Over 450 coins from an astoundingly comprehensive collection of English coins that have been certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) are being offered in a SINCONA auction this month.
Known as the SINCONA British Collection, nearly all the coins are from England, Scotland and Great Britain and they bear the images of British monarchs from Edward III in the mid-1300s to Elizabeth II. Bidding is already underway for Auction 79: SINCONA British Collection Part 3, which is scheduled for October 24, 2022.
The top lot in this auction is a Great Britain 1839 “Una and the Lion” 5 Sovereign graded NGC PF 62 Ultra Cameo (lot 1384). Widely regarded as the epitome of British numismatics, the coin is known as the Una and the Lion for the image on its reverse, which shows characters from Edmund Spenser’s “The Faerie Queene.” The young queen Victoria is seen as the figure of Lady Una, guiding a lion that represents England. This coin has a starting price of CHF 150,000 (about $150,000).
While the Una and the Lion was struck to celebrate a young queen, the auction features another great rarity from a king who was desperately trying to hold onto power. An England 1643 Triple Unite graded NGC MS 63 (lot 1129) was issued by Charles I amid the English Civil War, to convey the message that the king was a unifying force with the Protestant faith, the laws of England and the liberty of Parliament. Charles I later lost the war and was executed. This coin has a starting price of CHF 50,000 (about $50,000).
After an interregnum, the monarchy was restored with Charles II (the son of Charles I) on the throne. From late in his reign is a rare England 1678/7 Elephant and Castle 5 Guineas graded NGC MS 62 (lot 1161), which stands alone with the highest grade of four examples in the NGC Census. It has a starting price of CHF 50,000 (about $50,000).
NGC has created an image gallery on its website to showcase high-resolution images of the more than 1,500 coins that have been offered from this unparalleled collection that has realized well over $10 million so far. This impressive window into the history of English coinage includes the offerings from the current auction, as well as the ones from the Part 1 and 2 auctions held in November 2021 and May 2022. To explore the gallery, click here.
To enhance these stunning coins, NGC encapsulated them with a special label that combines the British flag and the Matterhorn, a Swiss mountain that represents the highest level of achievement. SINCONA is headquartered in Zurich.
Other NGC-certified highlights in the auction include:
- a Great Britain 1773 Gold Pattern 2 Guineas graded NGC PF 63 (lot 1299) with a starting price of CHF 35,000 (about $35,000)
- an 11-piece Great Britain 1826 Proof Set graded NGC PF 62 Cameo to NGC PF 65 BN (lot 1365) with a starting price of CHF 35,000 (about $35,000)
- a Great Britain 1746 Lima 5 Guineas graded NGC MS 60 (lot 1266) with a starting price of CHF 30,000 (about $30,000)
- a Great Britain 1729 5 Guineas graded NGC MS 63+ (lot 1248) with a starting price of CHF 30,000 (about $30,000)
- a 16-piece Great Britain 1853 Specimen Set graded NGC Proof Details to NGC PF 65 Ultra Cameo (lot 1398) with a starting price of CHF 30,000 (about $30,000)
- an England 1553 Sovereign graded NGC AU 55 (lot 1079) with a starting price of CHF 25,000 (about $25,000)
- an England 1644 Triple Unite graded NGC AU 50 (lot 1132) with a starting price of CHF 25,000 (about $25,000)
- an England 1656(1738) Gold Pattern 1/2 Broad of 10 Shillings graded NGC PF 64 (lot 1144) with a starting price of CHF 25,000 (about $25,000)
- a Great Britain 1837 Gold Pattern Sovereign graded NGC PF 64 Ultra Cameo (lot 1383) with a starting price of CHF 25,000 (about $25,000)
- a Great Britain 1790 Gold Pattern Half Penny graded NGC PF 61+ Cameo (lot 1319) with a starting price of CHF 20,000 (about $20,000)
- a Great Britain Gothic Type – Plain Edge Crown graded NGC PF 62 (lot 1387) with a starting price of CHF 15,000 (about $15,000)
Starting prices are provided by the auction house. The $ symbol represents US Dollars.
About Numismatic Guaranty Company™ (NGC®)
NGC is the world’s largest and most trusted third-party grading service for coins, tokens and medals, with more than 55 million collectibles certified. Founded in 1987, NGC provides an accurate, consistent and impartial assessment of authenticity and grade. Every coin that NGC certifies is backed by the comprehensive NGC Guarantee of authenticity and grade, which gives buyers greater confidence. This results in higher prices realized and greater liquidity for NGC-certified coins. To learn more, visit NGCcoin.com.
