right of 24 leaves per side, the top of each wreath each side terminates in two leaves. The bottom stalks are tied together with a ribbon and emblematic plants are depicted below. A central rose with a thistle to the left and a shamrock to the right. A small rosette appears either side. The majority of currency reverses of Victoria carry seven strings in the Irish harp with a faint diagonal line running through them depicting the rear of the bottom harp body. The shorter left string generally emanates at the top from the scroll on the back of the female figure on the harp body. The inner arches of the crown above have eleven pearls on each side, and five more run up the central upright. There are nine varied jewels on the crown band. The legend reads BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:. The reverse is struck with an inverted die axis in relation to the obverse.
The shield type reverse design endures in the London series from 1838 till 1874 with just a few varieties. In the Colonial Australian series this reverse lasted until 1887 as it proved popular and acceptable in trade with Asia, a narrative to be continued in part two of the Bentley Collection.
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: £800-1000
ex Spink and Son Ltd, November 2000
Calendar year mintage 3,800,845
This is the most spectacular variety shared by 1844, 1845 and 1846 Sovereigns, and the overstrike and undertype are very apparent and clear on the example offered here.
The variety was first discovered on the 1844 version way back in September 1974 when a certain “Goldfinger” wrote to the Spink Numismatic Circular (page 341) alerting readers to the variety with a clear illustration.
In fact this coin was the first that turned up of this date for this variety, and was shown to the late Michael Marsh so it could be included in the most recent published version of the Gold Sovereign. Most collectors ask how such a striking can occur. This is due to a true engravers error, punching in the date, the 4 punch was obviously entered inverted on the first attempt and then shoddily corrected with a second punching over the top. In the numismatic trade such errors and corrections are fondly referred to as “after lunch” coins, in that it is assumed the engraver made such an error for today’s collectors to enjoy, when working after a hearty lunch and maybe having imbibed too much ale. More likely though was that it was perhaps easy to mistake the orientation of the 4 punch, or perhaps working under candle-light or the poorer light of a dark day such a mistake could occur. The fact that the error and correction exists for three consecutive years suggests someone working at the Mint may have made the same mistake three times, and another sign of workmanship slipping, though at least it was corrected before any coins could be struck for circulation. This variety remains very elusive.
4 over inverted 4
Victoria First Small Young Head Type Currency Sovereign
The currency Sovereigns of Queen Victoria begin with a standard Young head design engraved by William Wyon with date below. The head does not quite fill the field as a later depiction does from 1848, and has the hair bound with a double fillet. It also has a large bun at the rear of the head that drops down into a “ponytail,” which on this earlier issue terminates at the bottom in a single strand ring-like curl. The engraver’s initial’s W.W. appear raised on the truncation. The legend reads VICTORIA DEI GRATIA. The border is finely toothed with a linear circle around the raised border which features both sides with a milled edge. The young head obverse design in basic from runs from 1838 till 1887. There are no Sovereigns dated 1840. However, this first young head is of a smaller design and only lasts for ten years inclusive from 1838-1848.
The reverse engraved by Jean Baptiste Merlen features a new crowned shield design with a laurel wreath surrounding to left and right of 24 leaves per side, the top of each wreath each side terminates in two leaves. The bottom stalks are tied together with a ribbon and emblematic plants are depicted below. A central rose with a thistle to the left and a shamrock to the right. A small rosette appears either side. The majority of currency reverses of Victoria carry seven strings in the Irish harp with a faint diagonal line running through them depicting the rear of the bottom harp body. The shorter left string generally emanates at the top from the scroll on the back of the female figure on the harp body. The inner arches of the crown above have eleven pearls on each side, and five more run up the central upright. There are nine varied jewels on the crown band. The legend reads BRITANNIARUM REGINA FID: DEF:. The reverse is struck with an inverted die axis in relation to the obverse.
The shield type reverse design endures in the London series from 1838 till 1874 with just a few varieties. In the Colonial Australian series this reverse lasted until 1887 as it proved popular and acceptable in trade with Asia, a narrative to be continued in part two of the Bentley Collection.
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: £800-1000