Great Britain: William IV Proof Sixpence 1834,...

Description

William IV Proof Sixpence 1834, S3836, PF66 NGC, reeded edge Proof of Record, extremely rare, a superb piece with highly reflective "watery" mirrored fields, 100% full proof strike from a perfect impression of the dies, and graced by unusually attractive light iridescence -- delicate shades of gold, green, blue and violet. Wow, what a coin! Only a handful are known, as this was made for museums in order to preserve a record of the coinage, as called for by the Act of Union of 1800, which is when Proofs of Record began to be coined by the Royal Mint. No one knows the exact mintage but it can safely be said to have been fewer than a dozen pieces. In days gone by, in top London sales, cataloguers would simply jot down "of the highest rarity" when they needed to comment on proofs such as these. What they never noted was "rarity of grade," for that was an unknown quantity up until recently in British milled coins. Now that certification has come to the British market, it is slowly dawning on many collectors that the best quality -- as seen on this specimen -- adds an altogether new dimension to the word "rarity." If truth be told, this particular coin may well be the finest known of the Proofs of Record sixpences of this reign. It's certainly high in the condition census in any case.
From the Exeter College Collection

Metal: Silver
Weight: 2.8276g
ASW: 0.0841oz

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

View Certification Details from NGC