SOVEREIGN RARITIES IDES OF MARCH SALE

Sovereign Rarities are pleased to present to the numismatic community their fifth auction - taking place on the ‘Ides of March', 15th March 2022 - consisting of 223 lots of Ancient, Historic and Modern British and World Coins and Commemorative Medals. The sale features many choice Ancient, British and world coins, and pre-bidding is open now at www.sovr.co.uk until the live auction on the day.

The sale begins with lots 1-20, Ancient coins, with a superb run of graded gold and silver Greek and Roman material. Lot 1 is perhaps the highlight of this section, a gold stater of Carthage dating from 350-320 BC, graded by NGC as 5/5, 4/5. However, the prize for the most intriguing coin goes to lot 14, a necklace of 13 Roman Denarii including the infamous ‘Eid Mar' Denarius struck by Brutus on the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC. Ironically, Brutus's coin has been stabbed three times!

 
Lot 14, Brutus ‘Ides of March' Denarius, c.44 BC

After the Ancient section, we move on to the hammered British coins running from lots 21-36. This section kicks off with a superb gold Anglo-Saxon Thrymsa struck in London in 630-50 and graded as MS62 by NGC. We then go on to a run of hammered Anglo-Saxon Pennies and medieval gold – including lot 28, an Edward III Treaty period Noble graded as MS65 by NGC – and finish with three post-medieval offerings. These consist of a James I Laurel graded AU53, a rare ex-Brooker collection Charles I Unite with mintmark triangle graded AU55, and most significantly lot 33, a Scottish gold Three-Pound piece of Mary, Queen of Scots from 1555. Graded AU Details by NGC, this rare denomination is hardly ever encountered in any grade.

 
Lot 21, Anglo-Saxon gold Thrymsa, c.630-50, MS62 NGC

 
Lot 28, Edward III Treaty Period Noble, MS65 NGC

 
Lot 33, Scotland, Mary Queen of Scots gold Three Pounds, AU Details – Removed from Jewellery NGC

Lots 36-121 follow the British milled series, from gold down to base metal. Lot 36 is a Five Guinea piece of George I dated 1717, a very fine example and a harder monarch to find for this denomination. After the Guinea series we proceed to a run of superb Two Pound pieces from George IV to George V, then Sovereigns – including lots 59 and 61, an 1817 George III and 1822 George IV both graded MS63 by NGC – and then onto the milled silver, one of the strongest sections in the auction.

This group is led by lot 80, an extremely rare pattern Crown of George IV dated 1825 and graded PF63 by NGC, followed by lot 81, an 1826 proof Crown of the same monarch graded PF62. Perhaps the most beautiful coin in the auction is lot 82, a plain edge Gothic Crown of Victoria dated 1847 and graded PF62 by NGC. This is one of the most popular Crowns in the British series and has a wonderful patina. Two more Gothic Crowns follow this specimen, then a run of Halfcrowns and Shillings, then onto the copper and bronze section. The highlight of the copper group is lot 116, a pattern Halfpenny of William and Mary dated 1694 and graded by NGC as PF63 BN, while the bronze group boasts lot 114, the finest graded ‘modified effigy' Penny of 1926, certified as MS65 BN by NGC.

 
Lot 80, George IV 1825 Pattern Crown, PF63 NGC

 
Lot 82, Victoria 1847 Gothic Crown, Plain Edge, PF62 NGC

After the historic British section concludes, there are three lots of silver British tokens followed by lots 125-174, a run of modern gold and silver British coins. This group begins with three unique gold trial pieces issued by the Royal Mint, a 2019 Five Pounds and two Five Ounce coins, all graded PF70 Ultra Cameo by NGC. The modern section then carries on through the Sovereign series, with examples of the 2022 Five Pounds, Two Pounds, Sovereign and fractions on offer. After these, we come to the modern special releases, including several examples of the 2021 Gothic Crown issue from the Great Engravers series. These include lot 154, an example of the rare plain edge 2oz gold piece graded PF70 Ultra Cameo First Releases by NGC.

 
Lot 125, Elizabeth II 2019 Unique gold Trial Five Pounds

 
Lot 154, Elizabeth II 2021 gold Plain Edge Gothic Crown, PF70 UCAM First Releases

Finally, a group of superior World coins conclude the sale, the highlight being lots 204 and 205, two early Mexican 8 Escudos, and lot 210, a rare USA gold $10 Eagle of 1801 graded by NGC as AU Details – Cleaned. The auction closes with an interesting collection of commemorative medals including some scarcer Indian pieces. The auction will be open for pre-bidding from the 1st of March and will end with the live sale at 11am GMT on the 15th March. Enquiries are welcome to info@sovr.co.uk, and we wish our bidders the very best of luck.

 
Lot 210, USA 1801 $10, AU Details – Cleaned NGC

For more information, see:
https://www.sovr.co.uk/

 

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