Owner Comments:
GT.BRITAIN, GEORGE IV Laureate Head (Type I), GOLD HALF-SOVEREIGN 1821
(Marsh 403; S 3802).
The first half-sovereign for the reign of George IV was issued in 1821. It carried a magnificent laureate head bust of the King, and its reverse featured an equally impressive design that displayed the Ensigns Armorial of the United Kingdom beautifully garnished and surmounted by a crown.This coin is a splendid example of both engraving and design by Pistrucci. It was quickly withdrawn because of its likeness to the current sixpence, and possibly melted down. That explains the high rarity of the coin (R5 M.Marsh).
OBVERSE: The King's bust facing left, laureate, tie with loop and two ends, hair short and bare neck. B.P. in small letters below truncation standing for Benedetto Pistrucci.
REVERSE: A heavily garnished shield surmounted by the royal crown. The shield surrounded by roses thistles and shamrocks.
DIAMETER: 19.4 mm.
WEIGHT: 3.994 g.
FINENESS: 22 carat.
MILLESIMAL FINENESS: 916.66.
EDGE: Milled.
MINTAGE: 231.238.
RARITY: R5 (M.Marsh).
1821 GOLD HALF-SOVEREIGN MS 64*
NGC 5879380-004
Description by SPINK at sale, 15/09/2020 : Proof Half-Sovereign, 1821, by Pistrucci [EXCEPTIONAL EYE APPEAL] .
George IV (1820-1830), Proof Half-Sovereign, 1821, by Pistrucci, laureate head left, rev. crowned floral-garnished shield, edge milled, 4.01g, 7h (Murdoch III, 384[a]; Douglas-Morris 147; King - [cf. 203]; W&R 244 [R3]; Schneider II, - [cf. 633]; cf. Marsh 403; cf. MCE 482; Spink 3802), brilliant, much as struck, rare.
Conditionally rare and finest known. Star-designated with an overall amazing eye-appeal.
Ex Spink Auction # 20005 - The Stratos Sale of Spectacular English Gold Coins, Lot 53, 15 September 2020.
Provenance : Hayleigh Collection
NGC : Single finest.
EVENTS IN HISTORY
www.onthisday.com/events/date/1821
February 12, 1821 : Mercantile Library of City of NY opens.
February 21,1821 : Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire begins.
March 25, 1821 : The Greek revolution against the Ottoman Turks is officially declared,
with hostilities having started two months earlier.
April 10, 1821 : Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople is hanged by the Turks from the main gate of the Patriarchate, his body thrown into the Bosphorus
May 8, 1821 : Greek War of Independence: Greeks defeat the Turks in Gravia.
May 12, 1821 : The first major battle of the Greek War of Independence against the Turks occurs in Valtetsi.
September 23, 1821 : Fall of Tripolitsa, Greek forces massacre 30,000 Turks during Greek War of Independence.
July 28, 1821 : Peru declares independence from Spain (National Day).
August 4, 1821 : 1st edition of American magazine "The Saturday Evening Post"
September 15, 1821 : Act of Independence of Central America: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras & Nicaragua declare their independence from the Spanish Empire.
November 28, 1821 : Panama declares independence from Spain.
December 1, 1821: Santo Domingo (Dominican Rep) proclaims independence from Spain.