Some pennies before England became "Great Britain."
Edward the Confessor, who stated that William the Conqueror should be the next king.
Harold II a.k.a. Harold Godwin, who was king for about 10 months in 1066. He died at the Battle of Hastings.
William the Conqueror who started modern England. His DNA is in Queen Elizabeth II, and according to some sources, in the veins of 25% of us who have English ancestry.
And William II, William the Conqueror's son, who was known as "Rufus the Red." He was said to have been a master at cussing and an enemy of the church, who did things that were hurtful to God and mankind. It was said that young men pranced around around his court half naked. Of course the church people didn't care for him, and they got to write the history. William the Conqueror preferred him to his other sons, Robert and Henry, because he was a strong warrior, and he never attacked his father.
As you can see, I am having a lot of fun with this collection.
Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
Here's a coin from the reign of Æthelstan of Wessex where he claims to be king of all Britons (or king of all Britain; the exact meaning is imprecise). The obverse legend reads: ÆÐELSTAN REX TOT BRIT (Æthelstan Rex Totius Britanniae).
King Æthelstan succeeded his father Edward the Elder in 924 and ruled until his death in 939. in 927, he conquered the Viking kingdom at York, making him the first Anglo-Saxon ruler of the whole of England. In 934, he forced Constantine II of Scotland to submit to him. In 937, he defeated a combined Viking/Scots army at Brunanburh, thus securing his claim as King over the Britons. Unfortunately, after his death, the Vikings re-captured York.
Where do you find these coins, @EVillageProwler? Since the pandemic, it seems like everything has dried up. Aethelstan is one of the last kings on my list, and I've never seen one offered. I can't aspire to owning one as nice as that, but to date, I have seen nothing.
Here is my Edward the Elder.
Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
It took me a while and more than little money to put this 1937 Coronation Gold set together. I had had the sovereign for a few years, but not the other coins.
"Virtual set" in the box.
Half Sovereign I bought this piece through the Heritage "make an offer to the owner program." Usually this never works, but this time it did. The coin took a long time to get to me because it had to come from Europe!
Sovereign
Two Pounds
Five Pounds Market is a bit nutty on these. I understand that Asian buyers like them as "trophy coins." This coin is bigger and heavier than a U.S. $20 gold piece.
Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
@BillJones — thanks for the nice words. My SCBC 1093 is not a recent acquisition; I bought it online in April 2013 from a hotel room in Waikiki. I agree that of late it’s been hard to find choice pieces in many series.
Reverting to the rarer Saxon & Norman mints of Somerset, this is the Edward the Confessor small flan penny of Frome. The type is not very popular with collectors because they are a bit small and fiddly, with the reverse legend BRINE ON FIO amply demonstrating the lack of available space. BRINE is a shortened form of BRIHTWINE. If the flan was larger, the name would be rendered in full.
Drive 6 or 7 miles east from Frome along the A362 crossing into Wiltshire at the halfway point and you arrive at the former location of yet another relatively difficult mint - Warminster. This Cnut Short Cross penny is one of 5 known of the type (4 by the same moneyer) of which 3 are available and the other two are in Copenhagen. Remarkably, for the 5 coins known there are 2 moneyers - PINEGOD and BEORHTRIC, and 4 die pairs used. This die pair is duplicated by an example in Copenhagen. PINEGOD ON PORI(ME)
The A362 joins the main road from Bath to Salisbury at Warminster, both of which are also mint locations. Heading east for Salisbury, 3 miles before you arrive is the old settlement of Wilton, and based on the number of coins seen from this period, clearly as important as its neighbour. Not a rare mint in any way (though specific issues may be rare), this representative example of the mint is a Harold II PAX penny by the moneyer AELFPOLD - AELFPOLD ON PILTV
From one of my favorite series, a portcullis testern struck for the East India Company in 1601 by order of the Queen. Ex E.T. Newell, ex ANS, Ex Morris Geiger. Still attractive despite the clipping. 22 pieces in private hands of both die varieties in private hands according to the latest work on the subject. This piece is ex ANS coin (E.T. Newell bequest 1913) de-accessioned in the late 70s, sold by Morris Geiger c.1983.
Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
@Que_sai_je said:
From one of my favorite series, a portcullis testern struck for the East India Company in 1601 by order of the Queen. Ex E.T. Newell, ex ANS, Ex Morris Geiger. Still attractive despite the clipping. 22 pieces in private hands of both die varieties in private hands according to the latest work on the subject.
