Description
George III (1760-1820), Sovereign, 1817, first laureate head right, date below, legend surrounds from the lower left GEORGIUS III D G BRITANNIAR REX F D. Rev, Saint George slaying the dragon right, incuse BP below broken lance denoting engraver Benedetto Pistrucci, garter motto surrounding with buckle in French HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE, edge milled (S.3785; MCE.464; Marsh 1).
Encapsulated and graded by PCGS as MS61, brilliant surfaces, almost uncirculated, much eye appeal.
An excellent example of the 1817 first date of issue Sovereign, replacing the old Guinea which had been in place since 1663, from the House of Stuart onwards up until this point. 1816-20 ushered in a new era in coin production, innovative steam powered machinery courtesy of Boulton and Watt , replaced older hand operating presses, leading to technically superior coins.
