Lot 2326
Great Britain. Silver Crown, 1732. George II. Young laureate bust. Roses & Plumes in reverse angles. S-3686. Edge not viewable in the slab but designated as ESC-117, or "SEXTO" regnal year, by NGC. First year of the crown coinage for this king, the first Hanoverian to live full time in England and to speak English fluently. It's important to remember that, at the start of the 18th century, Hanover in Germany was an extremely wealthy and politically influential state. All of Europe's mail flowed through it, and spies plied government mail for secrets. George II came to the throne in 1727, at the death of his German father. His grandmother, the Empress Sophia, was chosen by Parliament to replace the defunct dynasty of the Stuarts, which ended with the passing of Queen Anne. England would have had a Queen Sophia, except that the empress died suddenly, leaving England to her son, who became George I. Born in 1683 in Hanover, he came to England in 1714 and, unlike his father, slowly became English. He had his faults and was not universally loved by his people, but he was a military man of ambition and honor. At the end of his reign, India became part of the empire, though George himself was at home and in horrible health. When he died at Kensington Palace, England entered upon a path of empire, known as the Georgian Age, in which the Hanovers lost the dearest possession England ever had, the American colonies. This wonderful crown is a signal memento of its age! Beautifully struck, with a crisp portrait of the king and a lovely sheen to its luster, it also has delightful light gray toning, the letters of the legend delicately outlined in white luster. Very faint roller lines appear in some of the king's hair. The cataloguer has seen a few Uncirculated 1732 crowns, this being one of the nicest. NGC graded MS-64.
Estimated Value $8,000 - 9,000.
The Cheshire Collection.
|
| |
| Realized $8,625 |
