George III 1819 Crown LIX edge, engraved by Pistrucci, MS60

George III (1760-1820), silver Crown, 1819 LIX, laureate head right, PISTRUCCI below truncation, date below, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, GEORGIUS III D:G: BRITANNIARUM REX F: D:, rev. St. George and the Dragon right, PISTRUCCI in exergue, Order of the Garter motto in French surrounding, HONI. SOIT. QUI. MAL. Y. PENSE, edge inscribed in raised letters and dated, DECUS ET TUTAMEN ANNO REGNI LIX, the only stop apparent appears to be one half off the rim after the edge year, weight 28.23g (Bull 2010; ESC 215; S.3787). Attractively toned, dig marks to cheek and in field on both sides, slight double striking on reverse, graded by NGC as MS60.

NGC Certification 6674855-017

Calendar year mintage 683,400.

The Latin legend translates on the obverse as "George the Third, by the grace of God, King of the Britons, Defender of the Faith" and the French on the reverse, "Evil to him who evil thinks," additionally on the edge "An ornament and a safeguard, in the 59th year of the reign".

Perhaps the favourite coin of William Wellesley Pole the Master of the Mint at this time and older brother of the Duke of Wellington, the silver Crowns engraved by Italian engraver Benedetto Pistrucci were released with a glowing sense of pride in that Pole ordered that each piece was wrapped in tissue paper before being sent out to the banks for circulation. Considered as a piece of numismatic art by Pole who had made the sometime fiery Pistrucci the Chief Engraver in all but name as an Italian could not hold such an office in the Royal Mint officially at that time, the name of the engraver features prominently in full on both sides of the coin.