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Great Britain: gilt copper proof halfpenny of George III, Soho Mint, 1806
lordmarcovan
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Great Britain: gilt copper proof halfpenny of George III, Soho Mint, 1806
Obverse: Draped laureate bust of George III right.
Reverse: Brittania seated left by seashore, holding olive branch in right hand, trident in left, shield below, sailing ship on horizon at left.
KM 662, gilt copper. PCGS PR65 DCAM, cert #29851547. Ex- "ryarmch" (Collectors Universe), 3/4/14. Purchased in an NGC PR64 CAM holder, #2480028-004.
I once owned a breathtaking Irish gilt proof penny (NGC PR64 UCAM), that was truly a sight to behold. It was probably the finest piece in my collection for many years, and it's the first coin I think of when people discuss "seller's remorse". It didn't really fit in with any of the collections I had going at the time, so I parted with it, to my later regret. (Really, had I been thinking, I should have considered it a "collection of one".)
Now that I've gone "eclectic" and am not sticking to any particular set structure (just a "box of twenty"), it was time to find another Soho gilt proof. This British one is a halfpenny, with seated Britannia instead of the Hibernian harp. These scarce Soho mint gilt proofs are hard to beat for "flash". And any 200+ year old proof coin is pretty amazing in its own right, if you think about it. These were at the cutting edge of minting technology in their time. I believe they were made as VIP presentation pieces, and they were originally issued in a metal shell holder which no doubt contributed to to the fine preservation and survival of the coins.
With some trepidation, I cracked this piece out of the NGC PR64 CAM holder I'd bought it in, submitted it to PCGS, and held my breath. The outcome made me dance for joy, because not only did I get a one-point upgrade and a TrueView image, but an upgrade from Cameo (CAM) to Deep Cameo (DCAM), as well! And Phil Arnold at PCGS kindly gave me an alternate second TrueView picture for it. Though I'm a huge fan of the PCGS TrueView photography service, in this particular case the images do not quite do this piece- particularly its deep cameo contrast- full justice. The flashy proof mirrors must have made it a difficult piece to image. This coin is now a Pop 1 and is one of my favorite pieces.
Miscellaneous links:
PCGS cert verification page (with primary TrueView image link)
Alternate TrueView image (courtesy of Phil Arnold)
PCGS population report (as of 2015, this was Pop. 1/0 at PCGS and the only DCAM example in all grades)
Old NGC cert verification page (when it was in the previous NGC PR64 CAM holder)
The Irish gilt proof penny mentioned above (which I so regret selling, and which inspired me to buy this coin)
Wikipedia links:
George III of the United Kingdom
Soho Mint
History of the British halfpenny (1800-1970)
Britannia (female personification)
When posted here, this coin was part of my "Eclectic Box of 20" collection.
Obverse: Draped laureate bust of George III right.
Reverse: Brittania seated left by seashore, holding olive branch in right hand, trident in left, shield below, sailing ship on horizon at left.
KM 662, gilt copper. PCGS PR65 DCAM, cert #29851547. Ex- "ryarmch" (Collectors Universe), 3/4/14. Purchased in an NGC PR64 CAM holder, #2480028-004.
I once owned a breathtaking Irish gilt proof penny (NGC PR64 UCAM), that was truly a sight to behold. It was probably the finest piece in my collection for many years, and it's the first coin I think of when people discuss "seller's remorse". It didn't really fit in with any of the collections I had going at the time, so I parted with it, to my later regret. (Really, had I been thinking, I should have considered it a "collection of one".)
Now that I've gone "eclectic" and am not sticking to any particular set structure (just a "box of twenty"), it was time to find another Soho gilt proof. This British one is a halfpenny, with seated Britannia instead of the Hibernian harp. These scarce Soho mint gilt proofs are hard to beat for "flash". And any 200+ year old proof coin is pretty amazing in its own right, if you think about it. These were at the cutting edge of minting technology in their time. I believe they were made as VIP presentation pieces, and they were originally issued in a metal shell holder which no doubt contributed to to the fine preservation and survival of the coins.
With some trepidation, I cracked this piece out of the NGC PR64 CAM holder I'd bought it in, submitted it to PCGS, and held my breath. The outcome made me dance for joy, because not only did I get a one-point upgrade and a TrueView image, but an upgrade from Cameo (CAM) to Deep Cameo (DCAM), as well! And Phil Arnold at PCGS kindly gave me an alternate second TrueView picture for it. Though I'm a huge fan of the PCGS TrueView photography service, in this particular case the images do not quite do this piece- particularly its deep cameo contrast- full justice. The flashy proof mirrors must have made it a difficult piece to image. This coin is now a Pop 1 and is one of my favorite pieces.
