Heritage World Coin Auctions
CICF Signature Sale 3032 10-12 April 2014
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Great Britain
George III Pattern Crown by Webb & Mills for Mudie ND (1820), ESC-221, KM-PnB80, L&S-214, silver, plain edge, PR63 PCGS, Choice Proof, a great example of this pattern with an excellent proof impression, its surfaces mirrored, the stylish portrait delicately offset against the surrounding field, obverse border beading crisp and ending in a knife rim, reverse border near perfect and consisting of a ring of tiny beads set just at the edge. Long considered a medallic piece because it lacks a date, this artistic crown is classified by ESC as a pattern; Linecar and Stone reached the same conclusion in their 1968 reference. The design is exceptionally elegant in conception for a coin, more typically on the order of the quality devoted to a medal, incorporating on its reverse the regal crowned shields and between them the emblems of England, Ireland, Hanover and Scotland, all surrounding the St George image inside the Order of the Garter. Its large prancing Hanover stallion gives homage to the king's Germanic family origins. The reverse is prominently signed in raised italics "Mills Fecit" in the field by the left upper rim, an unusual feature among pattern crowns. The portrait is in fairly high relief and signed beneath, again in raised italic script, the initials standing for "James Mudie issued it" and "Thomas Webb made it". Thus the obverse is by Webb and the reverse is by Mills. James Mudie commissioned these artists to produce this pattern privately, Mudie being otherwise famous for his series of medals celebrating British victories over the French, ending the Napoleonic War late in this reign. What we have here is a famous piece, not particularly rare but decidedly historic, finely conceived and executed.
Estimate: 3500-4000 USD
George III Pattern Crown by Webb & Mills for Mudie ND (1820), ESC-221, KM-PnB80, L&S-214, silver, plain edge, PR63 PCGS, Choice Proof, a great example of this pattern with an excellent proof impression, its surfaces mirrored, the stylish portrait delicately offset against the surrounding field, obverse border beading crisp and ending in a knife rim, reverse border near perfect and consisting of a ring of tiny beads set just at the edge. Long considered a medallic piece because it lacks a date, this artistic crown is classified by ESC as a pattern; Linecar and Stone reached the same conclusion in their 1968 reference. The design is exceptionally elegant in conception for a coin, more typically on the order of the quality devoted to a medal, incorporating on its reverse the regal crowned shields and between them the emblems of England, Ireland, Hanover and Scotland, all surrounding the St George image inside the Order of the Garter. Its large prancing Hanover stallion gives homage to the king's Germanic family origins. The reverse is prominently signed in raised italics "Mills Fecit" in the field by the left upper rim, an unusual feature among pattern crowns. The portrait is in fairly high relief and signed beneath, again in raised italic script, the initials standing for "James Mudie issued it" and "Thomas Webb made it". Thus the obverse is by Webb and the reverse is by Mills. James Mudie commissioned these artists to produce this pattern privately, Mudie being otherwise famous for his series of medals celebrating British victories over the French, ending the Napoleonic War late in this reign. What we have here is a famous piece, not particularly rare but decidedly historic, finely conceived and executed.
Estimate: 3500-4000 USD