Owner Comments:
****This is one of several coins that holds a special place within my larger collection. It resided in the Boulton Family Estate Collection until it was retailed by my late friend Bill McKivor (a well-respected dealer) in the early 2000s. From there, it was sold to my late friend, Cory Collins, who held onto it for over two decades before selling it to me. Along with this coin, Cory generously sold me several other Soho restrikes from the Boulton Family Estate, which are all denoted with both the Boulton and Collins provenances. Although these pieces are beautiful, rare, and well preserved, the joy I experience from owning them is derived from the memories I formed with Cory over the years of our friendship. We made a point to see each other every FUN show and these visits quickly became the highlight of my numismatic calendar. In the intermediary, we would often spend several hours a week chatting on the phone about the minutiae of the Soho Mint that would otherwise be lost to the average collector. I deeply miss my friend, but I am grateful that these coins remind me of all the great memories we shared over the years.****
As I noted in other areas in this set, most of the restrikes kept by the Boulton family have a somewhat unique appearance relative to similar varieties without the provenance. The overall look (i.e., the orangish color) is further complemented by the most appealing pastel toning on both sides. I have no good explanation for this toning, but it makes for a wonderful viewing experience. Adding to the appearance f the toning is a series of dramatic die cracks found throughout the reverse. For instance, the break across the ornament and first four letters of the reverse legend makes one wonder just how many more pieces were struck from this die before it completely shattered. There are so many focal areas on this coin that it is easy to overlook less dramatic points. The mismatch between the beaded border on the obverse and the odd pattern found on the reverse is a good example. Other areas, such as the weird combination of fine die rust and improper bronzing found within the hair curls under the bust is also a great example. I seem to discover something new every time I take this piece out and have a good look under proper light and magnification. It is truly a pleasure to own this coin.
Obverse: The obverse depicts the undraped bust of George III facing right. A laurel wreath with ten leaves and two berries tied by a riband with only one visible loose end rests on his head. The combination of fine die rust and the improper application of the bronzing give the impression that the upmost leaf is detached from wreath and floating above the King’s head. Likewise, the lowest leaf nearly blends in within the poorly defined hair details. A large, neatly formed curl appears above his ear. A large clump of hair protrudes from under the lowest leaf of the wreath and rest on the back of his right shoulder. This curl terminates with curls forming complete circles. Another, less well defined clump of hair rests on the front of his right shoulder, which also terminates in perfect circular curls. Although not clearly defined from the neck, a large lump of hair flows down below the bust. This lump of hair terminates in two well defined curls that make complete circles. Although difficult to fully discern on this example, the truncation of the bust is striated. The engraver’s details
D. F. appear in raised letters superseding the striations. The tip of the bust is somewhat oddly shaped. The are of the striated truncation is curved in a semi crescent shape, but this arc is interrupted by a curve in the exact opposite direction, which is subsequently curved before making a nearly straight line. The squared tip of the bust nearly touches the beaded border. Immediately below the bust appears an eagle’s head protruding from thunderbolt. As noted by Peck (1970), the extensive die polishing has removed most of the protruding thunderbolt on either side, resulting in stubby remnants. The most extreme ends on either side are completely detached and instead are simply raised lines. The obverse legend reads
GEORGIUS III ◊ D ◊ G ◊ REX ◊. Extensive patches of die rust are evident between the “G” and the lowest mass of hair, and throughout the field below “REX”. The entire design is within a beaded border. The extreme texture of the bronzed bust is in major contrast to the otherwise smooth and orangish colored fields. This visual effect is further complemented a warm pastel tone.
Reverse: Britannia is depicted resting on a sphere (presumably a globe) facing left. A small tiara appears in her hair, which is neatly tied in a bun. A single large, and well detailed curl flows behind her neck and rests on her left shoulder. A smaller curl of hair is also depicted on her right shoulder. She is wearing clinging drapery, which is wrapped around her right shoulder. This fabric is depicted as having slid down her left shoulder, exposing her left breast. Her right arm is outstretched to the left, with her hand pointing to the distance. Her right arm is hanging down, resting upon an oval shield with the crosses of St. George and St. Andrew (heraldically colored). Her left hand, resting on the shield, grasps a paddle. Although the paddle is slightly obstructed by the shield, there is a clear design of a dolphin wrapped around a trident. The tip of the paddle is rounded, but the deign implies it is stuck firmly in the ground. Her drapery is highly detailed, with a series of folds forming a nearly triangular shape, which obstructs the top portion of the globe. There is no pattern, nor a discernable place for one to occur, within he hems of her dress. A small patch of grass appears at the base of the globe and just under the shield. A series of several small parallel lines appear on the ground in the space between the globe and the shield. There is no sea in the background on wither side of Britannia. The foreground is sharply cut an exergue. Just under the exergue line on the left appears the engraver’s name
DROZ and on the right appears
F.. The date 1790 appears in the middle, surrounded by two leaf shaped ornaments. Immediately below the date appears
DROZ. INV. which is nearly touching the innermost border detail. The legend
BRITANNIA appears at the top between two floral ornaments. The border detail on this variety is not directly discussed by Peck (1970); however, he describes earlier varieties derived from this reverse die as having a “toothed border”. I find this description at odds with the actual detail of the coin. The innermost design of the border could certainly be described as having a stubby toothed appearance, but the outer portion is more akin to a series of oddly shaped omega symbols. I will leave this to the readers description, but I only point it out in hopes of bringing attention to the inadequate description of “toothed”. There are several notable die cracks throughout the reverse. The largest of which appears protruding from the leftmost flower ornament and running through the lower limbs of “BRI” before jolting upwards toward the top of the “T”. This die crack connects with a thinner die crack at the base of the “B”, which travels downwards through Britannia’s shin before dissipating somewhere near the drapery by her ankle. Another die crack forms from the rim, runs through the leftmost flower ornament, and connects to the die crack that protrudes through Britannia’s legs. Several other areas of are marked with a combination of die cracks and rust (e.g., the area above her right arm, the lump under the second “N”). The reverse of this example is exceedingly well struck. The strong strike allows viewers to appreciate the intricated details of Britannia’s hair, her drapery, the shield, even the design on the paddle. Although the bronzing is not as pronounced on the reverse, the main devices provide a stark contrast against the vibrant pastel toning found throughout the reflective fields. The reverse of this example is simply unparalleled.
Edge: Plain
Notes: Many collectors will shy away from a coin with imperfections, such as the major die breaks on the reverse, but I find that these blemishes add character. Of course, such a purist approach would almost entirely rule out the possibility of having any Taylor restrike as almost all examples have some degree of imperfection. Those interested in the series must fully embrace that fact. The reverse die cracks are very intriguing to me. The largest of which is connected either directly or indirectly to multiple others, which makes me wonder just how much longer this die could remain in service. I also find the die rust at the bottom of the globe to be somewhat humorous. It is too bad the rust did not take the shape of an actual continent. I think the intentional addition of such a design would have added more depth to the finished product, but I also imagine the added time to do so would not have justified the revision. It is not very often that one encounters such a wonderfully toned Taylor restrike as the bronzing process typically imparts a dark bronzed color and the layer of bronze mostly prevents any substantial oxidation that might yield toning. This piece is a notable exception to that general rule. Even without the Boulton provenance, it is highly unlikely that a truly superior example of this variety exists.