Great Britain 1703 1/2 guinea
This specimen was lot 32206 in Heritage sale 3081 (New York, January 2020), where it sold for $55,200. The catalog description[1] noted, "Great Britain: Extremely Rare Vigo Half Guinea. Anne gold "Vigo" 1/2 Guinea 1703 XF40 PCGS. One of the rarest and most desirable types of the entire Half Guinea series, struck from specie captured from the Spanish at Vigo Bay in 1702 as part of the War of Spanish Succession. This haul consisted of 4,500 pounds of silver but only 7 pounds 8 ounces of gold; as such, silver coins bearing the Vigo hallmark are reasonably attainable but gold coins are incredibly seldom seen. The present offering represents one of only three Vigo Half Guineas graded by PCGS or NGC combined; evenly worn but clearly saved from circulation after only moderate handling, with faint mint luster at the peripheries and enthralling blazing orange tone. Arguably the most popular of Britain's hallmarked types, and one which is fully deserving of a place within an elite British collection." A VIGO guinea and five guineas also exist.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 4.175 g, 0.917 fine gold.
Catalog reference: Fr-324, KM 510.2, S-3565.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
- Lobel, Richard, Mark Davidson, Allan Hailstone and Eleni Calligas, Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of English and UK Coins, 1066 to Date, London: Coincraft, 1995.
- Skingley, Philip, ed., Standard Catalogue of British Coins: Coins of England & the United Kingdom, 46th edition, London: Spink & Son, 2011.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3081, featuring the Caranett Collection, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2019.
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