THE VERENE COLLECTION OF BRITISH PROOFS

Lot 2593    SESSION 10 (7.30PM WEDNESDAY 27TH JULY)    THE VERENE COLLECTION OF BRITISH PROOFS

Estimate $400
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $2,000

1853 PROOF SET CASE, Victoria, 1837-1901. S-PS4 Young head, Sovereign to Half-Farthing (16 coins). It includes a rare Gothic type crown and is the first set with a florin and sub farthing coins. The 1853 proof set is the most difficult set to acquire. The coins are struck with dies in coin alignment unless noted. With mid-20th C. reproduction maroon leather covered timber presentation case. Shield (heart?) shaped case fitted with a brass push-button lock at the front. Inside comprises blue velvet roundels in a 3-3-3-3-3-1 pattern with white silk lining to the lid. Mintage unknown but estimated at less than 50 sets struck. There is no certainty as to why this set came to be, but it may present a trial of the Mint Master's updated rules for proof coin manufacture. The jeweller's Hunt and Roskell held the Royal Warrant of Queen Victoria, and cased sets with their gold block identification are accepted as the original issue. Contemporary cases have also been reported with R & S Garrard & Co., Goldsmiths and Jewellers to the Queen, His Royal Highness The Prince Consort, and the Royal Family, again blocked onto the inside lid. For the first time, this set does not present the copper coins in a bronzed form which may reflect a change in aesthetics but may also result from the small quantities struck, making the laborious bronzing process non-viable in terms of cost. The higher value coins down to the florin are extremely rare in the market and likely derive from those sets struck. In contrast, the shilling to farthing 1853 proof coins, whilst rare, are found more regularly in accord with higher mintages. The fractional farthing is again rare in the open coin market, suggesting it was not as well collected. Obverse - Known as the young head with the bust of Victoria facing left without drapery. Her hair bound by a double fillet and gathered in a chignon with an extra curl in front which crosses the left ear. W. W. initials on the truncation with the legend VICTORIA DEI GRATIA and the date below. This Wyon design was used with minor modifications for the sovereign, half-sovereign, crown, half-crown, penny, halfpenny and farthing. The shilling, sixpence and groat have a similar effigy, but the legend is extended to VICTORIA DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR : REG : F : D : The Maundy legend is VICTORIA D: G: BRITANNIAR: REGINA F: D: Extremely fine.