Very cool coin and the series. One day... one day...
Contrary to popular belief, the first decimal denominated coins struck in Britain were not the pattern 'Godless' florins of 1848, but the privately designed 1c, 2c, 5c and 10c patterns by the Birmingham goldsmiths Marrian & Gausby in 1846. The first produced coins had the legend SMITH'S DECIMAL CURRENCY, which raised the hackles of the mint who claimed they had the sole right to currency coin design and production. Accordingly, another set of coins, this time with the legend adjusted to SMITH ON DECIMAL CURRENCY was submitted as a suggested decimal currency. This is an example of the modified legend 2 cents. It is the same size as the then current copper halfpenny at 29mm diameter and weighs similar.
Not included in the original coins was the One Centum denomination. What this was intended to be is not clear. Peck postulated it could be a decimal shilling of 50 cents in a system where there were 1000 cents to the pound. Given there were 960 farthings to the pound on the system then in force, this is a reasonable assumption, but in the absence of documentary evidence - who knows? A 1 Centum struck in white metal. The diameter is slightly smaller than the 2 cents at 27mm.
Two years later in 1848, the Royal Mint produced a series of pattern florins valued at two shillings. These comprised three styles of obverse, three reverses and seven varieties of reverse legend for the denomination. Here we see one of the unadopted obverse designs with the bare laureate head, coupled with the adopted reverse design bearing cruciform shields with emblems in the angles. Interestingly, the reverse legend reads ONE DIME / ONE TENTH OF A POUND, thus showing a bit of lateral thinking given the dime is a tenth of a dollar.
What is interesting about this particular coin is on the reverse. It has often been claimed that these were struck in sets, but the reverse dies demonstrates this can not be the case as DIME is clearly recut over FLORIN. The other 6 reverses are known paired as 3 different double reverses, so could reasonably have been struck as parts of sets, however, this reverse die which must be later, probably tells us more about what the Royal Mint committee was thinking at the time. Unlike other forms of the denomination, the ONE DIME only occurs with the adopted reverse design, suggesting the committee was already decided on it, leaving only the legend to be decided. The adopted design was adopted probably due to the popularity of the previous year's 'Gothic Crown' .
@7Jaguars said:
It is gold, and that is the grade indeed, Sir. I still contend that the hairlines are planchet issues not all the way struck through after minting though. The ONLY other pattern gold florin has the same hairlines which does not prove anything but supports what I am saying to some extent, also graded 62. I have looked at the coin under 30x magnification on a stereo dissecting scope (I am a physician) and have noted that the margins of most of the "hairlines" are what I would term folded over and not sharp - as they would be with post-strike polish/micro-scratches. I do not see how the devices would not have significant hairlines continuing from the field into and over them, and the hairlines appear to halt at the edges of the devices.
Sorry for running off topic a bit there....
Late to this but those are definitely just standard hairlines. Planchet lines from the rolling process don’t reflect light like that, and actually will run uninterrupted over the devices. Die polish lines would be raised. If there were pre-strike planchet polish lines they would run up against the edges of the devices (ignoring that they would certainly disappear in the striking process anyway).
The latter point is my contention precisely and that on a gold coin the metal will behave much differently. It will "strike out" on the devices which is also precisely what we see. They run up to the devices and not through or into them as these were somewhat lesser in size and depth.
Please show me where the hairlines (if from cleaning post strike) continue onto or into the devices or lettering. That does not occur, ergo the thesis of post strike polishing would then tend to be ruled out. These lines continue up to the devices and then disappear into them. How would the erstwhile polisher manage just that?
So then do planchet issues have to be from the rolling process alone? [And these lines are unidirectional with edges of the hairlines folded over into each of their grooves (if you follow me) with all unidirectional, more or less 5 to 11 o'clock]. I think not, and especially if on an extremely limited run of ONE specimen in this alloy. There is no record of just how this was prepared.
As a sidenote, I want it explained to me how the apparent hairlines go up to devices, including the very fine edges of the shields and then stop with no curving of the lines as they approach the devices as would happen with a let up or turn away of applied friction tool - the whisp and curl away if you will. I have done a lot of stereoscopic dissection and manipulation in the science and medical field (obviously not on coins) and so am explaining from that perspective.
Love that Milled British (1830-1960) Well, just Love coins, period.
