Lot 3203
Great Britain. Bronzed Proof Pattern Halfpenny, 1859. P.2017 (Extremely Rare); Freeman 726. Victoria. Obverse; Small (Wyon) portrait of Queen left, taken from the Shilling puncheon. Circle of dots around head, legend reads VICTORIA DEI GRATIS 1859. Reverse; Britannia seated right with trident and shield. This rare uncirculated pattern was produced just before the bronze coinage design and size was changed in 1860. The diameter is a little larger than that of the eventually adopted design. A very attractive coin, seldom offered. NGC graded Proof 64 Brown Gold Sticker. WINGS Approved.
*This was an official pattern made at the British Royal Mint. Peck comments that the decimal patterns of 1857 and 1859, together with a few undated ones were made in anticipation of a change to decimal currency, for which there had been much agitation during the previous 20 years. There was also a demand for a lighter, less cumbersome currency. Peck also notes that although the Penny, Halfpenny and Farthing size patterns often bear no mark of value this was because they were made with the assumption that on the new coinage (as before) there would continue to be no mark of value evident.
Estimated Value $1,400 - 1,600.
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| Realized $2,233 |
