Coins and Historical Medals

Sovereigns of England, a set of Dassier’s copper medals (40), c. 1731, including both the dedication medals of George II and Queen Caroline, the usual Sovereign medals, the reduced-size Cromwell, together with: Edward VI and Queen Mary-rejected obv. dies (MI I, 63/21, 89/60; Eisler 23d, 24c); George II and Queen Caroline, a ‘mule’ of the portrait obvs. of the dedication medals (MI II, 498-9, 43, 44); Death of George II (MI II, 714/454; E 36); Birth of George, Prince of Wales, 1762, by T. Pingo (Eimer 26; BHM 77); Death of George III, 1820, by J. Marrian for Thomason and Jones; both MI and Eisler list the rejected Mary medal as uniface, however a struck example with the rev. was sold in SCA 8 (lot 288), as was the mule double portrait (lot 291); Death of George II is now [Eisler] attributed to Antoine Dassier [40]. Medals extremely fine or better, housed in two fitted and numbered trays of 20, many with original lifting tabs, contained in a period red leather library binding decorated with the Royal arms of George III and with wide borders in gilt and blind, the case with very little signs of wear £3,000-£4,000

Provenance: Lord Airlie Collection, Sotheby Auction, 24-6 July 1897, lot 85; Baldwin Auction 38, 4 October 2004, lot 1083