Goldberg Coins & Collectibles Auctions    
       

       

                             



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

             
            Lot 2244Great Britain. Silver Crown, 1696. William III. S-3470. 
            First bust. Edge not viewable in the slab but designated by NGC as 
            "OCTAVO." Second year of issue for this king as sole ruler. An 
            exceptionally choice, fully Uncirculated or Mint State crown which 
            is among the finest seen by this cataloguer. The luster is classic 
            of its era, slightly pebbly but nonetheless producing a cartwheel 
            effect. The texture of the surfaces is also endemic of the late 
            1690s' silver-blank preparation by the Royal Mint. Ancient equipment 
            originally designed for rolling and coining thin, light-weight coins 
            was still being used, at the mint facilities which stood in the same 
            place inside the outer walls of the Tower of London since the 12th 
            century. Considering all this, it was something of a magical feat to 
            be able to produce a coin of this size and weight, so impressively. 
            This wonderful specimen is blessed by gorgeous silvery gold 
            iridescence, a sharp strike throughout, and extraordinarily 
            mark-free surfaces and rims. Two large lumps of die-rust may be seen 
            in two of the open quarters of the reverse shield; these do not 
            detract from either the appeal or the value of this crown. Here 
            indeed is a numismatic classic, and a gem of a coin! NGC graded 
            MS-64. 
            Estimated Value $2,800-3,300. 

            Provenance: The Cheshire Collection.
             Realized $3,000
             


          








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