Important British and World Coins

George IV (1820-1830), Trial Penny or medal, c. 1830, from dies by J.G. Hancock (?) and C.H. Küchler, in silver, laureate and draped bust left, rev. Britannia seated left, edge plain, 19.26g/12h (BMC p.399, silver, this piece). From heavily rusted dies, fields and rims filed and minor surface marks in fields, otherwise extremely fine, UNIQUE (£500-700)

Provenance:
J.G. Murdoch Collection, Part III, Sotheby Auction, 15-19 March 1904, lot 390 (part)
Baron Philippe de Ferrari la Renotière Collection, Sotheby Auction, 27-31 March 1922, lot 181 (part)
V.M. Brand Collection
Mrs R. Henry Norweb Collection, Part IV, Spink Auction 59, 17 June 1987, lot 1663
W.J. Noble Collection, Noble Numismatics Pty Auction 58B (Melbourne), 7-8 July 1998, lot 1545
D.E. Litrenta Collection.

This intriguing piece combines a Pistrucci-style obverse (perhaps by J.G. Hancock) with a late Soho penny reverse (KP 32) which was also utilised to strike medals commemorative of the visit of the Duchess of Kent and Princess (later Queen) Victoria to the Soho mint on 6 August 1830 (BHM 1435-6), which would seem to indicate that it, too, was made at about that time, although George IV had died on 26 June 1830. Its companion in gold, also owned by Murdoch, Ferrari and Brand, subsequently passed to Belden Roach for $110 through the offices of the Texas dealer B. Max Mehl; at Roach’s sale in February 1944 it was acquired for Louis Eliasberg Sr and in turn auctioned by American Numismatic Rarities in New York on 18 April 2005 as lot 439 for $10,925