Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3030 5-6 January 2014
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Great Britain
George II gold Proof Half Guinea 1728, S-3681, WR-75 (R4: 11-20 known), Young laureate Head, 2-year type, plain edge with fillet lines, PR65 Cameo NGC, an amazing proof for a coin struck 286 years ago, having glittering, reflective mirrored fields, full details from the proof impression, spot-on choice surfaces, and delightful bright yellow-gold color. The obverse rim is fully beaded, while the beading is nearly complete on the reverse. This is a great rarity among Half Guineas, engraved by John Croker toward the end of his tenure at the Royal Mint, some might say at the height of his talent. It is the earliest known proof of this denomination, although at least one variety of Cromwell's Half Broad was struck as a proof (dated 1656 but actually minted in 1738 using J.S. Tanner's dies). The only comparable 1728 Proof Half Guinea sold at auction in the past decade has been the Jacob Y. Terner Collection coin, which passed to the Millennia Collection (graded by NGC as PR64 Cameo) and sold for $18,500 excluding buyer's fees six years ago in 2008. Thus this appears to be the highest graded and surely is among the finest known.
Estimate: 20000-25000 USD
George II gold Proof Half Guinea 1728, S-3681, WR-75 (R4: 11-20 known), Young laureate Head, 2-year type, plain edge with fillet lines, PR65 Cameo NGC, an amazing proof for a coin struck 286 years ago, having glittering, reflective mirrored fields, full details from the proof impression, spot-on choice surfaces, and delightful bright yellow-gold color. The obverse rim is fully beaded, while the beading is nearly complete on the reverse. This is a great rarity among Half Guineas, engraved by John Croker toward the end of his tenure at the Royal Mint, some might say at the height of his talent. It is the earliest known proof of this denomination, although at least one variety of Cromwell's Half Broad was struck as a proof (dated 1656 but actually minted in 1738 using J.S. Tanner's dies). The only comparable 1728 Proof Half Guinea sold at auction in the past decade has been the Jacob Y. Terner Collection coin, which passed to the Millennia Collection (graded by NGC as PR64 Cameo) and sold for $18,500 excluding buyer's fees six years ago in 2008. Thus this appears to be the highest graded and surely is among the finest known.
Estimate: 20000-25000 USD