Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3081 12-13 Jan 2020
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Great Britain
George III silver "Prosecution of the War with America" Medal 1781 MS62 NGC, Betts-584, BHM-239. 53mm. Also known as the "British Resentment" medal. An item of tremendous rarity and historical importance. Its reference to King George as "Georgius III Rex Ang." (King George of England) points to the medal's manufacture outside of England, with some prior postulation that the die work is Continental and possibly, more specifically, German. The reverse depicts a lion struggling to free itself, with a legend that roughly translates to "cannot be trained to submit" (according to Betts). Scholars have theorized that the medal's imagery and message could be a reference to England's overcoming of the restrictions placed upon it by the League of Armed Neutrality, or even that it could be an anti-English message intent on illustrating the folly and persistence of the British in their attempt to control seaborne commerce. In either case, what is certain is this rare item's paramount importance to historical medal collectors, and to those who have long thought it impossible to fill a near-certain gap within the series. Sold with old collector's envelope.
From the Dresden Collection
https://coins.ha.com/itm/great-britain/great-britain-george-iii-silver-prosecution-of-the-war-with-america-medal-1781-ms62-ngc-/a/3081-32226.s?type=CoinArchives3081
HID02906262019
© 2019 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 8000-12000 USD
George III silver "Prosecution of the War with America" Medal 1781 MS62 NGC, Betts-584, BHM-239. 53mm. Also known as the "British Resentment" medal. An item of tremendous rarity and historical importance. Its reference to King George as "Georgius III Rex Ang." (King George of England) points to the medal's manufacture outside of England, with some prior postulation that the die work is Continental and possibly, more specifically, German. The reverse depicts a lion struggling to free itself, with a legend that roughly translates to "cannot be trained to submit" (according to Betts). Scholars have theorized that the medal's imagery and message could be a reference to England's overcoming of the restrictions placed upon it by the League of Armed Neutrality, or even that it could be an anti-English message intent on illustrating the folly and persistence of the British in their attempt to control seaborne commerce. In either case, what is certain is this rare item's paramount importance to historical medal collectors, and to those who have long thought it impossible to fill a near-certain gap within the series. Sold with old collector's envelope.
From the Dresden Collection
https://coins.ha.com/itm/great-britain/great-britain-george-iii-silver-prosecution-of-the-war-with-america-medal-1781-ms62-ngc-/a/3081-32226.s?type=CoinArchives3081
HID02906262019
© 2019 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 8000-12000 USD