Lot 1145
Great Britain. Pattern Two Pounds, 1820 LX. W&R-179 (R3); L&S-207 note; S.3784. 15.93g. By Benedetto Pistrucci. George III, 1760-1820. Obv. Laureate head right, date below, GEORGIUS III D:G; BRITANNIARUM REX F:D:, finely toothed border both sides. Reverse; Inverted die axis, St. George and dragon, W.W.P. under broken lance, small B.P. to upper right of exergue, edge upright inscription in raised letters DECUS ET TUTAMEN * ANNO REGNI LX*, rosette stops. Very rare, only sixty specimens struck. Pop 1; the only Example graded at PCGS. PCGS graded Proof 62 Deep Cameo. Estimated Value $30,000 - UP
"Laureate Head" portrait facing right, the king's name in Latin and his royal titles around the rim and date beneath. On the reverse we see the iconic image created by Benedetto Pistrucci (later touched up by William Wyon) showing Saint George on horseback, naked aside from a Roman-style helmet with a streamer, cape and boots. Below is the Devil incarnate, represented by a dragon, speared through its side and being trampled by the horse. Part of the broken spear is shown on the ground. Saint George holds a sword in his right hand, which is one detail of Wyon's update of the earlier style. There is no legend, only the initials "B.P." in the exergue under the dragon, the signature of the engraver Pistrucci. On some 2-pounds of 1820, the edge is plain while on others the edge features in raised capital letters the classic slogan DECUS ET TUTAMEN (originally intended to frustrate shaving gold off the edge-in English meaning "an ornament and a safeguard") and ANNO REGNI LX, standing for year 60 of the reign.
Ex Spink, London, May 5, 2005, lot 195.
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| Realized $56,400 |
