Lot 1158
Great Britain. Pattern Gold Proof Sovereign, 1838. WR-299. DM-201 (same coin?). By William Wyon. Victoria, 1837-1901. "W.W." incuse; tiny roses to sides of date. Plain edge. Smaller young head left. Reverse: Crowned shield within filleted laurel wreath; rose, shamrock and thistle spray below. Edge of irregular thickness, with knife rims. The digit "3" broken at top of curve. R5, extremely rare (6 to 10 known). A lovely Proof, superb deep cameo, red iridescence. Despite the light abrasions this coin has a marvelous eye appeal. Pop 1; 1 in Pf62+; only 2 graded at NGC. NGC graded Proof 63 Ultra Cameo. Estimated Value $20,000 - UP
This later pattern features a slightly larger young head facing left, with no decorative roses to its sides (those were restricted to the patterns), legend simply declaring Victoria queen DEI GRATIA ("By the Grace of God"). The reverse side features the crowned, elegantly styled, square-topped royal shield of the House of Hanover, its quarters holding the insignia of the kingdoms (England displayed twice), surrounded by a wreath of laurel branches, and beneath it the emblem "spacer" consisting of a rose, thistle and shamrock with a small rose on each side in the field-just as it appeared on the pattern sovereigns of 1837. Along the rim is a Latin legend that translates to mean "Queen of Britain, Defender of the Faith." This reverse style was employed on millions of sovereigns minted beginning in 1838 and used constantly for decades. No example could be finer than this superbly preserved, very rare proof-the final prototype for all the others.
Ex Dr Jacob Y. Terner Collection; Ex Goldberg 'Millennia' Sale, 46, May 26, 2008, lot 444.
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| Realized $54,000 |