Towards the end of the 17th century, a decision was made to remove the old hammered silver from circulation and replace it with milled coins. Accordingly, huge quantities of silver sixpences, shillings, halfcrowns and crowns were struck in the period 1695-8 at the London mint together with 5 other provincial mints at Bristol, Chester, Exeter, Norwich and York which were specifically opened to cope with the demand.
Most are not rare, but hidden away among the various issues are a few items that are rarely encountered.
First up, a 1696 first bust shilling with the datal 9 struck over a 6 (or inverted 9). This is not the same die as the one reading 1669. Struck at London as there is no mint identifier below the bust. The adjustment marks at 12 and 6 o'clock were made to correct the weight.
The second coin is a 1697B first bust halfcrown with the B indicating it was struck at Bristol. Struck from rusty dies.
Third coin is a 1696 first bust shilling struck at Chester, as indicated by the C below the bust. In this instance the C is over an E which meant that an Exeter die was changed to meet an immediate requirement at Chester. All dies were supplied from London. This is the only C over E obverse coin I'm aware of, but wouldn't be surprised if more surfaced given the number of dies used. The reverse additionally has no stops in the legend. Again this is a first for 1696 as the feature is only recorded for 1697 and then only with the third bust at Chester. I don't have an example of the latter to check if this is the same reverse die used in the following year.
Fourth coin is a 1697 sixpence with the E for Exeter cut over a y(ork) for the same reason as the previous coin.
The fifth coin is another 1697 sixpence, but this time struck at Norwich as denoted by the N below the bust. Norwich is the scarcest of the provincial mints.
Finally, a 1697y shilling stuck at York. This is most interesting of the six coins as it has the French and Irish shields transposed on the reverse. As a result we can say that the dies were set in the press with the French shield aligned with the top of the head, as this is the only shield in the correct position for coin alignment. The resulting mess leaves the date at 9 o'clock and the various shields in the wrong positions. Quirky, and the only other example is the Jackson-Kent & Manville coin.
So, with all the hullabaloo about the Wm Wyon Great Engravers re-creations selling at fantastic prices, here is an original two ounce or 18 ducat 1826 Royal Mint gold masterpiece by him, preceding the Una by 13 years.
The ultra high relief bust of Cicero (double thick NGC holder) was taken from an original Roman marble head owned by the Duke of Wellington. Rare in gold, I could trace only 2-3 others and the British Museum example is in silver.
Hi Wybrit,
The 1877 Farthing is it a circulation strike I couldn't see it in the population list is it recorded, I hope you don't mind me asking.
cheers deepblue
@Que_sai_je said:
So, with all the hullabaloo about the Wm Wyon Great Engravers re-creations selling at fantastic prices, here is an original two ounce or 18 ducat 1826 Royal Mint gold masterpiece by him, preceding the Una by 13 years.
The ultra high relief bust of Cicero (double thick NGC holder) was taken from an original Roman marble head owned by the Duke of Wellington. Rare in gold, I could trace only 2-3 others and the British Museum example is in silver.
Indeed, they did it on field hairlines though. I think this a stunning medal.
Speaking of medals, two from QE II's Jubilee in 1977. The first was later adapted for the gold 1989 sovereign commems, but the second is possibly the finest of all Arnold Machin's bust and done in extremely high relief:
Love that Milled British (1830-1960) Well, just Love coins, period.
My most recent purchase! An interesting type. Made for the Duke of Northumberland, most sites will claim that only 2,000 of these were made for the duke to distribute in Dublin however it seems that the number more likely minted is closer to 100,000 as the royal mint is said to have produced £5,000 worth of shillings in 1763. I would agree with the larger number as well since despite every auction listing it as scarce and rare, it seems there's 2-3 available on the market at any given time. 5 that I know of when this one was auctioned off. These are really great pieces in hand because they are a bit like a small medallete with a relatively high relief portrait and flashy fields. Very few of these exist in below AU grades so it seems their survival rate is high and they were kept and not circulated as readily as other issues.
Comments
Some pennies before England became "Great Britain."
Edward the Confessor, who stated that William the Conqueror should be the next king.
Harold II a.k.a. Harold Godwin, who was king for about 10 months in 1066. He died at the Battle of Hastings.
William the Conqueror who started modern England. His DNA is in Queen Elizabeth II, and according to some sources, in the veins of 25% of us who have English ancestry.
And William II, William the Conqueror's son, who was known as "Rufus the Red." He was said to have been a master at cussing and an enemy of the church, who did things that were hurtful to God and mankind. It was said that young men pranced around around his court half naked. Of course the church people didn't care for him, and they got to write the history. William the Conqueror preferred him to his other sons, Robert and Henry, because he was a strong warrior, and he never attacked his father.
