Great Britain: George III silver Proof Pattern 2 Pence 1805-SOHO PR66 Cameo NGC,...

Description

An Exemplary Silver Crown-Sized Issue of George III
One of Only 3 or 4 Extant!

George III silver Proof Pattern 2 Pence 1805-SOHO PR66 Cameo NGC, Birmingham mint, P-1312 "exceedingly rare", L&S-24. An impressive crown-sized numismatic concoction, struck in the 1850s by numismatic dealer W.J. Taylor who had acquired much of the old Soho mint equipment from the firm Fuller and Horsey after the mint closed in 1848. Often referred to as a "restrike", that moniker is actually a misnomer. While the die punches were certainly created around the turn of the 18th century (ca. 1804 for the obverse and ca. 1797 for the reverse), no original Soho Mint strikings that bear this design exist, thus precluding the possibility of a restrike. That also makes the modern assignment of a twopence denomination one of mere convenience, undoubtedly following the lead of Peck that authored the English, Copper, Tin and Bronze Coins in the British Museum 1558-1958. Considering our present treatment of other issues of similar manufacture, five shilling would be a more fitting classification, considering its placement in silver and the usage of an 1804 5 shilling die in its creation.

Extremely rare, it's likely that only a handful of these hefty 5mm thick silver strikings were originally minted. Of those, three or four are known, with only two appearing at auction in the recent past. With little question, this is the finest of those to survive in private hands. Immaculately preserved, the surfaces hold minimal evidence of careless handling, while the raised surfaces display definite cameo-producing frost. Exceptional cabinet tone adorns the surfaces as well, with splashes of rich yellow, maroon, blue and green highlighting the obverse. On the reverse, the same hues ring the edges, while blended mauve and gold accompany the centers. Altogether sublime, this item is truly breathtaking to behold. Irreplaceable in quality, it would profoundly enhance any world-class collection of crowns.
Ex. Terner Collection
From the Cape Coral Collection of British Crowns

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