Miscellaneous links:
PCGS cert verification page (with primary TrueView image link)
Alternate TrueView image (courtesy of Phil Arnold)
PCGS population report (as of 2015, this was Pop. 1/0 at PCGS and the only DCAM example in all grades)
Old NGC cert verification page (when it was in the previous NGC PR64 CAM holder)
The Irish gilt proof penny mentioned above (which I so regret selling, and which inspired me to buy this coin)
Wikipedia links:
George III of the United Kingdom
Soho Mint
History of the British halfpenny (1800-1970)
Britannia (female personification)
When posted here, this coin was part of my "Eclectic Box of 20" collection.
0
Comments
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That Trueview should be something to look forward to.
....LOL just kidding, I voted for the halfpenny. Nice coin, great look to it!
I have a gilt piece from a Pacific island nation (Togo? one of those) that wanted to increase the value of some coins. Don't see Britain having that problem though so what could it be?
Amat Colligendo Focum
Top 10 • FOR SALE
I think they were presentation pieces of some kind, and I'm pretty sure they were issued with a little metal "shell" to hold the coin, which possibly accounts for the survival of so many nice pieces today (relative to their no doubt tiny mintage, that is).
Somebody have pictures of one of the original "shells"? Those are neat. Been a while since I've seen a picture of one.
Also, it has a provenance to James Watt of Boulton & Watt, so I suppose some of these pieces were kept by the very men who produced them.
There is a picture of some of the shells (and some amazing coins) on this ATS page.
Lots more (medals) with the shells.
The shells were supposedly airtight. These chaps not only produced some technologically amazing coins for their time, but were centuries ahead of the game in terms of preserving them too, it would seem.
It makes me wonder why so many people instead make the decision to collect things like proof sets, proof Silver Eagles and National Park quarters? Is it a lack of education about what is avaliable, a lack of imagination or do people really enjoy collecting six week old minted to order coins?
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1987-C Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
wnccoins.com
<< <i>Is it a lack of education about what is avaliable, a lack of imagination or do people really enjoy collecting six week old minted to order coins? >>
A little of all three, I think, though most predominantly #2: a lack of imagination.
One can't entirely discount #3, either, though. Give the collectors of modern widgets their due- a lot of folks actually DO like collecting modern, made-to-order coins. And there's nothing inherently wrong with that. Many of those issues are indeed beautiful.
Just not as interesting. And like you said, beautiful AND historically interesting is the magic combination.
(Edited to add: yes, of course... what is "interesting" is entirely a matter of opinion. But I happen to share Aethelred's, here.)
Besides, if everybody went after the historically interesting and beautiful stuff and ignored modern widgets, there probably wouldn't be as many goodies to go around, and the nice stuff would be priced beyond the range of mere mortals like myself. (As it is, stuff like this particular coin is at my upper limits.)
So thank you, collectors of modern widgets. Have at that. Leaves more of the historically and culturally interesting goodies for the rest of us.
You give us all something to which to aspire.
Not necessarily that coin, but a "dreamy" old coin for the ages.
that might not matter much. However, for copper proofs such as this Irish penny, they can come out of the shells with a bit of toning.
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<< <i>A person can decide to collect coins like this, coins that are both historic and beautiful and that exist in limited numers.
It makes me wonder why so many people instead make the decision to collect things like proof sets, proof Silver Eagles and National Park quarters? Is it a lack of education about what is avaliable, a lack of imagination or do people really enjoy collecting six week old minted to order coins? >>
I think that the notion that such collectors "lack" something misses the mark. A lot, and maybe even the majority, of people are intimidated by the unfamiliar - both in collecting and in life - and are just more comfortable with what they feel to be accessible. I'm not sure how you inject "imagination" into folks and suspect that no amount of "education" (or perhaps more correctly reeducation) will change that comfort zone in most cases, especially when many/most collectors seem to be willing to spend more than a modest amount on basic reference materials. But that's ok if that works for them and to echo LM's comment what is "interesting" is entirely a matter of opinion. After all, collecting is as much a personal and subjective comment about the collector as much as anything else. I frankly can't relate to the fetish of encasing everything in sight in plastic, registry sets of things like clad quarters, modern currency block letter/printing "sets," and modern NCLT issues made solely to extract money from collectors. But I do understand that foks enjoy this stuff and they are as legitimate collecting themes as anything else. "One size" or style of collecting just doesn't fit all after all...
