Stanley Gibbons Baldwin's
Auction 79 8 May 2013
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G BRITISH COINS
The Bentley Collection of British Milled Gold Sovereigns
Victoria 1845 Sovereign with Inverted, or Top-Heavy 8 in Date
Victoria, Sovereign, 1845, spread date with flat-topped 8 with larger upper loop than lower, perhaps inverted, first young head left, date below, rev crowned quartered shield of arms within laurel wreath, emblems below, 7.93g (Marsh 28; MCE 506; S 3852). Heavily surface marked in fields, good fine and unusual.
bought A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd, June 2008
Calendar year mintage 3,800,845
This unusual variety appears to have the figure 8 inverted in the date. Note that the weight of this coin is on the limit of what was legally acceptable for trade at face value according to the Acts of Coinage 1816-70. Jean Baptiste Merlen had been superannuated from the Mint in July 1844 at the age of 75 so all die work on reverses from 1845 can be considered firmly as being "after" J B Merlen.
For further reading on varieties of 1845 Sovereigns see part one of the Bentley Collection, footnotes to lots 48-51
Estimate: £300-400
The Bentley Collection of British Milled Gold Sovereigns
Victoria 1845 Sovereign with Inverted, or Top-Heavy 8 in Date
Victoria, Sovereign, 1845, spread date with flat-topped 8 with larger upper loop than lower, perhaps inverted, first young head left, date below, rev crowned quartered shield of arms within laurel wreath, emblems below, 7.93g (Marsh 28; MCE 506; S 3852). Heavily surface marked in fields, good fine and unusual.
bought A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd, June 2008
Calendar year mintage 3,800,845
This unusual variety appears to have the figure 8 inverted in the date. Note that the weight of this coin is on the limit of what was legally acceptable for trade at face value according to the Acts of Coinage 1816-70. Jean Baptiste Merlen had been superannuated from the Mint in July 1844 at the age of 75 so all die work on reverses from 1845 can be considered firmly as being "after" J B Merlen.
For further reading on varieties of 1845 Sovereigns see part one of the Bentley Collection, footnotes to lots 48-51
Estimate: £300-400