THE BENTLEY COLLECTION OF MILLED GOLD SOVEREIGNS.
PART TWO. Royal Mint Issues – London. Extremely Rare William IV Pattern Sovereign Dated 1830. William IV (1830-1837), Pattern Sovereign, 1830, by William Wyon after Francis Chantrey's model, second bare head right with coarse hair and flat topped, deeply engraved ear, W.W. incuse fully on truncation, nose points to second I in BRITANNIAR, GULIELMUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR REX F: D:, finely toothed border and raised rim both sides, coarse bead like border teeth, rev struck with inverted die axis, by Jean Baptiste Merlen, crowned quartered shield of arms, with the arms of Hanover as an escutcheon, seven heart semée, Irish arms with eight harp strings, crown with 13 pearls on each arch and five pearls each side of vertical facing upright, inner crown band with nine jewels, ANNO 1830 below, finer taller border teeth, edge plain, 7.68g, 21.8mm (WR 260 R5; Montagu 1083; Murdoch 440 (part); Nobleman 203; DM 178; S 3829B). Small tiny striking flaw in reverse field to left of shield, some very light hairlines, otherwise mint state and extremely rare.
Note the lighter weight of this pattern coin which ensured it would not go far if inadvertently passed into circulation.
It is interesting to see that the "second bust" rendition was used for this initial pattern dating from the year of accession in 1830. Most currency coins from 1831 carry the first bust. The second bust in currency for 1831 is extremely rare being more wholly adopted from 1832. Therefore the chronology does not follow in reality as their referencing suggests. The second bust turned out to be the most prolific in this reign, used consistently from 1832 until the end of the reign. Both busts must have been used concurrently at times but the only reason they can accurately be called first and second bust is based on when they were phased out rather than when they were first introduced. For further reading see the introduction to the reign of King William IV in part one of the Bentley Collection.
The Coronation of King William IV took place 8 September 1831. All the denominations issued for the current new coinage for the Coronation year of William IV in 1831 were also produced to proof quality in Coronation proof sets. These undoubtedly were made to present to officials and very important persons, and in addition to current 1831 dated denominations, included a proof gold Two Pounds and silver Crown, Halfcrown and Shilling that were not current that year. Additionally, William Wyon himself would be able to supply proofs to whomever he pleased or to those who would commission him to do so. The 1831 proof set is generally accepted as the second proof set available from the Royal Mint, the first being 1826, though unofficial "sets" can be put together of coins of 1821 and 1825 as well.
Estimate: £10,000-15,000