Edward VIII 13-coin proof sets
By Coinsanduk | Thursday, 13 May 2021
On March 25, 2021 a 5 pounds pattern 1937 featuring Edward VIII sold for £1,900,000 after 42 bids at Heritage Auctions. This coin is certified PR-67 Ultra Cameo by NGC. Only a few proof sets where produced for Edward VIII, consisting of:
- Farthing (bronze)
- Half Penny (bronze)
- Penny (bronze)
- 3 pence (nickel-brass)
- 3 pence (silver)
- 6 pence (silver)
- Shilling (silver)
- Florin - 2 shillings (silver)
- Half crown (silver)
- Crown (silver)
- Sovereign (gold)
- 2 pounds (gold)
- 5 pounds (gold)
No half sovereign was produce.
According to Joseph Giordano, in his Portraits of a Prince, recorded approximately 6 sets known to him in 2009, most of which have been broken-up since their initial issuance.
Because no authorization was fiven to make them legal tender, they are considered patterns and even the former king received on of this set. Most of them were hid until 1970.
On the Edward VIII 1937 patterns, the King broke with tradition with the design of the coin. Historically, it is the custom that each monarch should face the opposite way to his or her predecessor when new currency is produced. However, Edward insisted on being depicted facing the same way as his father, King George V, because he preferred his left profile.
Back in 2010, only one complete set was known in private hands and it sold at a Goldberg auction in California for around £1,500,000 (less than the single coin 5 pounds in March this year. This set is residing in the Tyrant Collection and another complete set exist in the Royal Mint collection.
Only 2 Edward VIII 5 pounds 1937 are known in private hands, according to Heritage Auctions.
Sales history of 1937 Edward VIII patterns coins:
- 5 pounds (ex. Paramount Collection) - £1,900,000 in March 2021 (PR67 Ultra Cameo by NGC)
- Sovereign (ex. Hemisphere and R. E. Gibson collections) - £430,000 in May 2014 (uncertified and described as hairlined over both sides). Brokered by the Royal Mint for £1,000,000 in January 2020 (when it was described as having been certified PR63 Cameo).
- Crown (ex. Richard Lobel Collection) - Around £200,000 in January 2020 (uncertified)
- 6 Pence (ex. Richard Lobel Collection) - Around £35,000 in January 2019 (PR63+ by PCGS)
- 3 Pence (ex. Penn Collection) - Around £45,000 in our January 2021 NYINC Auction (MS61 by NGC)
- Penny (ex. Waterbird and Richard Lobel collections) - £111,000 in September 2019 (PR63+ Red and Brown by NGC)
Catalogue numbers for the 5 pounds:
- KM: Pn134
- Fr: 406 (Very Rare)
- Spink: 4063
- Schneider: Unlisted
- L&S: Unlisted
- W&R: 432 (R6)
Specifications
Farthing
- Composition: Bronze (95.5% copper, 3% tin, 1.5% zinc)
- Weight: 2.86 g
- Diameter 20.2 mm
- Die axis: ↑↑
- Edge: Plain
Half Penny
- Composition: Bronze (95.5% copper, 3% tin, 1.5% zinc)
- Weight: 5.69 g
- Diameter 25.48 mm
- Die axis: ↑↑
- Edge: Plain
Penny
- Composition: Bronze (95.5% copper, 3% tin, 1.5% zinc)
- Weight: 9.4 g
- Diameter 31 mm
- Die axis: ↑↑
- Edge: Plain
3 pence (Nickel-Brass)
- Composition: Nickel-Brass (79% copper, 20% zinc, 1% nickel)
- Weight: 6.8 g
- Diameter 21/21.6 mm
- Die axis: ↑↑
- Edge: Plain
3 pence (Silver)
- Composition: Silver (50% silver, 50% copper, 5% nickel, 5% zinc)
- Weight: 1.4 g
- Diameter 16.3 mm
- Die axis: ↑↑
- Edge: Plain
6 pence
- Composition: Silver (50% silver, 50% copper, 5% nickel, 5% zinc)
- Weight: 2.8 g
- Diameter 19 mm
- Die axis: ↑↑
- Edge: Reeded
Shilling
- Composition: Silver (50% silver, 50% copper, 5% nickel, 5% zinc)
- Weight: 5.6 g
- Diameter 23.7 mm
- Die axis: ↑↑
- Edge: Reeded
Florin
- Composition: Silver (50% silver, 50% copper, 5% nickel, 5% zinc)
- Weight: 11.39 g
- Diameter 28.5 mm
- Die axis: ↑↑
- Edge: Reeded
Half crown
- Composition: Silver (50% silver, 50% copper, 5% nickel, 5% zinc)
- Weight: 14.09 g
- Diameter 32.2 mm
- Die axis: ↑↑
- Edge: Reeded
Crown
- Composition: Silver (50% silver, 50% copper, 5% nickel, 5% zinc)
- Weight: 14.09 g
- Diameter 38.61 mm
- Die axis: ↑↑
- Edge: Reeded
Sovereign
- Composition: Gold (91.67% gold)
- Weight: 7.98 g
- Diameter 22.05 mm
- Die axis: ↑↑
- Edge: Reeded
2 pounds
- Composition: Gold (91.67% gold)
- Weight: 16 g
- Diameter 28 mm
- Die axis: ↑↑
- Edge: Reeded
5 pounds
- Composition: Gold (91.67% gold)
- Weight: 40 g
- Diameter 37 mm
- Die axis: ↑↑
- Edge: Reeded
