Lot 526
George III (1760-1820), Silver Crown of Five Shillings, 1818 LVIII. Laureate head right, engraved by Benedetto Pistrucci, PISTRUCCI below truncation, date below, legend and outer toothed border surrounding, GEORGIUS III D: G: BRITANNIARUM REX F: D:, rev. St George and dragon right, PISTRUCCI in exergue, Order of the Garter motto in French surrounding.HONI. SOIT. QUI. MAL. Y. PENSE., outer toothed border surrounding rim, edge inscribed in raised letters, DECUS ET TUTAMEN* ANNO REGNI LVIII*, weight 28.31g (Bull 2005; Davies 1; ESC 211; KM.675; S.3787). Toned with blemishes, otherwise practically as struck, uncirculated. Value $1,750 - UP
Perhaps the favourite coin of William Wellesley Pole the Master of the Mint at this time and older brother of the Duke of Wellington, the silver Crowns engraved by Italian engraver Benedetto Pistrucci were released with a glowing sense of pride in that Pole ordered that each piece was wrapped in tissue paper before being sent out to the banks for circulation. Considered as a piece of numismatic art by Pole who had made the sometime fiery Pistrucci the Chief Engraver in all but name as an Italian could not hold such an office in the Royal Mint officially at that time, the name of the engraver features prominently in full on both sides of the coin.
The Latin legend translate as on the obverse "George the Third, by the grace of God, King of the Britons, Defender of the Faith" and the French on the reverse, "Evil to him who evil thinks," additionally on the edge "An ornament and a safeguard, in the 58th year of the reign".
Ex Edward D. J. Van Roekel Collection, Spink Coin Auction 156; 15th November 2001, lot 194.
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| Realized $4,320 |
