Victoria 1859 cupro-nickel pattern proof Halfpenny, PCGS PR63

Victoria (1837-1901), Pattern Decimal Halfpenny, 1859, struck in cupro-nickel unsigned, beaded border, crown at centre, small rose below, legend surrounds from bottom left VICTORIA D: G: BRIT: REGINA F: D: rev. value as ½ , PENNY above, date below, rose either side, edge incusely dotted (Peck 2037 ER). Lightly toned as struck, frosted fields with excellent central details, the odd carbon spot, extremely rare, graded by PCGS as PR63.

PCGS Certification 48587327.

The Latin obverse legend translates as "Victoria by the grace of God, Queen of the Britons, Defender of the Faith"

This coin represents one of a more extensive series of patterns produced between 1857 and 1859 which are all listed by C. Wilson Peck in "English Copper, Tin and Bronze Coin in the British Museum 1558-1958" This pattern forms part of group 6 dated 1859 with companion Two Pence and Penny denominations in cupro-nickel, some of which are undated.

Peck notes that these are all official patterns made in anticipation of a change to decimal coinage which had been under agitated discussion since at least 1841 spearheaded by Sir John Bowring and latterly with the Decimal Association being formed in 1854. There was perhaps a need for smaller lightweight coins and varying metals were trialled by virtue of these patterns. Many seem to have been the work of James Wyon who was Resident Engraver from 1851-60 and cousin of Leonard C. Wyon. Many of the surviving examples have also found their way to institutional museum collections over the years leaving the population of coins for collectors much smaller than it could have been. Pack tells us the Royal Mint Museum has examples of all 41 patterns produced in the two-year period through the six groups. Most others that were available to collectors were first sold in the Murdoch collection in 1904 which contained 26 pieces. Subsequently the W. G. Saward (Royal Mint Employee of 36 years) collection of 1910 added another 35 examples. Many of these 61 examples then found their way into the T. B. Clarke-Thornhill collection from which a majority were passed to the British Museum collection (at least 37 pieces) with any leftover in his sale of 1937. In 1953 the A. W. Foster sale contained 26 examples from the extant population and were all purchased to go towards the Bank of England Museums holdings. 23 other examples once in the collection of R. A. Hill found their way to the Blackburn Museum collection, who sold his collection through Glendining in 1930. Peck also notes he had 28 examples in his own collection at time of writing. These patterns remain all extremely rare with collectors today.

Ex Joanna Tansley Collection, DNW Auction 67, 28 September 2005, lot 381

Ex DNW Auction 79, 24 September 2008, lot 4039

Ex DNW Auction 283, 14^th November 2023, lot 634