Sovereign Rarities Ltd
Auction 2 24 Sep 2019
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Rare 1746 Silver Proof Set With an Intriguing Provenance
George II (1727-60), silver Proof Set, 1746, consisting of Crown, Halfcrown, Shilling, Sixpence, older laureate and draped bust left, legend and toothed border surrounding, GEORGIVS. II. DEI. GRATIA. rev. crowned cruciform shields, garter star at centre, date either side of top crown, M.B.FE. ET. H. REX. F.D. B.ET. L. D. S. R. I. A. T ET. E., edge inscribed in raised letters and dated on Crown and Halfcrown, DECVS. ET. TVTAMEN. ANNO. REGNI. VICESIMO., Shilling and Sixpence with grained edges, weights Crown 29.73g, Halfcrown 15.23g, Shilling 6.33g, Sixpence 3.30g (Bull 1669, 1691, 1727, 1759; ESC 127, 608, 1208, 1619; S.3690, 3696, 3704, 3711). Toned with matching colour and some light speckling, coins with lightest of handling marks only, have all been graded and slabbed by NGC, Crown=PF61+, Halfcrown=PF62, Shilling=PF62, Sixpence=PF62.
NGC certification 4862896-001, 002, 003, 004 respectively.
A superb presentation set in old, though not contemporary wooden box, old green label with fountain pen provenance "These Proofs were sent from the Mint to George the second for his approbation, & were afterwards given by his grandson the Duke of Gloucester to General Charles Rainsford." If this provenance is correct then these coins were perhaps seen by George II himself. His grandson was His Royal Highness Prince William Henry of Hanover born Leicester House, Leicester Square London, 25th November 1743, younger brother of George III. He died 25th August 1805 at Gloucester House, Weymouth age 61.
General Charles Rainsford was equerry to the Duke of Gloucester from 1766-80 so perhaps this was a gift to him towards the end of that service, and he died on 24th May 1809, buried at St Peter Ad Vincula, Tower of London.
Provenance:
Ex Spink and Son Ltd c.1985.
Ex Mr K. Kohma Collection, Tokyo, Japan.
Ex A. H. Baldwin, Fixed Price List, Summer 2012, item PF001.
George II (1727-60), silver Proof Set, 1746, consisting of Crown, Halfcrown, Shilling, Sixpence, older laureate and draped bust left, legend and toothed border surrounding, GEORGIVS. II. DEI. GRATIA. rev. crowned cruciform shields, garter star at centre, date either side of top crown, M.B.FE. ET. H. REX. F.D. B.ET. L. D. S. R. I. A. T ET. E., edge inscribed in raised letters and dated on Crown and Halfcrown, DECVS. ET. TVTAMEN. ANNO. REGNI. VICESIMO., Shilling and Sixpence with grained edges, weights Crown 29.73g, Halfcrown 15.23g, Shilling 6.33g, Sixpence 3.30g (Bull 1669, 1691, 1727, 1759; ESC 127, 608, 1208, 1619; S.3690, 3696, 3704, 3711). Toned with matching colour and some light speckling, coins with lightest of handling marks only, have all been graded and slabbed by NGC, Crown=PF61+, Halfcrown=PF62, Shilling=PF62, Sixpence=PF62.
NGC certification 4862896-001, 002, 003, 004 respectively.
A superb presentation set in old, though not contemporary wooden box, old green label with fountain pen provenance "These Proofs were sent from the Mint to George the second for his approbation, & were afterwards given by his grandson the Duke of Gloucester to General Charles Rainsford." If this provenance is correct then these coins were perhaps seen by George II himself. His grandson was His Royal Highness Prince William Henry of Hanover born Leicester House, Leicester Square London, 25th November 1743, younger brother of George III. He died 25th August 1805 at Gloucester House, Weymouth age 61.
General Charles Rainsford was equerry to the Duke of Gloucester from 1766-80 so perhaps this was a gift to him towards the end of that service, and he died on 24th May 1809, buried at St Peter Ad Vincula, Tower of London.
Provenance:
Ex Spink and Son Ltd c.1985.
Ex Mr K. Kohma Collection, Tokyo, Japan.
Ex A. H. Baldwin, Fixed Price List, Summer 2012, item PF001.