Stanley Gibbons Baldwin's
Auction 79 8 May 2013
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G BRITISH COINS
The Bentley Collection of British Milled Gold Sovereigns
Uniface Trial Reverse for a Pattern Sovereign struck in Gold, c.1817
George III, Uniface Gold Trial Reverse Sovereign, undated, struck c.1817, engraved by Benedetto Pistrucci, St George, helmeted with flowing streamer and cloak, slaying dragon right with broken lance, unlike currency issue, left forearm visible holding rein of horse, dragon at an unfinished stage, no tongue, with filled mouth, dragon claws triangular and stubby, groundline with BP incuse to left, all within horizontally crudely ruled garter with buckle, W W P incuse on sides of buckle, garter motto HONI . SOIT . QUI . MAL . Y . PENSE ., letter I of first word fully apparent, all struck slightly off-centre, edge plain, 7.97g, 22.9mm, thickness 0.75mm (WR 190 R7; Murdoch 189; BDM vol. IV, pp.586-589, 600-601). Toned, as struck and the only known specimen, unique.
most likely ex Benedetto Pistrucci collection and subsequently J G Murdoch collection, Sothebys, 15 March 1904, lot 189, sold for £2/12/-
ex Sotheby, 26 April 1996, lot 640
This piece is of the utmost historical significance and is very unusual, being a uniface piece struck in gold. Such uniface trials were usually made in base metals, gold flans were not generally used for uniface trials unless of the highest importance. This piece was probably used by Pistrucci himself to show how close the design was to acceptable currency, it depicts St George and dragon at a very late design stage. The most interesting aspect being the treatment of the left forearm of St George gripping the rein of the horse. Other unfinished aspects are also noted upon the dragon, otherwise the rest of the design is as adopted for currency. No doubt the piece was produced in early 1817. The Sotheby catalogue of 1996 suggests this coin may be associated with a group of coins known to have been ordered by the Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole, for presentation to Pistrucci as way of consolation, the latter being a very volatile character. This piece was in Pistrucci's collection as "No.3" and later found its way to the Murdoch collection where it was sold without a plate illustration. Pistrucci's notes were quoted in part in the catalogue and in relation to this piece his notes translate as:-
This St George is the finest work I have done in my life with the graving-tool, and for this reason the public will excuse if it is not so fine as the later ones; besides, it was spoiled through mechanical operations at the Mint, or by accident, or maliciously, in order that my work should appear before the public more imperfect than that which I knew to be without taste.
A sense of his mood is clearly seen by his comments. Another relevant comment in Pistrucci's notes subsequent to the piece offered here and in relation to the eventual current coin reverse design is:-
...they made me change the hand, which was at first showing a portion of the arm, to what is now seen on the current coins....
It is highly likely this piece is the one that was in the Murdoch sale, the research suggests such a uniface piece in gold would be a one-off if trying to console Pistrucci. Any original Pistrucci notes offered with such a coin in the Murdoch collection in 1904 are now sadly detached.
Estimate: £10,000-15,000
The Bentley Collection of British Milled Gold Sovereigns
Uniface Trial Reverse for a Pattern Sovereign struck in Gold, c.1817
George III, Uniface Gold Trial Reverse Sovereign, undated, struck c.1817, engraved by Benedetto Pistrucci, St George, helmeted with flowing streamer and cloak, slaying dragon right with broken lance, unlike currency issue, left forearm visible holding rein of horse, dragon at an unfinished stage, no tongue, with filled mouth, dragon claws triangular and stubby, groundline with BP incuse to left, all within horizontally crudely ruled garter with buckle, W W P incuse on sides of buckle, garter motto HONI . SOIT . QUI . MAL . Y . PENSE ., letter I of first word fully apparent, all struck slightly off-centre, edge plain, 7.97g, 22.9mm, thickness 0.75mm (WR 190 R7; Murdoch 189; BDM vol. IV, pp.586-589, 600-601). Toned, as struck and the only known specimen, unique.
most likely ex Benedetto Pistrucci collection and subsequently J G Murdoch collection, Sothebys, 15 March 1904, lot 189, sold for £2/12/-
ex Sotheby, 26 April 1996, lot 640
This piece is of the utmost historical significance and is very unusual, being a uniface piece struck in gold. Such uniface trials were usually made in base metals, gold flans were not generally used for uniface trials unless of the highest importance. This piece was probably used by Pistrucci himself to show how close the design was to acceptable currency, it depicts St George and dragon at a very late design stage. The most interesting aspect being the treatment of the left forearm of St George gripping the rein of the horse. Other unfinished aspects are also noted upon the dragon, otherwise the rest of the design is as adopted for currency. No doubt the piece was produced in early 1817. The Sotheby catalogue of 1996 suggests this coin may be associated with a group of coins known to have been ordered by the Master of the Mint, William Wellesley Pole, for presentation to Pistrucci as way of consolation, the latter being a very volatile character. This piece was in Pistrucci's collection as "No.3" and later found its way to the Murdoch collection where it was sold without a plate illustration. Pistrucci's notes were quoted in part in the catalogue and in relation to this piece his notes translate as:-
This St George is the finest work I have done in my life with the graving-tool, and for this reason the public will excuse if it is not so fine as the later ones; besides, it was spoiled through mechanical operations at the Mint, or by accident, or maliciously, in order that my work should appear before the public more imperfect than that which I knew to be without taste.
A sense of his mood is clearly seen by his comments. Another relevant comment in Pistrucci's notes subsequent to the piece offered here and in relation to the eventual current coin reverse design is:-
...they made me change the hand, which was at first showing a portion of the arm, to what is now seen on the current coins....
It is highly likely this piece is the one that was in the Murdoch sale, the research suggests such a uniface piece in gold would be a one-off if trying to console Pistrucci. Any original Pistrucci notes offered with such a coin in the Murdoch collection in 1904 are now sadly detached.
Estimate: £10,000-15,000