<< <i>While the SOHO shells have a nice close fit, I don't think they are entirely air tight (and they could be bent). For gilt proofs,
that might not matter much. However, for copper proofs such as this Irish penny, they can come out of the shells with a bit of toning.
>>
Not knowing the series, I didn't realize these were indeed shells. How interesting, thanks for the image!
Many members on this forum that now it cannot fit in my signature. Please ask for entire list.
I am sorry if I came off yhat way.
WNC Coins, LLC
1987-C Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803
wnccoins.com
I don't have a problem with the NGC holder, actually, though I'm not a big fan of the white prongs by any means.
But I do want a TrueView picture, and do eventually want most of the "modern" (i.e. post-ancient, post-medieval) stuff in my Box of 20 set to be PCGS with TrueViews. NGC will of course get all my ancients.
(Sorry if it sounds like I've been sippin' the Kool-Aid just a wee bit too much.)
<< <i>I want to be clear that I am not suggesting there is anything wrong with collecting something modern or that someone who is into that is a lesser collector.
I am sorry if I came off yhat way. >>
No biggie. A few well known collectors have passed/retired recently and I've been thinking a great deal about what I want to do in the 10-15 years of active collecting I probably have left. A few roads not taken that I regret, a little, but the only serious changes I want to make are to focus a lot more, continue to trim out the orphans that are not likely to go anywhere, and pursue a couple of superficial and frivolous long term interests just for fun. And I probably pontificated a bit too much (but legit for a papal collector); but the warm weekend coming up will cure that!
These gilt proofs really pack a lot of punch, visually.
Though it was a little risky and against the counsel of a few folks here, I now know it was the right decision.
Tom
<< <i>Looks nicer in hand than in the pic >>
I know exactly what you mean. I can say that about all the gilt pieces I've owned. They really must be seen to be appreciated. While I'm happy to have the TrueView images for the one above, even they still fall a little short. I've even thought of shooting a short video clip to show the flash of those mirrors.
Yours indeed brings back some fond memories. I have a fondness for Irish harps on coins, and had the gilt Hibernias in both the halfpenny and full penny. The halfpenny I bought raw- it had some hairlines and was perhaps only PR61 or PR62, but it had the cameo contrast. All that I have left of the halfpenny a small, crude avatar image. The penny, as I mentioned in the OP, was NGC PF64 UCAM. Which is yours, a penny or halfpenny?
Early proofs are exciting enough to me in their own right, but when you add the "bling" of some gilt, I succumb even more.
<< <i>LordM, George III never looked so good! Great piece. I've just started to collect Geo III, just to see the subject of our Declaration of Independance. >>
You can cover a LOT of ground with George III alone, considering the British Empire (though it lost us American Colonies) was building up a lot of steam (literally and figuratively) during his sixty-year reign. The 19th century saw their peak, of course. So even if you stuck with only homeland types and didn't do the colonial stuff, you'd have a daunting type set to build! But of course you should do the colonial stuff, too, because that's where the fun designs like harps and elephants and ships and all sorts of cool designs come in. Not to mention the American connection.
I can definitely think of worse monarchs to choose for a collection theme.
I was actually thinking about this coin last night. I noticed you were selling from your box of 20 to make room for something else.
I came very close to sending you a PM asking if you might consider offers for this piece.
I guess that is now out of the question.
Good job on finding, buying and regrading this wonderful piece!
Amat Colligendo Focum
Top 10 • FOR SALE
<< <i>Congrats on the upgrade.
I was actually thinking about this coin last night. I noticed you were selling from your box of 20 to make room for something else.
I came very close to sending you a PM asking if you might consider offers for this piece.
I guess that is now out of the question.
Good job on finding, buying and regrading this wonderful piece! >>
I did (do) have a couple of pieces from my box hung out on BST, but once one of them sells, the rest will go back into the box until next time. And this one, like the Perseus drachm, the Aethelred II penny, and the Dahlonega gold piece, is not likely to go anywhere anytime soon.
But when I bought this coin from rwyarmch, he also had an 1805 gilt penny for sale. I had a tough time choosing which one to buy. In the end, I went with the halfpenny, and don't regret that decision now. But if you want a nice gilt piece like this (and an even bigger coin), you should PM him to inquire if he still has the penny available. It was a very nice coin, too. If I had more money, I would've been sorely tempted to buy them both.
One brilliant proof grades PR67, but that does not carry the CAM or DCAM designation.
Cool, huh? I never really looked at pop reports much before.
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