Spink
Auction 20105 14 Dec 2020
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
George II (1727-1760), Guinea, 1730, 'small lettering' second young laureate head left, rev. crowned garnished shield, nine semée of hearts in fourth quarter, edge obliquely milled, 6h (Stratos 98/-; Schneider II, 384/-; MCE 302; S.3672), a scuff to rim at 2 o'clock and 'stubble rash' behind head where excavated, otherwise residually lustrous, very fine, an extremely rare date first reported in May 1941.
The other two Guineas of this date to be offered at global public auction since the millennium have both appeared in London (Spink, 25 June 2014, lot 753) and (LCA 162, 1 September 2018, lot 1765 = LCA 168, 29 February 2020, lot 1253) and come from the same die matrices. The present coin exhibits new obverse and reverse dies for this date with the DEI . GRATIA more closely spaced on the obverse, and a higher 7 with an upper serif close to the crown in date on reverse. Furthermore the semée in the fourth quarter possesses 8 hearts on the previous coins (5 above / 3 below), but very clearly 9 hearts (6 above / 3 below) on the present example. Cursory examination of the surrounding issues of Guineas for 1729 and 1731 consistently exhibit 8 hearts on the regular, E.I.C and Proof issues.
, ,
In Seaby's Coin Bulletin (FPL 322, May 1941, Part I, no. 74014), a 1730 Guinea is heralded as a discovery piece unknown to Kenyon or Brooke and unseen by the company in all of their auction activities between 1925 and 1940. Consequently Messrs Seaby asked a firm £10.10.0 for the coin, which appeared in the same list alongside a fabled Pattern Gothic Crown of 1853 described as 'brilliant, FDC, toned for which was asked a mere £4.10.0.
Estimate: £1,500 - £2,000
The other two Guineas of this date to be offered at global public auction since the millennium have both appeared in London (Spink, 25 June 2014, lot 753) and (LCA 162, 1 September 2018, lot 1765 = LCA 168, 29 February 2020, lot 1253) and come from the same die matrices. The present coin exhibits new obverse and reverse dies for this date with the DEI . GRATIA more closely spaced on the obverse, and a higher 7 with an upper serif close to the crown in date on reverse. Furthermore the semée in the fourth quarter possesses 8 hearts on the previous coins (5 above / 3 below), but very clearly 9 hearts (6 above / 3 below) on the present example. Cursory examination of the surrounding issues of Guineas for 1729 and 1731 consistently exhibit 8 hearts on the regular, E.I.C and Proof issues.
, ,
In Seaby's Coin Bulletin (FPL 322, May 1941, Part I, no. 74014), a 1730 Guinea is heralded as a discovery piece unknown to Kenyon or Brooke and unseen by the company in all of their auction activities between 1925 and 1940. Consequently Messrs Seaby asked a firm £10.10.0 for the coin, which appeared in the same list alongside a fabled Pattern Gothic Crown of 1853 described as 'brilliant, FDC, toned for which was asked a mere £4.10.0.
Estimate: £1,500 - £2,000