Great Britain: George III silver Proof Pattern "Three Graces" Crown 1817 PR62 Ultra Cameo NGC,...

Description

Original Three Graces Appearance

George III silver Proof Pattern "Three Graces" Crown 1817 PR62 Ultra Cameo NGC, KM-PnA77, L&S-152, ESC-2020 (R2). Plain edge. By William Wyon. Embodying the production quality of the finest medallic types, the glossy fields stand in stark contrast to the raised features, allowing the viewer to gaze uninterruptedly at Wyon's famed design. This example boasts a pseudo-Pointillist quality to the devices, especially the King's bust, which is made all the more striking because of the aforementioned Ultra Cameo contrast. A deeply toned Cameo specimen recently realized $210,000.00 (Heritage Auction 3113, January 2024, Lot 31166), while the untoned Ultra Cameo offering should appeal to collectors looking to hold an example as it more likely appeared directly off the press. Estimates point to a remarkably low total mintage of 50, with this piece the only to be certified as Ultra Cameo.

Recognized as the zenith of numismatic artistry under George III, the design marks the entry of William Wyon as a tour-de-force at the Royal Mint, who offered a more Hellenistic engraving style compared to the mannerist hand of Benedetto Pistrucci. Here, Wyon reimagines the United Kingdom through a quintessentially neoclassical lens. Harkening to Greek mythology, he anthropomorphizes England, Ireland, and Scotland as the Three Graces standing intertwined as a cohesive unit, a physicality symbolizing the "Unbreakable Treaty" from which the United Kingdom draws its sovereignty.

Ex. St. James Auctions 14-15 (September 2010, Lot 253)

The Peh Family Collection, Part IV

Metal: Silver
Diameter: 38.61mm

More information about Great Britain Coins. See also: Great Britain World Coin Nationality.



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