As you can see, I am having a lot of fun with this collection.
Here's a lovely one I was able to pick up from Lance Tchor.
https://numismaticmuse.com/ My Web Gallery
The best collecting goals lie right on the border between the possible and the impossible. - Andy Lustig, "MrEureka"
while not technically a coin, these were fun to catalog:
(diameter of each is over six inches across!)
www.brunkauctions.com
Here's a coin from the reign of Æthelstan of Wessex where he claims to be king of all Britons (or king of all Britain; the exact meaning is imprecise). The obverse legend reads: ÆÐELSTAN REX TOT BRIT (Æthelstan Rex Totius Britanniae).
King Æthelstan succeeded his father Edward the Elder in 924 and ruled until his death in 939. in 927, he conquered the Viking kingdom at York, making him the first Anglo-Saxon ruler of the whole of England. In 934, he forced Constantine II of Scotland to submit to him. In 937, he defeated a combined Viking/Scots army at Brunanburh, thus securing his claim as King over the Britons. Unfortunately, after his death, the Vikings re-captured York.
How does one get a hater to stop hating?
I can be reached at evillageprowler@gmail.com
WOW!
Where do you find these coins, @EVillageProwler? Since the pandemic, it seems like everything has dried up. Aethelstan is one of the last kings on my list, and I've never seen one offered. I can't aspire to owning one as nice as that, but to date, I have seen nothing.
Here is my Edward the Elder.
It took me a while and more than little money to put this 1937 Coronation Gold set together. I had had the sovereign for a few years, but not the other coins.
"Virtual set" in the box.
Half Sovereign I bought this piece through the Heritage "make an offer to the owner program." Usually this never works, but this time it did. The coin took a long time to get to me because it had to come from Europe!
Sovereign
Two Pounds
Five Pounds Market is a bit nutty on these. I understand that Asian buyers like them as "trophy coins." This coin is bigger and heavier than a U.S. $20 gold piece.
@BillJones — thanks for the nice words. My SCBC 1093 is not a recent acquisition; I bought it online in April 2013 from a hotel room in Waikiki. I agree that of late it’s been hard to find choice pieces in many series.
How does one get a hater to stop hating?
I can be reached at evillageprowler@gmail.com
Here’s one of my favorite milled coins, ex-Terner:
How does one get a hater to stop hating?
I can be reached at evillageprowler@gmail.com
And here’s one from a roller press, ex-Cumberland Clark:
How does one get a hater to stop hating?
I can be reached at evillageprowler@gmail.com
Currency 1853 Groat (Fourpence):
Well, just Love coins, period.
1465-1466 Ryal Sun Edward IV
Matte Proof 1951 Farthing with our favorite little wren
Well, just Love coins, period.
Thought this would be a good place to insert this. Can't say I have ever seen an offering like this!
For the Maundy Lovers!
https://greatcollections.com/Coin/1033661/Great-Britain-1838--1901%E2%80%91Silver-Maundy-Sets-of-Queen-Victoria-Complete-Collection-With-Privately-Made-Display-Case-PCGS-VF%E2%80%9135-to-MS%E2%80%9167-Toned-254-Coins
Reverting to the rarer Saxon & Norman mints of Somerset, this is the Edward the Confessor small flan penny of Frome. The type is not very popular with collectors because they are a bit small and fiddly, with the reverse legend BRINE ON FIO amply demonstrating the lack of available space. BRINE is a shortened form of BRIHTWINE. If the flan was larger, the name would be rendered in full.
Drive 6 or 7 miles east from Frome along the A362 crossing into Wiltshire at the halfway point and you arrive at the former location of yet another relatively difficult mint - Warminster. This Cnut Short Cross penny is one of 5 known of the type (4 by the same moneyer) of which 3 are available and the other two are in Copenhagen. Remarkably, for the 5 coins known there are 2 moneyers - PINEGOD and BEORHTRIC, and 4 die pairs used. This die pair is duplicated by an example in Copenhagen. PINEGOD ON PORI(ME)
The A362 joins the main road from Bath to Salisbury at Warminster, both of which are also mint locations. Heading east for Salisbury, 3 miles before you arrive is the old settlement of Wilton, and based on the number of coins seen from this period, clearly as important as its neighbour. Not a rare mint in any way (though specific issues may be rare), this representative example of the mint is a Harold II PAX penny by the moneyer AELFPOLD - AELFPOLD ON PILTV
From one of my favorite series, a portcullis testern struck for the East India Company in 1601 by order of the Queen. Ex E.T. Newell, ex ANS, Ex Morris Geiger. Still attractive despite the clipping. 22 pieces in private hands of both die varieties in private hands according to the latest work on the subject. This piece is ex ANS coin (E.T. Newell bequest 1913) de-accessioned in the late 70s, sold by Morris Geiger c.1983.
