Lot 1309
Great Britain. Pattern Half Sovereign, 1884. Victoria Young Head obverse, mated with a reverse never before seen, and not recorded. The edge is reeded. The photo shows the design clearly. Four ovals form a sort of cruciform, after the medieval style, on the reverse, with open angles between them, producing an exquisitely simple but dramatic look. Within the ovals are the symbols of the kingdom. Outside, forming a border within a recessed and separately mirrored circle, is the legend in Latin. This reverse style is unknown in the literature and this specimen reputedly came from King Farouk decades ago. Curiously, it resembles the also unique 1798 pattern half-guinea in gold, which also came from Farouk. This is the reason for Dr Terner's interest in this piece, although its beauty deserves mention all by itself. It's a grayish mauve in color, and beautiful. No others known, in any metal. Fascinating! PCGS graded Proof 64.
Estimated Value $6,500 - 7,500.
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| Realized $7,763 |
