NAC: AUCTIONS 166-168

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V29 2026 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 29, Number 19, 2026, Article 22

Numismatica Ars Classica will be hosting Auctions 166 through 168 on May 27. Select items are discussed below. -Garrett

Trinovantes and Catuvellauni, Tasciovanus, (Late 1st Century B.C./Early 1st Century A.D.). AV Stater. Crescents in wreath, rev. horseman right helmeted and with carnyx, TASC around. 5.38 g. ABC 2562; M.155; VA 1732-1; S.217.
Some light marks. Otherwise well centred and richly toned. Near EF. Rare.

Purchased from CNG, NYINC December 2000. Ex. J. Jordan; CNG Triton II, 1 December 1998 (lot 1217).

Eadgar, 959-975. AR Penny, Portrait type, London, Hiltwine. Crowned bust right, +EADGAR REX around, rev. four small crosses around central cross, +HILTPINE MONETA LVD around. 1.2 g. CTCE 358; SCBI America 170 - this coin N.751; S.1139.
The reverse double struck with some light marks. Otherwise toned, Good VF. Very rare.

Ex E. M. Norweb (Pt. III, lot 789), R. C. Lockett (Pt. I, lot 631, pl.XV), Major P. W. P. Carlyon-Britton (Pt. I, lot 436, pl.XII), Astronomer (lot 195, pl.III), H. Montagu (Pt. I, lot 719), and The Rt. Hon R. W. Marsham (lot 186).

Elizabeth I, 1558-1603. AR Groat. Second issue, im: cross-crosslet. Struck 1560-1561. Bust 1F. 1.97 g. B&C 1F; N.1986; S.2556.
Lightly toned and lustrous. Near EF.

Charles I, 1625-1649. Pontefract besieged. AR Shilling. 1648. Type 3, struck in the name of Charles II, on lozenge flan, crowned C R, upper arches of crown jewelled, DVM SPIRO SPERO, rev. castle gateway, P C above, OBS left, muzzle of gun right, CAROLVS SECVNDVS 1648 around. 4.49 g. JGB 1234 - same dies; Hird 280 - this coin; N.2648; S.3150.
Planchet flaws on obverse. Otherwise toned, Good VF.
Extremely rare: possibly the only known specimen on a lozenge flan.

Purchased from Spink 1980. Ex Alderman H. Hird (lot 280), Major A. W. Foster (lot 200), Webb, H. O. O'Hagan (lot 530), H. Montagu (Pt. II, lot 653) and The Rt. Hon. R. Marsham (lot 686).

AR Pattern 'Incorrupta' Crown, 1817.
By W. Wyon. Laureate, draped bust right, date below, GEORGIUS III D. G: BRITANNIARUM REX, rev. crowned shield of arms, INCORRUPTA FIDES VERITASQUE, edge: plain. 28.19 g., 12h. LS 159; Bull 2029; ESC 229.
Delicately toned with considerable mint brilliance. An exquisite example of this
very rare pattern Crown in the most desirable state of preservation.
NGC PF 66+ CAMEO (2184441-019)

The stunning Pattern 'Incorrupta' Crown dated 1817 announces the twenty-two year old William, fourth generation in the Wyon dynasty of medallists, as a die engraver of the first rank. And appropriately William Wyon uses the opportunity to pay tribute to another famous English engraver, Thomas Simon. Just as Simon contended with a foreign engraver supplanting him at the mint in 1662, so the choice of the Italian Benedetto Pistrucci to produce the dies for the New Coinage threatened the established position of the Wyon family.

History can repeat itself. In 1663 Simon's repost to the Roettiers were his two masterpieces: the Petition and the Reddite crowns. In 1817 Wyon, with a similar motive, struck the beautiful pattern 'Three Graces' and 'Incorrupta' crowns. Furthermore Wyon chose to model the design of the 'Incorrupta' on Simon's timeless portrait crown of Oliver Cromwell. The imposing and finely modelled bust with its delicate frosting (or 'mezzontinti' as admiring contemporaries described it) and shield design of the reverse are clearly inspired by Simon's work.

The reverse legend ‘Pure Faith and Truth' can be read as expressing the confidence Wyon felt in the merit of his work, but Carlisle records when Wyon presented his pattern Crown to William Wellesley Pole, Master of the Mint, he was told 'to mind his own business, and not lose his time in engraving heads, of which he was incapable'! Eleven years after the 'Incorrupta' was struck, Wyon's self-belief was repaid when he was appointed Chief Engraver.

AR Pattern 'Una and the lion' Crown, 1839.
By W. Wyon. Young head left, date below, VICTORIA DEI GRATIA, rev. the Queen as Una guiding the British lion left, date in Roman numerals below, DIRIGE DEUS GRESSUS MEOS., edge: plain. 31.26 g., 12h. LS 34; Bull 2647; ESC 333.
A magnificent coin. Delicately toned with underlying brilliance. Among the rarest and most desirable pattern Crowns in the British series.
NGC PF 64 (2184433-009)

For this extremely rare and important piece Wyon pairs two of his most celebrated designs, the classic simplicity of the young head obverse from the proof 1839 Crown with the serene Una and the Lion reverse employed on the gold Five Pounds (WR 278) of the same date. Two varieties are known both from the same pair of dies: ESC 333 (the type offered here) on a very slightly overweight flan and with plain edge; and ESC 332 on a thin flan, c. 325 grains, with vestigial traces of an incuse edge inscription. Both of these varieties are excessively rare, only three of each, having appeared at auction since 1960.

