George V 1934 'Wreath' V.I.P. proof Crown, PF65, exceptional rarity

George V (1910-36),0.500 silver Proof Wreath Crown, 1934, struck for V.I.P.s, bare head left, BM raised on truncation for engraver Bertram Mackennal, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, GEORGIVS V DEI GRA: BRITT: OMN: REX,rev.Imperial Crown, date above, emblematic wreath surrounding with roses, thistles and shamrocks, small K.G. to right of lowest rose for engraver Kruger Gray, denomination in words at bottom, Latin legend surrounding, .FID. .DEF. .IND. .IMP. (Bull 3648 R6; cf. ESC 374; L&S 43; S.4036).Toned with mirrored brilliance, few light surface marks otherwise practically as struck, extremely rare, graded by NGC as PF65, exceptional.

NGC Certification 6320209-003 - struck for very important people - VIP issue. Currently NGC have only graded 8 proofs of which four are slightly finer. PCGS have graded 7 proofs of which there single finest is the equal of this coin.

Calendar Year Mintage, 932 for the currency coin, making it the rarest one in the series - however the VIP proofs are excessively rare.

The legends translate across both sides of these denominations as "George the Fifth by the grace of God, King of all the Britains, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India."

The Wreath Crown design by Kruger Gray was much admired and the type design continued in succeeding years at the request of the Bank of England who liked to stock them at Christmas time to present to good clients, hence why the mintages were always quite small for the normal currency pieces. Bertram Mackennal (later knighted) was the Australian engraver responsible for the obverse design. The 1934 Crown was the smallest issue of the wreath crown series, probably because the silver Jubilee designs of 1935 were already being anticipated as a fresh change from the wreath issue.

The proof version is very seldomly encountered.