Stanley Gibbons Baldwin's
Auction 79 8 May 2013
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G BRITISH COINS
The Bentley Collection of British Milled Gold Sovereigns
The Very Rare 4 Over Inverted 4 Date Variety Victoria 1844 Sovereign
Victoria, Sovereign, 1844, first 4 struck over inverted 4, small close date, first young head left, date below, rev crowned quartered shield of arms within laurel wreath, emblems below, upper left serif of second I absent and foot of previous N in BRITANNIARUM, 7.96g (Marsh 27A R2; MCE 505; S 3852). Surface marks, bold very fine and extremely rare.
ex Spink and Son Ltd, July 2004
Calendar year mintage 3,800,845
This is the most spectacular variety shared by 1844, 1845 and 1846 Sovereigns, and the overstrike and undertype are very apparent and clear on the example offered here.
The variety was first discovered on the 1844 version way back in September 1974 when a certain "Goldfinger" wrote to the Spink Numismatic Circular (page 341) alerting readers to the variety with a clear illustration.
Most collectors ask how such a striking can occur. This is due to a true engraver's error, punching in the date, the 4 punch was obviously entered inverted on the first attempt and then shoddily corrected with a second punching over the top. In the numismatic trade such errors and corrections are fondly referred to as "after lunch" coins, in that it is assumed the engraver made such an error for today's collectors to enjoy, when working after a hearty lunch and maybe having imbibed too much ale. More likely though was that it was perhaps easy to mistake the orientation of the 4 punch, or perhaps working under candle-light or the poorer light of a dark day such a mistake could occur. The fact that the error and correction exists for three consecutive years suggests someone working at the Mint may have made the same mistake three times, and another sign of workmanship slipping, though at least it was corrected before any coins could be struck for circulation. This variety remains very elusive.
For further reading on date varieties of 1844 Sovereigns see footnotes to lots 46 and 47 in part one of the Bentley Collection.
Estimate: £1000-1200
The Bentley Collection of British Milled Gold Sovereigns
The Very Rare 4 Over Inverted 4 Date Variety Victoria 1844 Sovereign
Victoria, Sovereign, 1844, first 4 struck over inverted 4, small close date, first young head left, date below, rev crowned quartered shield of arms within laurel wreath, emblems below, upper left serif of second I absent and foot of previous N in BRITANNIARUM, 7.96g (Marsh 27A R2; MCE 505; S 3852). Surface marks, bold very fine and extremely rare.
ex Spink and Son Ltd, July 2004
Calendar year mintage 3,800,845
This is the most spectacular variety shared by 1844, 1845 and 1846 Sovereigns, and the overstrike and undertype are very apparent and clear on the example offered here.
The variety was first discovered on the 1844 version way back in September 1974 when a certain "Goldfinger" wrote to the Spink Numismatic Circular (page 341) alerting readers to the variety with a clear illustration.
Most collectors ask how such a striking can occur. This is due to a true engraver's error, punching in the date, the 4 punch was obviously entered inverted on the first attempt and then shoddily corrected with a second punching over the top. In the numismatic trade such errors and corrections are fondly referred to as "after lunch" coins, in that it is assumed the engraver made such an error for today's collectors to enjoy, when working after a hearty lunch and maybe having imbibed too much ale. More likely though was that it was perhaps easy to mistake the orientation of the 4 punch, or perhaps working under candle-light or the poorer light of a dark day such a mistake could occur. The fact that the error and correction exists for three consecutive years suggests someone working at the Mint may have made the same mistake three times, and another sign of workmanship slipping, though at least it was corrected before any coins could be struck for circulation. This variety remains very elusive.
For further reading on date varieties of 1844 Sovereigns see footnotes to lots 46 and 47 in part one of the Bentley Collection.
Estimate: £1000-1200