1887 Double Florin with Roman 1 in date
Having the same Jubilee portrait and being similar in size to a crown it was nicknamed 'Barmaid's Grief'
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
An Elizabeth I 6 pence with a nice portrait.
1953 Great Britain Halfpenny. Exalted grade of Proof DC67+Red:
Well, just Love coins, period.
Very cool coin and the series. One day... one day...
8 Reales Madness Collection
Coinsof1984@martinb6830 on twitter
Contrary to popular belief, the first decimal denominated coins struck in Britain were not the pattern 'Godless' florins of 1848, but the privately designed 1c, 2c, 5c and 10c patterns by the Birmingham goldsmiths Marrian & Gausby in 1846. The first produced coins had the legend SMITH'S DECIMAL CURRENCY, which raised the hackles of the mint who claimed they had the sole right to currency coin design and production. Accordingly, another set of coins, this time with the legend adjusted to SMITH ON DECIMAL CURRENCY was submitted as a suggested decimal currency. This is an example of the modified legend 2 cents. It is the same size as the then current copper halfpenny at 29mm diameter and weighs similar.
Not included in the original coins was the One Centum denomination. What this was intended to be is not clear. Peck postulated it could be a decimal shilling of 50 cents in a system where there were 1000 cents to the pound. Given there were 960 farthings to the pound on the system then in force, this is a reasonable assumption, but in the absence of documentary evidence - who knows? A 1 Centum struck in white metal. The diameter is slightly smaller than the 2 cents at 27mm.
Two years later in 1848, the Royal Mint produced a series of pattern florins valued at two shillings. These comprised three styles of obverse, three reverses and seven varieties of reverse legend for the denomination. Here we see one of the unadopted obverse designs with the bare laureate head, coupled with the adopted reverse design bearing cruciform shields with emblems in the angles. Interestingly, the reverse legend reads ONE DIME / ONE TENTH OF A POUND, thus showing a bit of lateral thinking given the dime is a tenth of a dollar.
What is interesting about this particular coin is on the reverse. It has often been claimed that these were struck in sets, but the reverse dies demonstrates this can not be the case as DIME is clearly recut over FLORIN. The other 6 reverses are known paired as 3 different double reverses, so could reasonably have been struck as parts of sets, however, this reverse die which must be later, probably tells us more about what the Royal Mint committee was thinking at the time. Unlike other forms of the denomination, the ONE DIME only occurs with the adopted reverse design, suggesting the committee was already decided on it, leaving only the legend to be decided. The adopted design was adopted probably due to the popularity of the previous year's 'Gothic Crown' .
I have always liked this obverse... Nice there young (!!) Rob.
Well, just Love coins, period.
Filling a couple of big holes in the farthing collection:
Late to this but those are definitely just standard hairlines. Planchet lines from the rolling process don’t reflect light like that, and actually will run uninterrupted over the devices. Die polish lines would be raised. If there were pre-strike planchet polish lines they would run up against the edges of the devices (ignoring that they would certainly disappear in the striking process anyway).
Gobrecht's Engraved Mature Head Large Cent Model
https://www.instagram.com/rexrarities/?hl=en
The latter point is my contention precisely and that on a gold coin the metal will behave much differently. It will "strike out" on the devices which is also precisely what we see. They run up to the devices and not through or into them as these were somewhat lesser in size and depth.
Please show me where the hairlines (if from cleaning post strike) continue onto or into the devices or lettering. That does not occur, ergo the thesis of post strike polishing would then tend to be ruled out. These lines continue up to the devices and then disappear into them. How would the erstwhile polisher manage just that?
So then do planchet issues have to be from the rolling process alone? [And these lines are unidirectional with edges of the hairlines folded over into each of their grooves (if you follow me) with all unidirectional, more or less 5 to 11 o'clock]. I think not, and especially if on an extremely limited run of ONE specimen in this alloy. There is no record of just how this was prepared.
