Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3030 5-6 January 2014
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
Great Britain
Victoria gold Proof £5 1839, S-3851, KM742, WR-279 (R2), Young Head, "Una & the Lion" reverse, PR63 Ultra Cameo NGC, absolutely choice with only faint disturbance in the frost of the queen's face, wispy hairlines on the highly reflective mirrored surfaces, and a few faint contact marks to right of Una on the reverse field. Frosted features appear on the portrait, Una & her Lion, all of the lettering, and even the outer flat rims. The cataloguer sees this specimen as one of the finest he has encountered in nearly 40 years of handling and cataloguing outstanding England coins for auctions. This variety has the TERTIO raised lettered edge, DIRIGE in the reverse legend, 9 leaves on the rear fillet of the queen's hair, and it was struck en medaille, with the engraver's signature raised upon the truncation of the queen's portrait expressed as "W.WYON.RA". It is similarly signed with different spacing as "W.WYON R.A." on the reverse beneath the date 1839 in roman numerals. It is the variety which was typically included in the Coronation Proof set of 1839. The famous legend in Latin above Una on the reverse translates variously as "May God direct my steps" or more poetically as "May God guide my footsteps" (Psalm 118:133). All in all, this is an outstanding example of one of the most famous gold coins of the world, and a Victorian numismatic classic.
Estimate: 90000-110000 USD
Victoria gold Proof £5 1839, S-3851, KM742, WR-279 (R2), Young Head, "Una & the Lion" reverse, PR63 Ultra Cameo NGC, absolutely choice with only faint disturbance in the frost of the queen's face, wispy hairlines on the highly reflective mirrored surfaces, and a few faint contact marks to right of Una on the reverse field. Frosted features appear on the portrait, Una & her Lion, all of the lettering, and even the outer flat rims. The cataloguer sees this specimen as one of the finest he has encountered in nearly 40 years of handling and cataloguing outstanding England coins for auctions. This variety has the TERTIO raised lettered edge, DIRIGE in the reverse legend, 9 leaves on the rear fillet of the queen's hair, and it was struck en medaille, with the engraver's signature raised upon the truncation of the queen's portrait expressed as "W.WYON.RA". It is similarly signed with different spacing as "W.WYON R.A." on the reverse beneath the date 1839 in roman numerals. It is the variety which was typically included in the Coronation Proof set of 1839. The famous legend in Latin above Una on the reverse translates variously as "May God direct my steps" or more poetically as "May God guide my footsteps" (Psalm 118:133). All in all, this is an outstanding example of one of the most famous gold coins of the world, and a Victorian numismatic classic.
Estimate: 90000-110000 USD