Description
George III (1760-1820), Proof Penny, 1797, struck in gold on a thin flan of 2mm, late Soho mint, by Conrad Heinrich Küchler, small laureate and draped bust right, K.: on shoulder, raised rim with incuse legend, GEORGIUS III DG REX surrounds. Rev, inverted die axis, Britannia seated left, Soho below shield, two large waves in exergue, most of the olive leaves on olive branch detached [KP 15, Peck, p. 302], three masted warship in sail, date below on raised rim, with legend as BRITANNIA above, edge plain, 26.92g (WR 158 R6; Peck. 1111). Light surface marks and hairlines, two small edge nicks, a few light reverse scratches, once polished. Good very fine or better and of the highest rarity, with an illustrious lineage.
E. Wertheimer Collection, Glendining Auction, 24 January 1945, lot 166
King Farouk Collection, Sotheby Auction (Cairo), 24 February-6 March 1954, lot 820
Lady Duveen Collection, Glendining Auction, 29 September 1964, lot 58
A Collection of Valuable Gold Patterns and Proofs, Glendining Auction, 13 April 1972, lot 398
Baldwin Fixed Price List, Winter 2009 (BM 091), p. 57
The only other recorded late Soho striking in gold of a Cartwheel penny is that illustrated in Wilson and Rasmussen (p.203), entry 158. This being the Murdoch specimen (Sotheby, 15-19 March 1904, lot 213). There are, of course William Joseph Taylor striking’s of the denomination, but only two recognised late Soho types. Thus, our piece and the Murdoch specimen make up an excessively rare duo available to commerce of this numismatic rarity. One would presume the two known specimens may have been issued purely as presentation pieces or for some type of special occasion.
