Goldberg Coins & Collectibles Auctions    
       

       

                             



Sale 31: The Pre-Long Beach Auction May 30 - June 1, 2005
             

             
            Lot 2431Great Britain. Pattern silver Shilling, 1778. George III. 
            Old Bust. ESC-1240, listed as R3, "extremely rare." ESC says 
            engraved by "Yeo or Tanner." Crowther attributes it to Yeo, as does 
            Forrer. Not listed by Spink, though it is clearly related to S-3742, 
            the famous Northumberland shilling, also engraved by Richard Yeo, 
            who was assistant engraver at the Royal Mint in 1749 and chief 
            engraver as of 1775, working at the same time as Tanner. This 
            cataloguer has always thought of this 1778 pattern as the more 
            desirable of the two pieces of the same style, that is this and the 
            1763 Northumberland. Certainly it is far, far rarer. Our present 
            example is possibly the finest known, called a "deeply toned gem" by 
            its owner, who comments that all other seen by him have shown 
            scuffing and even wear, from either pocket carrying or even actual 
            circulation, as the years following the minting of this coin were 
            hard times during an extended war with France in which silver specie 
            all but disappeared from public use. All in all, a very historic, 
            unusually choice, and ultra-rare coin! Delightful gray toning with 
            some pale gold iridescence. Super-sharp Proof strike. NGC graded 
            Proof 65. 
            Estimated Value $3,250-3,750. 

            Provenance: The Cheshire Collection.
             Realized $2,900
             


          








Courtesy Ira & Larry Goldberg Auctioneers, Beverly Hills, CA. www.goldbergcoins.com