Baldwin's London Auction 69 Baldwin's London May auction is set to be a great British Spectacular. Hundreds of Brisitsh rarities are offered together with a stellar Russian selection, Commenmorative Medals and World Coins.
News-Antique.com - Apr 13,2011 - Baldwin’s bi-annual London auctions are always a highlight of the numismatic calendar but this, the first of the year, will be a Great British spectacular! The 2-day auction will be held over the 3rd and 4th May and comprises a sensational array of British rarities, together with a selection of Russian numismatic material, British and World Commemorative medals and an extensive section of World Coins.
Lot 754, a set of four 1937 Gold, Matt Proof finish coins, is sure to be the highlight of the auction. Widely reported on some months ago the set is one of only two known sets struck with an experimental matt finish specifically to be used for pre-production promotion of the coins minted by the Royal Mint to commemorate the Coronation of King George VI in May 1937. The case housing the coins has a blue black velvet pad, inverse in colouration to the normal cream used for brilliant proof sets in 1937. Unlike its counterpart (illustrated individually in Wilson and Rasmussen), this beautifully preserved set has its original and unusual case intact. The set comes complete with a copy of a letter, dated 4th October 1961, from the Royal Mint, Tower Hill, London, outlining the method and process for preparation of the set and confirming that the set was a pre-production example that was not released to the general public. The set carries a pre-sale estimate of £90,000-110,000. Lot 755 offers another interesting piece of George VI numismatic history. The 1950 George VI Pattern Double Florin of Four Shillings was one of the patterns first produced as a suggested coin for the Festival of Britain in 1951. Although it was eventually the Festival of Britain Crown that was manufactured to proof quality for the event, it was the pattern offered here that started the deliberations. The lot is estimated at £20,000-25,000 and is of the highest rarity, being the only example ever encountered by Baldwin’s staff with a value on the edge.
Also included in the 199 lot section are lots 601 and 602 a Richard III Gold Angel, class 1 and a Richard III Halfgroat, London mint, type 3. Both are extremely rare with fantastic provenance and are estimated at £10,000-12,500 and £8,000-10,000 respectively. Lots 622, a 1706 Anne Five-Guineas, Pre-Union type, and 624, a 1733 George II Pattern Two-Guineas, are both extremely fine examples of type. The second of the two comes with an excellent provenance and both are estimated at £25,000-30,000.
Lot 647, an 1862 Victoria Bronze Penny, is particularly noteworthy as this will be the first time that this coin has ever been put up for public auction. This lot is a significant trial strike on a Penny and has been written about extensively by Michael Gouby in his books “The British Bronze Coinage, pence, Halfpence and Farthings 1860-1869” and “The British Bronze Penny, Victoria 1860-1901 struck for use as currency, specialised edition”. Ralph Heaton & Sons had greatly impressed the Italian government, on recommendation from the French, with their
