Goldberg Coins & Collectibles Auctions    
       

       

                             



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

             
            Lot 2116Great Britain. Halfcrown, 1551. Edward VI, equestrian. 
            S-2479. Fine-silver issue of 1551-53, the last coins of this short 
            reign and the very first dated English halfcrown. "Y" mintmark. 
            Sharply struck in all areas of both sides, on a large flan of 
            excellent originality, dark gray with a hint of purple. Superior 
            flan in all respects, with the tiniest edge crack at about 6 o'clock 
            obverse, but no scratches or marks worth noting. The details of the 
            horseman are exceptional! All in all, a really stunning example of 
            this important issue; most halfcrowns of this type show up in Fine 
            or slightly better grade, but nothing like the quality of this 
            gorgeous coin. In fact, in recent years, the only comparable 
            specimen was in the Slaney Collection (Spink, May 2003). The 
            Cheshire owner feels his specimen, this lot, is slightly more 
            attractive than the Slaney piece, but whatever your individual 
            decision might be on this topic the fact remains that the two are in 
            the running for one of the finest known, of Britain's first dated 
            halfcrowns, and the Slaney coin is not available to be purchased. 
            This coin is one of those opportunities we have commented on, 
            elsewhere in this sale, about the chance to acquire being rarer than 
            the money needed to buy. NGC graded AU-58. 
            Estimated Value $12,500-15,000. 

            Provenance: The Cheshire Collection.
             Realized $12,500
             


          








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