George II gold "East India Company" 5 Guineas 1729 MS63 NGC, KM571.2, S-3664, Schneider-556. A true powerhouse of the British numismatic series, the East India Company 5 Guineas represents a confluence of appeals that renders it one of the most sought-after issues, not just in British coinage, but in all European coinage as well. Struck in a time when Britain had emerged as a clear first-rate military and economic force, the E.I.C. 5 Guineas carries an appeal beyond the mere fact of its production by a leading power, bearing the mark of the East India Company, the famed British joint-stock company which came to dominate world trade, at one point maintaining a larger private army than Britain itself. Struck on a broad and lustrous flan, the example at hand benefits from a sound strike that leaves sharp definition across the obverse and reverse features: George's neckline and facial features masterfully chiseled, his curls clearly contoured, the reverse shield uniformly crisp at the edges and topped with a delightfully ornamented crown, each element of which remains clearly defined against the surrounding visual elements. The overall presentation remains undeniably choice, the surfaces laden with ample golden luster that traverses the fields, absent any larger marks or distractions to deter the eye, with light wisps of handling serving as the only feature to bound the grade from higher echelons of certification. Simply put, the offering at hand remains a covetable example of its type, both rich in historical context and possessed of tremendous conditional rarity. Truly superb, and deserving of admittance into the highest tier cabinet of British rarities.

HID09801242017

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