Great Britain 1797 1/2 guinea
This specimen was lot 31149 in Heritage sale 3073 (Chicago, April 2019), where it sold for $1,110. The catalog description[1] noted, "George III gold 1/2 Guinea 1797 MS63 NGC. Exceptional quality for this iconic 'spade' Guinea, presently the finest certified at NGC with only a single example ranking a grade point higher at PCGS. Unusually sharp for this characteristically used and abused trade coinage, and one sure to garner ample support from the condition-minded collector." This type was struck 1787-1800, presumably to pay soldiers and sailors during the Napoleonic Wars. Domestically, Great Britain operated on paper Bank of England notes; the gold standard would not be resumed until after Waterloo. Silver coinage had nearly completely ceased. The reform of 1817 terminated all guinea-denominated issues in favor of the sovereign. As the guinea was 21 shillings, this coin would have been ten shillings, six pence.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 4.18 g, 0.917 fine gold.
Catalog reference: KM 608, S-3735.
- 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
- 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.
- Skingley, Philip, ed., Standard Catalogue of British Coins: Coins of England & the United Kingdom, 46th edition, London: Spink & Son, 2011.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano and Warren Tucker, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3073, featuring the Lake County Collection of British coins, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2019.
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