Ancient coins can command serious prices when they come up for auction. It turns out that key historical coins can also command huge premiums at auction. A recent sale of a prized coin from Great Britain handily outsold the Ancient Coin offered in Heritage Auctions August 19 – 20 auction (ANA WFOM World & Ancient Coins Platinum Night Signature Auction 3094).

Collectors Dashboard previously covered the Ancient Coins sold in the WTR collection which was affiliated. World Coins, specifically Great Britain, bested coins depicting Caesar’s assassination. A coin that only has one example can outperform a coin with several no matter how interesting the provenance. For the record, 9 examples of the “Una and the Lion” are known to exist. Only one of those 9 examples is graded PR66.

The Victoria gold Proof “Una and the Lion” 5 Pounds 1839 PR66 Ultra Cameo NGC is as the Heritage Auction describes the sole finest certified representative of the classic British gold rarity. The coin including buyer’s premium sold on August 19, 2021 for $1,440,000.00. (Feature image used from Heritage Auctions)

A near identical coin Victoria gold Proof “Una and the Lion” 5 Pounds 1839 PR64 Deep Cameo PCGS separated by two grading points and encapsulated by PCGS versus NGC was sold by Heritage Auctions on January 13, 2020 for $690,000.00.

The Heritage Auctions description said:

While well-regarded as a series chock-full of classic rarities and fiercely contested types, few issues within British numismatics have soared to the level of popularity and undeniable scarcity as the famed Una and the Lion 5 Pounds of William Wyon. Designed exclusively for inclusion in Victoria’s delayed 1839 Proof Set, the magnificent artistry presented with such precision here is well-known to have inspired as much renown when it was first produced 182 years ago, with demand far outstripping the 400 or so of these that were originally minted, making it necessary for the Royal Mint to produced examples to-order for almost 50 years until 1886. Although the imagery of the type–depicting the youthful Queen in the guise of Una from Edmund Spencer’s “The Faerie Queen”–has been well-discussed, encountering the coin in this quality offers a special occasion for us to stop and pause for closer examination. Even from an arm’s length, the quality of the offering is simply undeniable, its surfaces so perfectly and deeply cameoed against flawlessly rendered devices picked out in heavy mint frost as to almost appear more as a modern striking than an emission of the early to mid 19th century. Each fold of Victoria’s gown, down to the lace embroidery, the hairs of the lion’s mane, and the ornamentation on Victoria’s headband is painstakingly accurate and razor-sharp.

Although Wilson and Rasmussen note a total of 9 varieties for the issue, ranging in rarity from R2 to R7, these are essentially irrelevant given the desirability of the design on the whole, this confirmed by the skyrocketing auction results for the type in recent years–a PR64 Deep Cameo realizing $690,000 in our January 2020 Auction #3081, and a PR66 Ultra Cameo 984,000 Euros in October of the same year ($1.148 million at the time). At present the single finest example certified across either NGC or PCGS, and the only representative to be awarded the coveted “star” designation for outstanding visual quality, and as such an absolutely monumental occasion.

The British took investment gold to new levels with several other high realized sales in this auction. Spanning ages of the monarchy are unique specimens such as:

Charles I gold Triple Unite 1643 MS61 NGC which sold for $264,000.00 on August 19, 2021 after 10 bids.

Victoria gold Proof “Una and the Lion” 5 Pounds 1839 Proof Details (Repaired) NGC sold for $192,000.00 on August 19, 2021 after 16 bids.

James II gold 5 Guineas 1688 MS62 PCGS sold for $174,000.00 on August 19, 2021 after 7 bids.

George III silver Proof Pattern “Three Graces” Crown 1817 PR62 PCGS sold for $132,000.00 on August 19, 2021 after 19 bids.

Victoria gold Proof 5 Pounds 1887 PR64 Cameo NGC sold for $108,000.00 on August 19, 2021 after 14 bids.

Victoria gold Proof 5 Pounds 1887 PR65 Ultra Cameo NGC sold for $102,000.00 on August 19, 2021 after 14 bids.

George II gold 5 Guineas 1753 MS62 NGC sold for $96,000.00 on August 19, 2021 after 12 bids.

George IV 6-Piece Certified gold & silver Proof Set 1821 listed below sold for $72,000.00 on August 19, 2021 after 11 bids.

• 1) 6 Pence – PR66 NGC, KM678, S-3813
• 2) Shilling – PR65 NGC, KM679, S-3810
• 3) 1/2 Crown – PR62 NGC, KM676, S-3807
• 4) Crown – PR63 NGC, KM680.2, S-3805
• 5) 1/2 Sovereign – PR64 Ultra Cameo NGC, KM681, S-3802
• 6) Sovereign – PR66 Deep Cameo PCGS, KM682, S-3800, W&R-231. Reeded edge.

Elizabeth II gold Proof Britannia 800 Pounds (30 oz) 2017 PR70 Ultra Cameo NGC sold for $69,000.00 on August 19, 2021 after 13 bids.

Elizabeth II gold Proof Britannia 800 Pounds (30 oz) 2017 PR69 Ultra Cameo NGC sold for $69,000.00 on August 19, 2021 after 8 bids.

British gold coin values of this magnitude will have very little to do with the current spot price of gold. Heritage Auctions featured the finest examples known and collectors participated. The sales establish many new opinions on British gold. Comparing some of these coins from Britain may seem odd in context of modern civilization and that far back in history. That said, it feels a tad odd that British gold coins would outsell the nicest coins of the Roman Empire some 2,000 years later.