Griquatown, South Africa, proof silver 5 pence, no date (struck 1815-16), rare, diagonally reeded edge, NGC PF 65, finest known in NGC census.Hern-GT2; KM-Tn4.Bright luster with hint of rainbow toning over strong luster, no hairlines but some small patches of light oxidation, very attractive overall, apparently a new "finest known" as its immediate inferior at PF 64 was regarded as finest as recently as last year. Important first coinage of South Africa (see previous lot). Curiously, the denomination of this type is given as five Roman numeral I's as opposed to a Roman numeral V, perhaps to ease the understanding of coins and denominations to a population that had no previous experience with either.
($5000-10000)