St. Helena and Ascension 1986 50 pence
This specimen was lot 72215 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, October 2021), where it sold for $3,360. The catalog description[1] noted, "SAINT HELENA & ASCENSION. 50 Pence, 1986. Elizabeth II. NGC PROOF-67 Ultra Cameo. Mintage: 50. Issued for the Royal Wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson. A brilliant and attractive Proof with hard mirrored fields, frosted cameo devices, and a very slight haze on the reverse. With an exceptionally low mintage, this is one of the few times this particular coin has come to auction." The marriage, celebrated in 1986, ended in divorce in 1996. The inhabitants of St. Helena are too isolated to need coins such as this but these NCLT's made handy fundraisers.
Recorded mintage: 13,000 in copper-nickel + 2,500 in sterling silver + 50 in gold.
Specification: gold proof: 47.54 g, 0.917 fine gold, 1.401 troy oz AGW, 38.5 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: Fr-1; KM-7b (gold).
- [1]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.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- 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.
Link to:
- St. Helena 1984 50 pence KM-12
- Tristan Da Cunha 1987 50 pence, 40th wedding anniversary of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, struck in gold
- 2003 50 pence, Elizabeth II "Golden Jubilee"
- Coins and currency dated 1986