Heritage World Coin Auctions
CICF Signature Sale 3032 10-12 April 2014
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Canada
Victoria Pattern Specimen 20 Cents 1858, London mint, PC-4, Bowman-6, SP62 PCGS. Plain Edge - Coin Alignment. The eye-appeal is significantly finer than that suggested by the assigned grade with highly reflective silvery pockets in the fields and a stunning array of vibrant autumn-orange in the centers that transitions to a mix of cobalt-blue and burgundy patina at the peripheries. Especially intriguing as a type because of the obverse die was muled with a reverse design that was exclusively used for the Province of New Brunswick 20 cent pieces of 1862 and 1864. As mentioned in the Norweb catalog, possibly created as a "mint sport" by Charles W. Fremantle who was deputy master of the Royal Mint from 1868-1894 and is known to have created similar strikings for other countries. Today, examples are extremely rare and were missing from cabinets such as Belzberg and Pittman. Norweb, amazingly, had two examples (one being the present coin), with another piece having been in the Fontenac Sale, a prior offering of the Bowers and Merena. One piece also exists inside the National Currency Collection in Canada. Very few, if any other examples are likely to exist beyond this census. A great opportunity thus!There is some confusion as to which lot the present coin was in the Norweb Sale. Clearly plated as lot 712, and seemingly matching the accompanying physical description, but the grade listed for that lot is SP64. The following lot of the same type, mentioned as grading SP62 like the present coin, is otherwise different than the present piece. Therefore, we surmise that the present coin was sold as lot 712, with an incorrect short description detailing the grade.Ex: Norweb Collection (B&M 11/96, Lot-712 or 713)From The Prager Collection of Canadian Specimen Coins
Estimate: 6000-8000 USD
Victoria Pattern Specimen 20 Cents 1858, London mint, PC-4, Bowman-6, SP62 PCGS. Plain Edge - Coin Alignment. The eye-appeal is significantly finer than that suggested by the assigned grade with highly reflective silvery pockets in the fields and a stunning array of vibrant autumn-orange in the centers that transitions to a mix of cobalt-blue and burgundy patina at the peripheries. Especially intriguing as a type because of the obverse die was muled with a reverse design that was exclusively used for the Province of New Brunswick 20 cent pieces of 1862 and 1864. As mentioned in the Norweb catalog, possibly created as a "mint sport" by Charles W. Fremantle who was deputy master of the Royal Mint from 1868-1894 and is known to have created similar strikings for other countries. Today, examples are extremely rare and were missing from cabinets such as Belzberg and Pittman. Norweb, amazingly, had two examples (one being the present coin), with another piece having been in the Fontenac Sale, a prior offering of the Bowers and Merena. One piece also exists inside the National Currency Collection in Canada. Very few, if any other examples are likely to exist beyond this census. A great opportunity thus!There is some confusion as to which lot the present coin was in the Norweb Sale. Clearly plated as lot 712, and seemingly matching the accompanying physical description, but the grade listed for that lot is SP64. The following lot of the same type, mentioned as grading SP62 like the present coin, is otherwise different than the present piece. Therefore, we surmise that the present coin was sold as lot 712, with an incorrect short description detailing the grade.Ex: Norweb Collection (B&M 11/96, Lot-712 or 713)From The Prager Collection of Canadian Specimen Coins
Estimate: 6000-8000 USD