Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3030 5-6 January 2014
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Great Britain
Mary (1553-54) gold "Fine" Sovereign 1553, of 30 Shillings, S-2488, North-1956 (very rare), Schneider-704, struck at London of 23-ct 3.5 gr (.995-fine) gold, Queen Enthroned with portcullis by her feet, dated in roman numerals MDLIII with double-annulet stops, Pomegranate mm after the queen's name, another after DNO on reverse, AU Details "Removed From Jewelry" NGC, skillfully cleaned (probably long ago) resulting in bright surfaces, a small area on the obverse rim above the queen's crown seemingly smoothed (difficult to see in the slab), nonetheless a most pleasing example of this truly rare classic, boldly struck from perfectly centered dies, magnificent in its details, Queen Mary's face sharply engraved and struck, with wonderful detail in all surrounding features -- her crown, the diapered background to her throne, the large portcullis image below her, the cloth of her garb, the circling crescents and beaded inner circle, and every letter and stop in the legend. The reverse side is equally bold in detail, from the small images of the royal leopards and lis within the central shield to the outermost tops of the letters in the legend. The decorated, large Tudor rose is fully formed. To the unaided eye, the surfaces are choice and the color is an intense yellow gold. Importantly, the flan is full, round, uncracked, and of sound alloy. All in all, the grading company's assessment aside, this is an exciting and exquisitely detailed example of the largest gold coin struck in the name of the tragic, cruelly destined Queen Mary Tudor.
Estimate: 25000-35000 USD
Mary (1553-54) gold "Fine" Sovereign 1553, of 30 Shillings, S-2488, North-1956 (very rare), Schneider-704, struck at London of 23-ct 3.5 gr (.995-fine) gold, Queen Enthroned with portcullis by her feet, dated in roman numerals MDLIII with double-annulet stops, Pomegranate mm after the queen's name, another after DNO on reverse, AU Details "Removed From Jewelry" NGC, skillfully cleaned (probably long ago) resulting in bright surfaces, a small area on the obverse rim above the queen's crown seemingly smoothed (difficult to see in the slab), nonetheless a most pleasing example of this truly rare classic, boldly struck from perfectly centered dies, magnificent in its details, Queen Mary's face sharply engraved and struck, with wonderful detail in all surrounding features -- her crown, the diapered background to her throne, the large portcullis image below her, the cloth of her garb, the circling crescents and beaded inner circle, and every letter and stop in the legend. The reverse side is equally bold in detail, from the small images of the royal leopards and lis within the central shield to the outermost tops of the letters in the legend. The decorated, large Tudor rose is fully formed. To the unaided eye, the surfaces are choice and the color is an intense yellow gold. Importantly, the flan is full, round, uncracked, and of sound alloy. All in all, the grading company's assessment aside, this is an exciting and exquisitely detailed example of the largest gold coin struck in the name of the tragic, cruelly destined Queen Mary Tudor.
Estimate: 25000-35000 USD