Extremely lucky metal detectorist in England!

SYRACUSIAN

…. finds an RRRRR early 14th century gold leopard !

https://www.livescience.com/rare-gold-leopard-coin-auction-uk

Dedicated to LordM! 😅

291fifth

That's a lot better than finding a parking lot penny!

SYRACUSIAN

Something doesn’t add up.

The coin was discovered in Norfolk in 2019 , disclaimed 18 November 2021.

From DNW’s own catalogue:

Between January 1343/4 and July 1344 a total of £32,000-worth of leopard gold was minted in the three denominations, double-leopard, leopard and helm, yet the surviving numbers are tiny: only three double-leopards, five leopards and five helms are currently known. Undoubtedly the reason for this is the withdrawal of the coinage in August 1344 and its demonetization, pursuant to the first issue of nobles and their fractions in the previous month

So the coins were melted to make way for the first issue of the nobles.

DNW has the following description:

« Obverse about very fine, retaining light surface marks consistent with a field find, reverse better than very fine and retaining original brilliance, exceptionally rare; by far the finer of the two known specimens available to commerce
£100,000-£140,000 »

And yet, the only other leopard in private hands is from the collection of Lord Stewartby , who passed away in 2018. Not in such a good condition, it was nevertheless sold twice in this century, the first I assume to enter the collection of Lord Stewartby and the second , as recently as 2016, when it was sold. Both times the coin was auctioned by SPINK achieving almost identical results.

Private Collection, purchased from the Lord Stewartby (1935-2018) Collection, Part III, Spink Auction 239, 26 September 2016, lot 893, £4,300 [previously Spink Auction 164, 23 July 2003, lot 379, £4,400].

So, is DNW overhyping the coin? How can it’s estimate be 25-35 times the realized price of the other example in 2016?

I guess that we will have the answer next Tuesday , when the auction takes place.

lordmarcovan

Wow!

7Jaguars

Hmm, I guess an opinion is what you pay for but FWIW I see this going 250k+ pounds. There is a bit of a fevered environment for such coins and the fact that it is gold might be playing peoples' psyche as well. Nice timing!

MacCrimmon

Meh, that little bauble is only about $220 melt (assuming 24kt). I might go $50 over melt and show it as a pocket piece.

golden

So very cool!

Nap

@SYRACUSIAN said:
Something doesn’t add up.

>

And yet, the only other leopard in private hands is from the collection of Lord Stewartby , who passed away in 2018. Not in such a good condition, it was nevertheless sold twice in this century, the first I assume to enter the collection of Lord Stewartby and the second , as recently as 2016, when it was sold. Both times the coin was auctioned by SPINK achieving almost identical results.

Private Collection, purchased from the Lord Stewartby (1935-2018) Collection, Part III, Spink Auction 239, 26 September 2016, lot 893, £4,300 [previously Spink Auction 164, 23 July 2003, lot 379, £4,400].

So, is DNW overhyping the coin? How can it’s estimate be 25-35 times the realized price of the other example in 2016?

I guess that we will have the answer next Tuesday , when the auction takes place.

This is the ex-Stewartby example

https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=1644&lot=893

SYRACUSIAN

@Nap said:

This is the ex-Stewartby example

https://www.numisbids.com/n.php?p=lot&sid=1644&lot=893

Wow, quite a different example. And the coin was indeed sold for its high estimate, £140000. 🤪