Lot 3834
Great Britain. Pattern Halfpenny, 1799. DH-5 (Ayrshire). By William Fullerton. Obverse, portrait of George Prince of Wales (later King George IV) engraved by Milton (Milton F. below bust). Reverse, crowned cruciform shields. Beautiful brown and electric blue toning over practically flawless mirror fields. A stunning original striking in pristine mint state. NGC graded Proof 65 Brown.
The Fullerton coinage patterns were created in small numbers by Colonel Fullerton, a member of the Royal Societies of London and Edinburgh, and a great coin enthusiast. His idea was to make patterns and then coins to circulate in Scotland, and he was given permission by George, Prince of Wales, to use his image on the coins. The engraver Milton had earlier created the dies for the famous 1788 Barbados Penny, and was an assistant engraver at the Royal Mint 1789-1798. He engraved these intricate and handsome pattern coins for Fullerton. Today these scarce pieces are avidly collected, but at the turn of the 19th century, some powerful people (notably Sir Joseph Banks, a remarkably wealthy man and a confidant of King George III) acted to block Fullerton's efforts, and the scheme was ultimately shelved.
Estimated Value $600 - 700.
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| Realized $1,175 |
