Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3105 9 Jan 2023
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Great Britain
George V Penny 1933 MS63 Brown NGC, Royal mint, KM838 (Rare), S-4055 (Extremely Rare), Peck-2279. Among the great 20th century rarities not only within the greater British series, but across world numismatics as a whole, akin to the fame demanded by one of the most hotly contested US issues, the 1943 Lincoln cent. The years proceeding WWI in Great Britain were led by increased economic activity that necessitated more circulating coinage. The decade after 1918 would see mintage figures for the Penny doubled to keep pace with demand. As the 1920s came to a close with a depression gripping world economies, the demand for coinage shrank. Clearing banks possessed such large stocks of Pennies in 1932 that the Royal Mint deemed it necessary to suspend coinage. Struck from a reported mintage of just 7 pieces and as James McKay writes in his book A History of Modern English Coinage, these coins were struck for "inclusion in year sets interred under the foundation stones of public buildings, and only one or two are believed to be in the hands of private collectors."
A glance back to the listing of the Norweb specimen at Spink confirms this, stating that three of the seven known specimens were provided to the University of London of Bloomsbury, St. Mary's of Hawksworth Wood (this coin), and the Church of St. Cross of Middleton for internment in foundation stones. Because of the theft of the latter in 1970, church officials of St. Mary's decided to exhume the present offering and sell it through Sotheby's. Clearly a special striking due to undeniably Prooflike characteristics atypical of even the highest-graded specimens from this era. Virtually pristine and enveloped in a uniform chestnut patina and mint red silhouettes that gently obscure what may limit this issue from finer assignment. The cataloger notes a general paucity of distracting marks with some minor yet visually interesting, arching die polish also apparent on the Norweb specimen we offered in 2016. A fascinating history coupled with absolute rarity coalesce into this unparalleled opportunity surely to be impounded for decades to come in only the most advanced cabinet.
1) British Museum specimen. Accessed January 5, 1934
2) Royal Mint Museum specimen. Accessed June 19, 1933
3) Norweb specimen. Spink Auction (May 1967); Philip G. Smith (purchased privately from Spink, 1954); Laurie Asher Lawrence
4) University of London, Bloomsbury specimen. Foundation stone laid by King George V on June 26, 1933
5) St. Mary's of Hawksworth Wood specimen. Private collection (purchase privately from Spink, December 1972); Sotheby's, November 1972, Lot 275)
6) Church of St. Cross of Middleton specimen. Foundation stone, stolen in 1970
7) Private Collection specimen. Purchased privately from Spink, 1982; Peter Davies (Glendining, March 1969, Lot 180)
https://coins.ha.com/itm/great-britain/great-britain-george-v-penny-1933-ms63-brown-ngc-/a/3105-32230.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3105-01092023
HID02906262019
© 2022 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 100000-150000 USD
George V Penny 1933 MS63 Brown NGC, Royal mint, KM838 (Rare), S-4055 (Extremely Rare), Peck-2279. Among the great 20th century rarities not only within the greater British series, but across world numismatics as a whole, akin to the fame demanded by one of the most hotly contested US issues, the 1943 Lincoln cent. The years proceeding WWI in Great Britain were led by increased economic activity that necessitated more circulating coinage. The decade after 1918 would see mintage figures for the Penny doubled to keep pace with demand. As the 1920s came to a close with a depression gripping world economies, the demand for coinage shrank. Clearing banks possessed such large stocks of Pennies in 1932 that the Royal Mint deemed it necessary to suspend coinage. Struck from a reported mintage of just 7 pieces and as James McKay writes in his book A History of Modern English Coinage, these coins were struck for "inclusion in year sets interred under the foundation stones of public buildings, and only one or two are believed to be in the hands of private collectors."
A glance back to the listing of the Norweb specimen at Spink confirms this, stating that three of the seven known specimens were provided to the University of London of Bloomsbury, St. Mary's of Hawksworth Wood (this coin), and the Church of St. Cross of Middleton for internment in foundation stones. Because of the theft of the latter in 1970, church officials of St. Mary's decided to exhume the present offering and sell it through Sotheby's. Clearly a special striking due to undeniably Prooflike characteristics atypical of even the highest-graded specimens from this era. Virtually pristine and enveloped in a uniform chestnut patina and mint red silhouettes that gently obscure what may limit this issue from finer assignment. The cataloger notes a general paucity of distracting marks with some minor yet visually interesting, arching die polish also apparent on the Norweb specimen we offered in 2016. A fascinating history coupled with absolute rarity coalesce into this unparalleled opportunity surely to be impounded for decades to come in only the most advanced cabinet.
1) British Museum specimen. Accessed January 5, 1934
2) Royal Mint Museum specimen. Accessed June 19, 1933
3) Norweb specimen. Spink Auction (May 1967); Philip G. Smith (purchased privately from Spink, 1954); Laurie Asher Lawrence
4) University of London, Bloomsbury specimen. Foundation stone laid by King George V on June 26, 1933
5) St. Mary's of Hawksworth Wood specimen. Private collection (purchase privately from Spink, December 1972); Sotheby's, November 1972, Lot 275)
6) Church of St. Cross of Middleton specimen. Foundation stone, stolen in 1970
7) Private Collection specimen. Purchased privately from Spink, 1982; Peter Davies (Glendining, March 1969, Lot 180)
https://coins.ha.com/itm/great-britain/great-britain-george-v-penny-1933-ms63-brown-ngc-/a/3105-32230.s?type=DA-DMC-CoinArchives-WorldCoins-3105-01092023
HID02906262019
© 2022 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved
Estimate: 100000-150000 USD