Great Britain 1937 sovereign
This specimen was lot 31291 in Heritage sale 3073 (Chicago, April 2019), where it sold for $3,840. The catalog description[1] noted, "George VI gold Proof Sovereign 1937 PR65 Cameo PCGS. A fantastic representative from this pre-war Proof set, almost never so well made nor well produced as this. Whereas many examples exhibit solely glossy surfaces and devices (an effect observable here on the reverse), the obverse of this piece carries rich frost to George's portrait, a dual-textured appearance resulting in splendid eye appeal and its receiving a 'cameo' designation. What's more, these pieces hardly ever enter the gem level grade, through improper handling or hairlines over the years; accordingly, we have no doubts that this superlative Sovereign will inspire desire through its technical quality and amazing aesthetic appeal. From the Lake County Collection." Apparently, the anti-counterfeiting laws applied only to current coinage; to protect older coinage the Royal Mint would strike gold coins with contemporary busts with no plan to place them in circulation. Striking of sovereigns for circulation ended in 1925.
Recorded mintage: 5,500.
Specification: 7.98 g, 0.917 fine gold.
Catalog reference: KM 859, Fr-411, S-4076.
- 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, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Bressett, Kenneth E., A Guide Book of English Coins, Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, 2nd Ed., Racine, WI: Whitman Publishing, 1962.
- 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 and Warren Tucker, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3073, featuring the Lake County Collection of British coins, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2019.
Link to:
- 1937 farthing
- 1937 half penny
- 1937 penny
- 1937 pattern threepence, Edward VIII
- 1937 brass threepence
- 1937 silver threepence
- 1937 shilling, Scottish reverse
- 1937 florin (2 shillings)
- 1937 half crown
- 1937 crown
- 1937 half sovereign
- 1937 2 pounds
- 1937 5 pounds
- 1937 pattern 5 pounds, Edward VIII
- Coins and currency dated 1937
- return to coins of Great Britain