Stanley Gibbons Baldwin's
Auction 79 8 May 2013
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G BRITISH COINS
The Bentley Collection of British Milled Gold Sovereigns
Extremely Rare Proof Sovereign, dated 1818
George III, Proof Sovereign, 1818, engraved by Benedetto Pistrucci, first laureate head right, coarse hair, laurel wreath of 10 leaves, date below, ascending colon after BRITANNIAR, with no lower right serif to first I, no upper serifs to last four letters, lettering clear of raised rim, legend GEORGIUS III D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:, I of King's name missing lower right serif, rev struck with inverted die axis, St George on horseback slaying dragon right with broken lance, helmet with flowing streamer, ground-line with BP incuse to left, all within horizontally ruled garter with buckle, W W P incuse on sides of buckle, garter motto HONI. SOIT. QUI. MAL. Y. PENSE., I of HONI missing top left serif, raised rim both sides, edge milled, 7.98g (WR 198 R6; Murdoch 193; Nobleman 49/50; Douglas-Morris 142; S 3785A). Tiny pinhead sized black spot on nape of neck and on temple, some hairlines, otherwise brilliant as struck and extremely rare.
ex Property of Gentleman collection, Spink Auction 117, 19 November 1997, lot 1961
One of the key features of the design of this proof as adopted and engraved for currency by Pistrucci are the wreath of 10 leaves and the date below the bust, coupled with St George slaying the dragon. Some of the letters in the legend lack serifs, no doubt due to blockages or faulty letter punches, with corner serifs broken off, being employed. See the introduction to this catalogue for a discussion about this.
Estimate: £15,000-20,000
The Bentley Collection of British Milled Gold Sovereigns
Extremely Rare Proof Sovereign, dated 1818
George III, Proof Sovereign, 1818, engraved by Benedetto Pistrucci, first laureate head right, coarse hair, laurel wreath of 10 leaves, date below, ascending colon after BRITANNIAR, with no lower right serif to first I, no upper serifs to last four letters, lettering clear of raised rim, legend GEORGIUS III D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:, I of King's name missing lower right serif, rev struck with inverted die axis, St George on horseback slaying dragon right with broken lance, helmet with flowing streamer, ground-line with BP incuse to left, all within horizontally ruled garter with buckle, W W P incuse on sides of buckle, garter motto HONI. SOIT. QUI. MAL. Y. PENSE., I of HONI missing top left serif, raised rim both sides, edge milled, 7.98g (WR 198 R6; Murdoch 193; Nobleman 49/50; Douglas-Morris 142; S 3785A). Tiny pinhead sized black spot on nape of neck and on temple, some hairlines, otherwise brilliant as struck and extremely rare.
ex Property of Gentleman collection, Spink Auction 117, 19 November 1997, lot 1961
One of the key features of the design of this proof as adopted and engraved for currency by Pistrucci are the wreath of 10 leaves and the date below the bust, coupled with St George slaying the dragon. Some of the letters in the legend lack serifs, no doubt due to blockages or faulty letter punches, with corner serifs broken off, being employed. See the introduction to this catalogue for a discussion about this.
Estimate: £15,000-20,000