Important British and World Coins

Elizabeth II (1952-, Pattern Decimal set, 1961, obvs. by M. Gillick, revs. after W. Wyon, all with laureate bust right, comprising 50 Cents in silver, rev. Una and lion, edge pattern decimal coinage, 26mm, 7.50g/12h; 20 Cents, in cupro-nickel, rev. standing Britannia, edge grained, 28.5mm, 11.39g/12h; 10 Cents, in cupro-nickel, rev. crowned shield within Garter, edge grained, 23.5mm, 5.73g/12h; 5 Cents, in cupro-nickel, rev. lion on crown, edge grained, 19mm, 2.81g/12h (all Davies p.118); 2 Cents, in bronze, rev. trident, edge plain, 25.5mm, 5.83g/12h (BMC 2529; F 792); Cent, in bronze, rev. eiir monogram, edge plain, 2.91g/12h (BMC 2530; F 793) [6]. Some pieces with light tarnishing, otherwise a brilliant and exceedingly rare set, perhaps only one other complete set available to commerce (£5,500-6,000)

Provenance:
Mrs R. Henry Norweb Collection, Part IV, Spink Auction 56, 19 November 1986, lot 1168 [from Baldwin May 1966].

The decimal pattern coins dated 1961 utilised comparable sterling obverse equivalents, while some of the reverses employed old punches drawn from the Mint collection. These punches included George De Saulles’ standing Britannia, William Wyon’s Una and the lion and the same artist’s lion on crown motif, originally engraved for the final issue of shillings and sixpences of George IV (see lot 416). A single pattern 50 Cents is included in Goldberg Auction 32 (Beverly Hills), 21 September 2005, lot 3537