AV Pattern 'Bonomi' Crown, 1837 (struck 1893).
By J. Bonomi and T. Pinches for J. Rochelle Thomas. Coroneted head left, truncation divides date, VICTORIA REG DEI GRA, border of stars, rev. Minerva standing left with trident holding Victory, her shield inscribed DECUS ET TUTAMEN, BRIT MINERVA VICTRIX FID DEF, edge: T5. 39.02g, 12h. LS 2; WR 364; Bull 2613; ESC 320A.
A perfect coin, lightly toned in fields, the incuse design and legends with blazing mint lustre.
Of the highest rarity: one of only six struck in gold.
NGC MS 66 (2184433-001)

On the reverse of this extraordinary coin the shield of Britannia is inscribed with the words DECUS ET TUTAMEN: ‘An Ornament and a Safeguard'. This formula had been employed on the edges of the Crown since the first milled issue of 1662. In his Numismata of 1697, John Evelyn writes, ‘I suggested the Decus & Tutamen out of a Viniet in Cardinal de Richelieu's Greek Testament.' From the reign of Charles II onwards the Decus inscription, combined with the monarch's regnal year, was employed to protect the silver Crown from clipping.

On the crown offered here the Ornament and Safeguard is Joseph Bonomi's innovative incuse design itself. As J. Rochelle Thomas writes, ‘The great peculiarity about it is that the designs on the obverse and reverse have been made sunk below the surface or field of the coin, that two coins might be placed together and, being perfectly flat, the work upon them would be impossible to rub or wear. No coins, to my knowledge of this or any other country have ever been issued in this style of work, yet it is quite certain that if the plan were adopted the wearing of our currency would be very greatly reduced, an annual saving to the nation of thousands of pounds.'

In 1893 when Rochelle Thomas commissioned Theophilus Pinches to engrave the dies from Bonomi's original drawings, the issue of wear in the coinage, a significant proportion of which had been in circulation since the New Coinage of 1816-1818, was much more pressing than it had been in 1837. Rochelle struck 150 Bonomi Crowns in silver and a further six in gold to the weight of five sovereigns. Prior to the appearance of the Traveller specimen only one other example in gold has been offered for sale in the last fifty years.

AR Pattern Crown, 1910.
By A. G. Wyon. Large bare head left, A. G. WYON incuse on truncation, GEORGIVS V D: G: BRITTANIARVM OMNIVM REX, rev. armoured St. George slaying the dragon left, date in exergue, edge: milled. 32.95 g., 12h. LS (type 2) 10; Bull 3670; ESC 389.
Vividly toned and much as struck. The reverse with a spectacular cameo effect. Very rare.
NGC PF 66 CAMEO (2184441-011)

To read the complete item description, see:
AR Pattern Crown, 1910. (https://www.biddr.com/nac/auction?a=6994&l=8583280)

Third period: Biennale Doges 1528 – 1797. Third phase: 1637-1797. 12 ½ doppie 1692, AV 83.49 g.
ET REGE EOS I T C The Blessed Virgin seated facing on clouds, head r., holding sceptre in extended r. hand and cradling Child extending her l.; She is being crowned with a circlet of stars by cherubs flying above. Rev. + DVX ET GVBERNATORES REIP GENEVE Ornate and voided cross fleury with winged cherub's head in each quarter. Lunardi 254, but this date unrecorded. MIR 254 but this date unrecorded. Carige –. Friedberg 425.

An apparently unrecorded date of this extremely rare denomination, undoubtedly one of the finest 12 ½ doppie in existence. Exceptionally well struck for the type and with a superb reddish tone.
Virtually as struck and almost Fdc

Privately purchased from J. Schulman on the 11th of June 1938. From the Foscarini collection.

Napoleone I Emperor of the French and King of Italy, 1805 – 1814. Pattern of 40 lire 1807, AV 12.03 g.
NAPOLEONE I IMPERATORE E RE Head r.; under the neck truncation, pomegranate 1807 ML / M. Rev. SG (ligate, Giuseppe Salwirch engraver) REGNO – D'ITALIA Arms; below, 40 LIRE. Pagani Prove 468. V.G. 1290. Rinaldi 490. Crippa 13.
Apparently unique. An issue of tremendous importance and one of the greatest rarities of the Napoleonic series. An almost invisible mark on chin, otherwise extremely fine
NGC AU DETAILS, CLEANED (2184773-012)

For the first time in almost 90 years since its first and appearance on the market, this specimen, currently the only one in existence and of considerable numismatic interest, is being offered once more. Despite our most thorough research, we have so far been unable to find any record of other specimens from the same die bearing the initials ‘ML' for Luigi Manfredini on the obverse and ‘SG' for Giuseppe Salwirch on the reverse. Indeed, it appears to be missing from all collections, both public and private. It is, therefore, undoubtedly a precious unique specimen. Already known to us from its sale at auction by the firm P.&P. Santamaria, Rome, 18 March 1937, lot 104, where it was purchased by Forrer for 7,100 lire, outbidding the most prominent Italian collectors of the period, such as Sparzani, Baranowsky, Ratto, Count Magnaguti and Count Paus.

