1829/1823 Mule Pattern Half Sovereign

Lot 286
Great Britain. Pattern Mule ½ Sovereign, 1829. George IV Bare Head. Reeded Edge. WR-253. 1829-dated obverse paired with an 1823-dated reverse of the style used for WR-245: crowned garnished shield and the legend "ANNO 1823" at sides. A most unusual coin, and of special allure because no regular-dies 1829 half sovereign was ever struck! A great rarity, R7: only 2 known, the other impounded in the Royal Mint Collection! A choice coin with most pleasing surfaces and unblemished color. PCGS graded Proof 63 Cameo. Color photo.
Estimated Value $10,000-15,000.

Very Rare 1830 Pattern Sovereign

Lot 288
Great Britain. Pattern Sovereign, 1830. By William Wyon. William IV. WR-260. Plain edge with high, knifelike rims. Normal coin-die alignment. DM-178 (supposedly this coin, held in a South African collection since the 1974 Douglas-Morris sale and bought privately by Dr. Terner years later). R5, extremely rare (6 to 10 known). A premium specimen having an especially heavy cameo portrait of the king, which produces a dramatic eye-appeal. PCGS graded Proof 64 Deep Cameo. Color photo.
Estimated Value $5,000-7,000.

Very Rare Gem Proof 1831 2 Pound

Lot 290
Great Britain. 2 Pounds, 1831. Fr-382; S-3828; KM-718. William IV. Mintage of only 225 pieces. Largest offical gold denomination of reign. Suberb example. Very Rare. PCGS graded Proof 65 Deep Cameo. Color photo.
Estimated Value $12,000-15,000.
Not part of the Terner Collection.

Very Rare Gold Striking of the 1831 Maundy Two Pence

Lot 291
Great Britain. Maundy 2 Pence Struck in Gold, 1831. William IV. Obverse by William Wyon. Reverse by J.B. Merlen. Plain edge. WR-275. R6: extremely rare, just 3-5 known, of which more than one are impounded in museums (including the Hunterian). Gold Maundies are always found in oddments, in singles rather than sets, although it was a set of four coins (4d, 3d, 2d and penny) that were struck in nearly pure gold for presentation to India's maharajahs and perhaps others, all of whom were wealthy beyond imagining-thus it was felt, appropriately, that diminutive coins not usually struck in the royal metal would be charming and exotic mementos, as they would be unusual in the extreme and memorable as unique expressions of esteem from one monarch to another. This is a delightful little coin with a pleasing cameo, showing off the king's portrait as it can be seen on no other coin! It is so rare that the cataloguer has never encountered nor even heard of another specimen. Like the 1838 Maundy penny in gold, this is an opportunity to own something that ordinary men were not meant to see-an opportunity that may not repeat itself for a long, long time. This is, simply said, one of the rarest coins of the 19th century. PCGS graded Proof 64 Deep Cameo. Color photo.
Estimated Value $4,000-5,000.

1831 Deep Cameo Proof Sovereign

Lot 292
Great Britain. Sovereign, 1831. William IV. S-3829; Fr-383a; KM-717. Plain edge. Mintage: approximately 225 pieces (see comment under 1831 half sovereign). WR-261, where it is rated Extremely Rare (R3). The coronation Proof gold of Victoria's uncle, known in his day as the Sailor King because of his fondness for the sea and his distinguished service in the Royal Navy, is particularly beautiful because the coins are generally heavily frosted, giving a handsome cameo to the portrait, as well as a dramatic look to the royal shield on reverse. This beautiful coin is one of the nicest ever seen; it came to Dr. Terner from the Mortimer Hammel Collection, sold by Stack's in 1982. PCGS graded Proof 64 Deep Cameo. Color photo.
Estimated Value $3,500-4,500.

Proof 1831 Half Sovereign

Lot 293
Great Britain. ½ Sovereign, 1831. William IV. S-3830; Fr-384; KM-716. Plain edge. As is the case for the 1826 Proof gold, the exact mintage was evidently never recorded, but 225 pieces struck for the Coronation sets is widely accepted as the approximate number of these made. This is a 2-year type, in that smaller planchets were used for the 1831 Proofs as well as the first currency year, 1834, than were used for subsequent years. Rated R3 (Extremely Rare) by WR (as #267). This attractive specimen is ex Hammel Collection (1987). PCGS graded Proof 62 Cameo. Color photo.
Estimated Value $1,500-1,800.

R7 1837 Proof Half Sovereign

Lot 300
Great Britain. ½ Sovereign, 1837. William IV. Reeded edge. WR-269. DM-177. S-3832 type; Fr-385a, large head, struck from the sixpence obverse die (the 1831 Coronation Proofs were on smaller flans, with a smaller portrait). Proof of Record. R7: extremely rare, unique in private hands as the other known example is in the Ashmolean Museum Collection at Oxford (the Royal Mint does not have one). A deeply struck, lovely cameo Proof. The king's portrait shows die-rusting patches. PCGS graded Proof 66 Cameo. Color photo.
Estimated Value $7,500-10,000.

