Watch List notes:

George III gold Half Sovereign 1817, S-3786, KM673, MS65 PCGS. The cataloguer has seen numerous examples of this type and date -- hundreds -- some even graded as high as MS65, but has never encountered a coin with the extraordinary eye-appeal possessed by this remarkable specimen. The flan seems to have been specially prepared, for it is nearly perfect. Obverse of the coin is deeply prooflike in the field, whereas the reverse is semi-prooflike. Dies are perfectly centered. The king's portrait is lightly frosted, in contrast to the surrounding field. Overall, the strike is particularly sharp. Rims are consistently high. Edge reeding is bold but this is not unusual. The first impression is that this could be a proof strike, but it is not. Perhaps the dies were impressed on a polished flan intended for use on a proof. A few tiny ticks are noted; some die-polishing lines are to be seen in the field under the bottom of the shield. Whether a special reason existed for the striking of this coin we will probably never know, but certainly it was carefully and specially struck, for it bears no resemblance to a normal 1817 half sovereign, even a gem example. It might have been one of the first gold pieces minted in this, the first year of the New Coinage. Half sovereigns as a class or denomination are generally rarer than are the full sovereigns in high grade but are not nearly so popular. We expect spirited bidding for this wonderful gold coin, but whatever it sells for will be, in fact, something of a bargain in the world of rare coins.

Estimate: 5000.00-6000.00 USD