George III (1760-1820), Soho Mint, Birmingham, Proof Penny, 1797 (late Soho), in copper, obv. from a retouched currency die, small draped bust right, ermined borders sharply cut, wreath of 10 leaves and 2 berries, uppermost double-cut, tip of tie-riband points downwards, k · : on shoulder, large letters, flaw in field below r of rex, rev. Britannia seated left on rock, olive branch with 10 leaves [mostly detached], single dot only visible on rock at right, ship with 6 incuse gunports weakly imaged with no sea below it and part of sea missing below Britannia, large letters, edge plain, thin flan, 21.85g/6h (cf. BMC 1116 [KP 15]; S 3777). Brilliant and virtually as struck, most attractive and extremely rare £600-£800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Philip Richardson Collection of George III Copper Coins.

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Collection

S. Copthorne Collection, Colin Cooke Mailbid Sale, 2 June 2016 (2).

Although several bronzed-copper pennies from this die combination on thin flans are known (Martin, SNC 2009, p.117, 1115A), the cataloguer has not noted any other thin flan copper pennies, although they should exist: the normal weight range for BMC 1116 would be c. 28g (cf. DNW 63, 123)