Great Britain 1799 1/3 guinea
The first specimen was lot 34028 in Heritage sale 3082 (New York, January 2020), where it sold for $1,020. The catalog description[1] noted, "Great Britain: George III gold 1/3 Guinea 1799 MS63 NGC. The scarcest date in this only four-year series, struck to an astonishing level of detail and presently unchallenged atop the NGC census. An often overlooked denomination that is sure to pique collector interest in this choice state." The second specimen was lot 71025 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, October 2021), where it sold for $840. The catalog description[2] noted, "GREAT BRITAIN. 1/3 Guinea, 1799. London Mint. George III. NGC MS-61. Bright and yellow-gold in appearance, this delightful fractional issue presents dazzling brilliance and allure." This type was struck 1797-1800, presumably to pay soldiers and sailors during the Napoleonic Wars; it is the first of its denomination. The last type of this denomination was issued 1804-1813. The reform of 1817 terminated all guinea-denominated issues in favor of the sovereign. At that time the guinea, which heretofore had varied in value, was fixed at 21 shillings.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 2.78 g, 0.917 fine gold, .082 troy oz AGW.
Catalog reference: S-3738; Fr-365; KM-620.
- 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 Online Auction 3082, featuring the Caranett Collection, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2019.
- [2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The October 2021 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
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