Lot 2431
Great Britain. Pattern silver Shilling, 1778. George III. Old Bust. ESC-1240, listed as R3, "extremely rare." ESC says engraved by "Yeo or Tanner." Crowther attributes it to Yeo, as does Forrer. Not listed by Spink, though it is clearly related to S-3742, the famous Northumberland shilling, also engraved by Richard Yeo, who was assistant engraver at the Royal Mint in 1749 and chief engraver as of 1775, working at the same time as Tanner. This cataloguer has always thought of this 1778 pattern as the more desirable of the two pieces of the same style, that is this and the 1763 Northumberland. Certainly it is far, far rarer. Our present example is possibly the finest known, called a "deeply toned gem" by its owner, who comments that all other seen by him have shown scuffing and even wear, from either pocket carrying or even actual circulation, as the years following the minting of this coin were hard times during an extended war with France in which silver specie all but disappeared from public use. All in all, a very historic, unusually choice, and ultra-rare coin! Delightful gray toning with some pale gold iridescence. Super-sharp Proof strike. NGC graded Proof 65.
Estimated Value $3,250 - 3,750.
The Cheshire Collection.
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| Realized $3,335 |
