Edward VIII 1937 matt proof Threepence, PF62, unique as matt finish, ex Globus and Portraits of a Prince collections

Edward VIII (Jan-Dec 1936), 0.500 silver matt Proof Threepence, 1937, bare head left, HP below for designer T Humphrey Paget, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, EDWARDVS VIII D: G: BR: OMN: REX, rev. struck en medaille, three interlinked rings of St Edmund, lower legend THREEPENCE, upper legend :FID: DEF: : IND: IMP: 1937, edge plain, weight 1.4g (Giordano P5b; cf.Bull 4015 R7; ESC -; S.p.512 note). Toned practically as struck, the only known example with a matt finish, has been graded and slabbed by NGC as PF62, of the highest rarity thus.

NGC Certification 4864279-001.

The Latin legends translate as on obverse "Edward the Eighth, by the grace of God, King of all the Britains," and on the reverse as "Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India."

This matt proof of the silver Threepence is of much higher rarity than the more often seen twelve sided brass threepence of currency format which was given out to vending machine manufacturers to adapt their new machinery to. We note an example of the brass threepence sold in the January 2023 Heritage Auction in New York for $144,000 which equated to £118,340 in NGC MS64.

The matt proof coins of this period are of the highest rarity as they were only produced for photographic purposes for internal use within the Mint to go toward promoting the eventual coins to the press when released. As Edward VIII's coinage was never issued it seems only a few matt proofs of the smaller denominations, had been produced by the time of the abdication. This coin is therefore unique at the current time and was last sold publicly at auction in Stacks of New York in the late 1990s.

Bull did not list the matt proof for the silver threepence.

For further reading of how the proposed coinage progressed from start till the King's abdication please see "The Proposed Coinage of Edward VIII" by G P Dyer, published by HMSO 1973.

Provenance:

Ex Dr Alfred Globus, Stacks, New York Coin Convention Auction, 1st December 1999, lot 1003.

Ex Portraits of a Prince, collection of Joseph S Giordano, Spink Auction 206, 21^st October 2010.