Great Britain 1843 half crown
This specimen was lot 2631 in Goldberg sale 100 (Los Angeles, September 2017), where it sold for $3,055. The catalog description[1] noted, "Great Britain. Halfcrown, 1843. Victoria. Obverse: Young portrait of Queen by W.Wyon. Reverse: Crowned shield of arms within wreath. One of the rarest dates in this much collected series, this coin glistens with originality. Mint state with a gorgeous golden-green peripheral toning and exquisite detail. Never seen in this grade, the catalogue price approaching $6000 in Uncirculated is difficult to challenge. From an old Edwardian collection. PCGS graded MS-63." The type was struck for circulation 1839-50 and features the bust of the young queen Victoria. A slightly revised bust was used 1874-87. The bust strongly resembles the one used on the crown but the half crown was issued in much larger numbers.
Recorded mintage: 455,000, a scarce date.
Specification: 14.14 g, 0.925 fine silver, .420 troy oz ASW.
Catalog reference: S.3888; ESC-676; KM-740.
- [1]Goldberg, Ira, Larry Goldberg, John Lavender, Yifu Che, Jason Villareal and Stephen Harvey, Goldberg Sale 100: the Pre-Long Beach Auction, Los Angeles: Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, 2017.
- Bressett, Kenneth E., A Guide Book of English Coins, Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, 2nd Ed., Racine, WI: Whitman Publishing, 1962.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Lobel, Richard, Mark Davidson, Allan Hailstone and Eleni Calligas, Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of English and UK Coins, 1066 to Date, London: Coincraft, 1995.
- Rayner, P. Alan, and Maurice Bull, English Silver Coinage from 1649, 6th Ed., London: Spink & Son, 2015.
- Skingley, Philip, ed., Standard Catalogue of British Coins: Coins of England & the United Kingdom, 46th edition, London: Spink & Son, 2011.
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