Auction Catalogue

28 September 2005

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Important British and World Coins

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

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Lot

№ 369

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28 September 2005

Hammer Price:
£440

Victoria (1837-1901), ‘Specimen’ set, 1876h, comprising Penny, dies 8+K, 9.47g/12h, Halfpenny, dies 14+M, 5.63g/12h, Farthing, normal 6 in date, 2.81g/12h, all edges plain (BMC 1708, 1816, 1894; F 89, 329, 534; S 3955, 3957, 3959) [3]. A matching and carefully struck set with sharp rims, all lightly lacquered, the Penny with a spot on Britannia’s right knee and the Halfpenny with an obverse scratch, otherwise virtually as struck, rare (£500-700)

Provenance:
Bt P.C.W. Deane.

Periodically, the Heaton mint struck carefully finished ‘specimen’ coins of varying denominations as an example of what the company could produce; in some instances they were presented as gifts to dignitaries and government officials and in other cases were part of the travelling portfolio of a Heaton sales representative (
cf. Gunstone, SNC December 1977, p.545). Truly genuine Heaton mint proofs of this period (cf. Adams lot 268) are exceedingly rare; most of those so catalogued in the Freeman sale were in fact ‘specimens’