As a sidenote, I want it explained to me how the apparent hairlines go up to devices, including the very fine edges of the shields and then stop with no curving of the lines as they approach the devices as would happen with a let up or turn away of applied friction tool - the whisp and curl away if you will. I have done a lot of stereoscopic dissection and manipulation in the science and medical field (obviously not on coins) and so am explaining from that perspective.
Well, just Love coins, period.
myEbay
DPOTD 3
A couple of heavyweights there from Wybrit
Towards the end of the 17th century, a decision was made to remove the old hammered silver from circulation and replace it with milled coins. Accordingly, huge quantities of silver sixpences, shillings, halfcrowns and crowns were struck in the period 1695-8 at the London mint together with 5 other provincial mints at Bristol, Chester, Exeter, Norwich and York which were specifically opened to cope with the demand.
Most are not rare, but hidden away among the various issues are a few items that are rarely encountered.
First up, a 1696 first bust shilling with the datal 9 struck over a 6 (or inverted 9). This is not the same die as the one reading 1669. Struck at London as there is no mint identifier below the bust. The adjustment marks at 12 and 6 o'clock were made to correct the weight.
The second coin is a 1697B first bust halfcrown with the B indicating it was struck at Bristol. Struck from rusty dies.
Third coin is a 1696 first bust shilling struck at Chester, as indicated by the C below the bust. In this instance the C is over an E which meant that an Exeter die was changed to meet an immediate requirement at Chester. All dies were supplied from London. This is the only C over E obverse coin I'm aware of, but wouldn't be surprised if more surfaced given the number of dies used. The reverse additionally has no stops in the legend. Again this is a first for 1696 as the feature is only recorded for 1697 and then only with the third bust at Chester. I don't have an example of the latter to check if this is the same reverse die used in the following year.
Fourth coin is a 1697 sixpence with the E for Exeter cut over a y(ork) for the same reason as the previous coin.
The fifth coin is another 1697 sixpence, but this time struck at Norwich as denoted by the N below the bust. Norwich is the scarcest of the provincial mints.
Finally, a 1697y shilling stuck at York. This is most interesting of the six coins as it has the French and Irish shields transposed on the reverse. As a result we can say that the dies were set in the press with the French shield aligned with the top of the head, as this is the only shield in the correct position for coin alignment. The resulting mess leaves the date at 9 o'clock and the various shields in the wrong positions. Quirky, and the only other example is the Jackson-Kent & Manville coin.
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
So, with all the hullabaloo about the Wm Wyon Great Engravers re-creations selling at fantastic prices, here is an original two ounce or 18 ducat 1826 Royal Mint gold masterpiece by him, preceding the Una by 13 years.
The ultra high relief bust of Cicero (double thick NGC holder) was taken from an original Roman marble head owned by the Duke of Wellington. Rare in gold, I could trace only 2-3 others and the British Museum example is in silver.
Wow, beauty of a different type there.....
Well, just Love coins, period.
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
Hi Wybrit,
The 1877 Farthing is it a circulation strike I couldn't see it in the population list is it recorded, I hope you don't mind me asking.
cheers deepblue
62 seems a bit harsh for that beauty!
Indeed, they did it on field hairlines though. I think this a stunning medal.
Speaking of medals, two from QE II's Jubilee in 1977. The first was later adapted for the gold 1989 sovereign commems, but the second is possibly the finest of all Arnold Machin's bust and done in extremely high relief:
Well, just Love coins, period.
Well, just Love coins, period.
1 kilo Queen’s Beast completer coin!
Along with a 1 oz ASE for size comparison.
I LOVE the £500 face value xD
Well, just Love coins, period.
My most recent purchase! An interesting type. Made for the Duke of Northumberland, most sites will claim that only 2,000 of these were made for the duke to distribute in Dublin however it seems that the number more likely minted is closer to 100,000 as the royal mint is said to have produced £5,000 worth of shillings in 1763. I would agree with the larger number as well since despite every auction listing it as scarce and rare, it seems there's 2-3 available on the market at any given time. 5 that I know of when this one was auctioned off. These are really great pieces in hand because they are a bit like a small medallete with a relatively high relief portrait and flashy fields. Very few of these exist in below AU grades so it seems their survival rate is high and they were kept and not circulated as readily as other issues.
https://numismaticmuse.com/ My Web Gallery
The best collecting goals lie right on the border between the possible and the impossible. - Andy Lustig, "MrEureka"