Numismatics

Photo Credit: Holgate-Numismatics

1929 Hungarian Proof Restrike Silver 5 Pengo Pattern from 1965

Buy It Now Price: $183.95 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Stunning is the best description for this ultra-rare 1929 Hungarian proof restrike silver 5 Pengo pattern coin.  The pattern shows the king of Hungary, Saint Ladislaus I, on the obverse.  He was the embodiment medieval Hungarian chivalry.  On the reverse are two angels holding the Hungarian crown above the national coat of arms.

-This Hungarian proof restrike pattern is quite large, with a diameter of 35 mm (1.38 inches) and a weight of 25.27 grams (0.8124 troy ounces).  It is struck from solid silver and is about the size of a U.S. silver dollar – factors that significantly enhance its value.

-A pattern is a coin that has been struck by a national mint for test purposes and is not intended for public circulation.  Pattern coins often have unusual or experimental designs that are never adopted for mass circulation issues.

-Pattern coins are usually ultra-rare, with mintages ranging from just a few specimens to perhaps a few thousand at the most.  This 1929 Hungarian proof restrike silver 5 Pengo pattern has a mintage of around 1,000 specimens – a small fraction of the million plus mintages of modern commemorative coins.

-This 1929 Hungarian proof restrike 5 Pengo pattern is not original, but is instead a restrike from 1965.  Artex, the state-owned trading subsidiary of the national Hungarian mint, restruck several classic late 19th and early 20th century Hungarian coins and patterns in the mid 1960s.  These Hungarian proof restrikes were sold in the West in order to raise hard currency for the Communist Hungarian regime.

-All of the Artex Hungarian proof restrike coins and patterns are of exceptional quality and command strong prices on the collector’s market.

-This 1929 Hungarian proof restrike silver 5 Pengo pattern has been third-party certified by NGC (Numismatic Guaranty Corporation) as Ultra Cameo Proof 66 – an exceptionally high grade that is approaching perfection (70 is the top of the grading scale).

–Foreign pattern coins often have low mintages and reasonable prices, making them exceptional values in the rare coin market.  At only $184, this 1929 Hungarian proof restrike silver 5 Pengo pattern is a solid investment.

Cons:

-Under normal circumstances original coins are more desirable than restrikes.  However, in the case of Hungarian proof Artex restrikes from the 1960s there is usually little price differential.  In some instances, the restrikes are actually more valuable than the originals due to their superb quality!

Photo Credit: COINS-OF-THE-WORLD-Bought-and-Sold

Silver George IV Coronation Medal from 1821

Buy It Now Price: $292.50 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is an excellent example of an official George IV coronation medal, struck in silver by the renowned Italian medal engraver Benedetto Pistrucci in 1821.

-This George IV coronation medal measures 35 mm (1.38 inches) in diameter and weighs about 17 grams (0.55 troy ounces)

-The official George IV coronation medal shows a bust of the new king on its obverse.  The reverse depicts a coronation scene with George IV being crowned by the winged angel of peace while personifications of the British realms – Britannia, Scotia and Hibernia – swear allegiance to him.

-Benedetto Pistrucci was a famous Italian gem, medal and coin engraver who lived from 1783 to 1855.  In 1815 Pistrucci immigrated to London where, due to his superlative technical skills, he was soon appointed as the Chief-medallist to the Royal British Mint.  He is perhaps best known for having created the iconic design of Saint George slaying the dragon that has graced the reverse of British gold sovereigns uninterrupted from 1817 to the present.

-King George IV ruled the United Kingdom from 1820 to 1830 and was best known for indulging in extravagant excess.  He drank too much, kept many mistresses and racked up massive debts.  In keeping with his lifelong theme of personal excess, George IV’s coronation cost a staggering £243,000, the equivalent of a sizable fortune in early 19th century Britain.

-Almost every British monarch for the last several hundred years has had official, and oftentimes several varieties of unofficial, coronation medals struck upon their ascension to the throne.  This George IV coronation medal is official, which is generally more desirable than an unofficial version.  It is also struck in silver, which has more cachet than bronze versions of the same medal.

–Antique European art medals are extremely undervalued in today’s asset market.  I especially like coronation medals for their royal associations.  In light of the fact that this George IV coronation medal is also almost 200 years old and struck in solid silver, the asking price of $292.50 seems a bargain.

Cons:

-If you’re willing to wait, you might be able to find a similar George IV coronation medal in the low to mid $200 range.  I don’t think that is a sure thing by any stretch of the imagination, however.  In any case, you can always make a lower offer to the seller if you think $292.50 is too expensive.

-This coronation medal is on the smaller side.  Many antique art medals significantly exceed the size and weight of a U.S. silver dollar.  This is not one of those medals.

-There is very little else negative that I can say about this piece.  An investment-grade, 200 year old silver British coronation medal in good condition for less than $300?  Sign me up!

Photo Credit: civitasgalleries

English 17th Century Hand Hammered Charles I Shilling

Buy It Now Price: $340 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is a photogenic example of a beautiful hand hammered Charles I shilling from mid 17th century England.  The obverse depicts the bust of Charles I, the king of England, Scotland and Ireland.  The reverse shows the British coat of arms.

-This Charles I shilling weighs 5.96 grams (0.1916 troy ounces) and is struck from sterling silver.  It measures 32 mm (1.26 inches) in diameter.

-The triangle mint mark on this Charles I shilling indicates that this coin was struck in the famed Tower of London in either 1639 or 1640.

-Charles I was an autocratic English monarch whose overbearing style of governance and never-ending lust for fresh tax revenue eventually led to the English Civil War (1642 to 1651) between the Royalist Cavaliers and the Parliamentarian Roundheads.

-Charles I and his Royalist supporters lost the war, leading to his execution in 1649.

-The shilling was a pre-decimal English denomination.  There were a dozen pence in a shilling and 20 shillings in a pound; 240 pence equaled a pound.  This medieval monetary system was phased out in the U.K. in favor of decimalization in 1971.

-Shillings, originally called testoons, were first minted during the reign of Henry VII in the early 16th century.  But they did not become a common circulating denomination until the mid 16th century.

-This Charles I shilling is a great example of hand hammered coinage.  Hand hammering was an ancient and medieval minting technology where a coin blank was placed between a stationary anvil die and a handheld upper die.  The upper die was then struck by a heavy hammer to impress the design from the dies onto the coin’s surface.

-Hand hammered coinage was rapidly replaced by mechanically struck, or milled coinage, starting in the 17th century.  In fact, this Charles I shilling from 1639-1640 was one of the last series of hand hammered English coins.  Within 25 years, British milled coins had completely displaced their medieval, hand hammered predecessors.

-Given the rarity, condition and attractive appearance of this historic 17th century hand hammered Charles I shilling, I think the price of $340 is fair.

Cons:

-The portrait of Charles I on this piece is relatively indistinct.  That definitely makes this coin less desirable than if it were to have a strong, boldly struck portrait.  This has a moderate to significant impact on the coin’s value.

-The reverse of the coin displays some weak striking (at 5 o’clock and 8 o’clock).  However, hand hammered coins are notorious for their inconsistent strikes.  Therefore, a strike of this nature is considered fairly normal.  A superb strike would sell for a hefty premium, though.

-There were much larger English silver coins struck during the reign of Charles I, including 1/2 crown (2 1/2 shilling) and crown (5 shilling) denominations.  All else being equal, a larger, more impressive coin would be more desirable.