1837 Pattern Victorian Sovereign

Lot 301
Great Britain. Pattern Sovereign, 1837. By William Wyon. Victoria Young Head; shield reverse. Plain edge. WR-298. DM-200. "WW" incuse; tiny roses to sides of date. The reverse shield by Merlen. R6, extremely rare (only 3 to 5 known). Struck in the year of Victoria's ascendancy, and one of only a few coins of her reign bearing this date. The portrait of Her Majesty, as a young girl, is fairly well frosted, producing a pleasing cameo of the queen. The mirrors show a splendid brilliance, but there are a few tiny scratches in the obverse field and light scuffs on the portrait; the reverse is simply perfect. Finer than the Douglas-Morris plate coin! PCGS graded Proof 62 Deep Cameo. Color photo.
Estimated Value $4,000-6,000.

Very Rare 1838 Roses Pattern Sovereign

Lot 303
Great Britain. Pattern Sovereign, 1838. By William Wyon. Victoria Young Head; shield reverse. WR-300. DM-202 (same coin?). Plain edge. Same as normal dies but for an extra curl of hair before Victoria's ear. "W.W." raised on truncation. Digit "3" broken at bottom of curve: the entire date appears larger than on DM-201. Dies inverted. Only seldom does an opportunity occur to own a Proof Victorian sovereign struck prior to the 1839 Coronation issues. This coin is R4, very rare (11 to 20 known), very choice and with a lovely red iridescence. It may not be listed as being as rare as some of the other patterns presented here, yet it's the only example we ever had a chance to buy since 1980. PCGS graded Proof 63 Deep Cameo. Color photo.
Estimated Value $7,500-10,000.

Pattern 1838 Sovereign

Lot 304
Great Britain. Pattern Sovereign, 1838. By William Wyon. Victoria Young Head; shield reverse. WR-299. DM-201 (same coin?). Plain edge. Smaller head with a tiny rose on each side of the neckline. "W.W." incuse on truncation. Edge of irregular thickness, with knife rims. The digit "3" broken at top of curve. R5, extremely rare (6 to 10 known), but in fact the only one we've seen in 22 years. A lovely cameo Proof, with a hint of red iridescence. PCGS graded Proof 63 Deep Cameo. Color photo.
Estimated Value $6,000-8,000.

1838 Maundy Penny Struck in Gold

Lot 305
Great Britain. Maundy Penny Struck in Gold, 1838. Victoria Young Head. Obverse by William Wyon. Reverse by J.B. Merlen. Plain edge. WR-382. R6: 3-5 known. This extremely rare coin is from a set of four coins believed to have been struck for presentation to maharajahs in India on Imperial visits. The beautiful, tiny coin shows some scattered hairlines (probably from being touched by fingers in a presentation case), mostly on the obverse, but it remains very good-looking nonetheless, with a firey brilliance to its reflective surfaces. The portrait is heavily frosted, producing a lovely if diminutive cameo. PCGS graded Proof 65 Deep Cameo. Color photo.
Estimated Value $4,000-6,000.

1839 Deep Cameo Proof Sovereign

Lot 308
Great Britain. Sovereign, 1839. Victoria Young Head. S-3852; Fr-387a; KM-736.1. Plain edge. Mintage: 300 pieces, approximately, issued for the coronation sets. WR-303. The existence of the patterns that come immediately before this coin in this sale tends to belie the value of this lovely Proof sovereign. It enjoys the normal frosted cameo contrast, but its fields are much cleaner than are normally seen. Our experience of 22 years of collecting sovereigns suggests that, yes, these Proofs are only "scarce" (as WR notes), but that does not begin to tell you how difficult it is to locate a really choice piece such as this wonderful example. A classic of its age! PCGS graded Proof 64 Deep Cameo. Color photo.
Estimated Value $3,500-4,500.

Gem Proof 1839 Half Sovereign

Lot 309
Great Britain. ½ Sovereign, 1839. Victoria Young Head. S-3859; Fr-389a; KM-735.1. Some 300 struck for the Coronation sets of this year. Here is one of the finest-quality coins in the extensive Terner Collection. It is deeply frosted, producing a dramatic cameo of the queen and a stand-out rendition of the royal shield. The only truly superb example of the 1839 Proof half-sovereign located in two decades of assiduous collecting! PCGS graded Proof 66 Deep Cameo. Color photo.
Estimated Value $2,000-2,500.

Very Rare 1841 Sovereign

Lot 310
Great Britain. Sovereign, 1841. Victoria Young Head. S-3852; Fr-387c; KM-736.1. Key date, the rarest of the early sovereigns of this reign-unknown in Mint State, at least in our experience (the finest we ever saw was just a mere notch above this coin, and the owner has refused to sell it to us for two decades). Spink puts a value of 3,000 Pounds (about $4,800) on this date in EF, of which just a few pieces exist. This coin is better, the reverse essentially Mint State, the obverse having some light abrasions. It is well struck on both sides. In the working inventory for Dr. Terner's collection, it has been noted since 1993, when we bought this piece, that we desired to "upgrade if possible"; but it was never possible, despite constant vigilance. An important rarity-comparable to the major U.S. gold rarities of this time period, but of course valued at just a fraction of what those coins sell for all the time. PCGS graded AU-58.
Estimated Value $4,000-5,000.