The letters ‘ML' in the monogram at the top of the obverse represent the initials of the engraver Luigi Manfredini. Born in Bologna (1771), Manfredini moved to Milan at a young age, taught the art of medal-making at the Brera Academy in Milan, and was employed at the mint as an assistant medallist from 1798, and subsequently from 1808 as chief engraver until 1830, with a brief hiatus between 1810 and 1814. He designed the obverse dies for the coins of the Kingdom of Italy and the subsequent coins of Francis I of Austria; he also prepared the coinage issued by the Milan Mint after 1815 for Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma and Piacenza. The reverse is signed by Giuseppe Salwirch, engraver from 1782 until his death in 1820; he was chief engraver from 1803 to 1808, after which he was replaced by Manfredini.

This specimen completes the series of unique pieces struck for the preparation of the definitive dies of 1807, from which it differs in the monogram ML, replaced in the final coinage by a lantern or cup, and on the reverse by SG, the initials of which are no longer present in the official coinage. Whilst all the other patterns of this issue are held in a single specimen at the Civiche Raccolte Numismatiche in Milan, the 40 lire is missing. We suppose that, unlike the other ML/SG 1807 specimens, all FDC and perfectly struck, our specimen's obverse features a rough sketch of the portrait, as if incomplete, to the point of resembling a circulated coin. It was probably not included in the Brera collections due to its inadequacy. The final minting of the 1807 40 lire differs in the spacing of the date; this specimen belongs to the type with closely spaced digits, which is far rarer than the type with spaced digits, identical in all other respects but lacking the engraver's initials, which have been replaced by a lantern.

Carlo Emanuele II alone, 1648 – 1675. 10 scudi 1663/Torino, AV 33.23 g.
CAR EM II D G DVX SAB 1663 Cuirassed adult bust r. with decorative mask on the should strap. Rev. PRINCIP PEDE – MON REX CYP Crowned coat of arms charged at the centre with the Savoy escutcheon and surrounded by the collar of the Annunziata. Ravegnani Morosini 29. MIR 795a (R9). Biaggi 670. Friedberg 1082.
Extremely rare and in exceptional condition for the issue, among the finest specimens in private hands. Minor area of weakness on obverse and an insignificant die-shift on reverse, otherwise virtually as struck and almost Fdc

Charles Emmanuel II was Duke of Savoy, Prince of Piedmont, and titular King of Cyprus and Jerusalem from 1638 until his death. He became duke at the age of four following the death of his father. During his minority, the government of the duchy was exercised by his mother as regent. Her regency coincided with the turbulent years of the civil conflict in Savoy known as the Piedmontese Civil War, which ended with the consolidation of her authority and the preservation of Savoyard independence between the powerful kingdoms of France and Spain.
When Charles Emmanuel II assumed personal rule in the 1650s, he devoted considerable attention to strengthening the administration and economy of his states. He promoted trade, improved communications, and encouraged urban development, particularly in Turin, which continued to evolve as the political and cultural centre of the duchy. Among the most significant infrastructure projects of his reign was the construction of the road across the Alps linking Piedmont with the County of Nice, later known as the Strada Reale (or "Royal Road"), facilitating communication between Savoy's Italian and Mediterranean territories.

The Duke also supported artistic and architectural projects that enhanced the prestige of the Savoyard court in Turin. His reign marked an important stage in the transformation of the duchy into a more centralised and modern state.

Charles Emmanuel II married first Françoise Madeleine d'Orléans, niece of King Louis XIV of France, who died shortly after their marriage. In 1665 he married Marie Jeanne Baptiste of Savoy-Nemours, with their son, Victor Amadeus II, succeeding him as Duke in 1675 and later becoming King of Sicily and eventually King of Sardinia.

Charles Emmanuel II died in Turin on 12 June 1675 at the age of 41, leaving the duchy to his minor son under the regency of his widow. His reign is often remembered as a period of consolidation and development that prepared the way for the later rise of Savoy as a major European power.

Paolo Renier, 1779 – 1789. Scudo della croce multiple of 26 zecchini, AV 90.60 g.
PAULUS RAINERIUS DVX VENETIAR Cross voided fleury, quartered with four grape leaves; in exergue, L A F (Ludovico Alvise Foscarini massaro). Rev. SANCTVS MARCVS VENET Shield with the lion of St. Mark; in exergue, 140. Paolucci –, cp. 1 (20 zecchini). Friedberg –.

Extremely rare and in exceptional condition for the issue. Wonderful reddish tone, light traces of double striking, otherwise good extremely fine NGC MS 62+, Top Pop (2184917-004)

Privately purchased from J. Schulman on the 11th of June 1938. From the Foscarini collection.