William IV (1830-37), silver Proof Crown, 1831, bare head right, initials W.W. incuse on truncation for engraver William Wyon, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, GULIELMUS IIII D: G: BRITANNIAR: REX F: D:, rev. inverted die axis, quartered shield of arms with a crowned escutcheon of the Arms of Hanover, within Order of the Garter upon crowned robed mantle, date below, ANNO 1831, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, edge plain, 27.87g (Bull 2462; L&S 1; ESC 271 R2; S.3833). Attractively toned with some streakiness though with reflective surfaces, reverse better, graded by NGC as PF60, rare.

NGC Certification 6674846-002

The magnificent silver Proof Crowns of King William IV are the largest portrait coins readily available of him. William Wyon produced them to go towards the complete proof sets dated for the year of his Coronation of which some 120+ sets were produced. There were no doubt extra proof coins to sell singly at the time and the Crown exists in two main varieties, the first that had Wyon's name spelt out in full in raised letters on the truncation as Pistrucci had once done in the reign of George III. It seems this initial pattern was not accepted as the coin to go towards the proof set as the die was altered to read merely W.W. incuse on the truncation as we have herewith for the bulk of the coins that exist today. Some very rare transitional pieces show a trace of the W.WYON with lines ruled over the top to erase it on the struck coins and the W.W. incuse to the left, but most show merely the W.W. incuse.

Provenance:
Ex F. R. Kuenker, Auction 152, 12th March 2009, lot 5270.
Ex Baldwin’s Fixed Price List, Winter 2009, item BM062.

Estimate: £ 9000 - 11000