Heavy Metal: British Coins Drop the Hammer at Auction
Sixpence or six figures? British coins cashed in across two spring auctions.
British coins wowed collectors at two auctions this late April and early May. The U.K.-based St. James Auctions started the trend with its online “Auction 104,” which concluded on April 30. The event featured hundreds of coin and medal lots from throughout the world, dating from ancient, historical, and contemporary periods.
Among this selection was a strong collection of pieces by the United Kingdom and sovereign territories nearby, such as Scotland and Ireland, to across the world in Tristan da Cunha. The subjects of these coins spanned a British royal timeline and included pieces as early as a 1569 sixpence (NGC Very Fine 25) with a crowned bust of Elizabeth I to as late as a 2020 Alderney (Guernsey) gold proof £5 (NGC Proof 69 Ultra Cameo) that featured a similar profile of the 16th-century queen’s namesake, Elizabeth II, also wearing a crown. The 1569 sixpence was sold for £70, and the 2020 £5 was unsold.
One of the highest-earning coins from this collection was a 1717 guinea (NGC Extremely Fine Details, Cleaned) from the rule of George I that was featured on the cover of the auction’s catalog. The coin, which shows a portrait of the king on the obverse and crowned cruciform shields with scepters on the reverse, sold for £3,600, a couple hundred pounds more than its £3,000–£3,200 estimate.
Two days after the St. James auction, Heritage Auctions ended its “CSNS World & Ancient Coins Platinum Session and Signature® Auction #3123,” on May 1–2. The British section of the event offered nine pieces from the prized Cara Collection, which, according to the auction house, “includes some of the most iconic and interesting types of British numismatics…that have been handled by some of the most prominent British coin collectors, including Bridgewater House, Murdoch, Brand, and Selig.”
Many impressive sales were realized from the Cara Collection. A rare 20 shillings gold proof pattern broad (PR63 PCGS) by Thomas Simon that features anti-monarchist Oliver Cromwell sold for an outstanding $126,000. This scarlet-toned coin is renowned by collectors for its rarity and historical significance.
Another high earner from the Cara Collection was a 1702 gold pattern guinea (AU55 NGC) by John Croker displaying the bust of Queen Anne, which garnered a $102,000 winning bid. According to Heritage, this is the first Guinea pattern ever struck by the Royal Mint, and less than five known examples exist.
To learn more about the St. James Auctions event, visit the website. Go to the Heritage website for information about the Heritage Auctions sale.
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