Great Britain 1783 1/2 guinea
This specimen was lot 1309 in Sincona sale 79 (Zürich, October 2022), where it sold for 3,000 CHF (about US$3,596 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted, "GREAT BRITAIN | Königreich, George III. 1760-1820. 1/2 Guinea 1783, London. Fourth laureate head. Very rare date. NGC VG08." This type was struck 1775-86 and is the first really common half guinea for George III. By this time, the mint had ceased to produce anything but gold coins and Maundy sets, causing a grave shortage of circulating media. Guineas were superseded by sovereigns during the reform of 1817.
Recorded mintage: unknown but a rare date.
Specification: 4.17 g, 0.917 fine gold, this specimen 4.03 g.
Catalog reference: KM 605, Spink 3734, Bull -, Fr-361a.
- 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]Richter, Jürg, SINCONA Auction 79, British Collection, Part 3, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2022.
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