GREAT BRITAIN. 5 Pounds, 1826. London Mint. George IV. NGC PROOF-62 Ultra Cameo.S-3797; Fr-373; KM-702. Lettered edge. Mintage: 150 (estimated). Obverse: Bare head left; Reverse: Crowned and mantled coat-of-arms. An extraordinary design by the famed engraver William Wyon, this strongVERY RARE/strong proof offering is sometimes treated as a pattern piece rather than the large sized gold issue in the 1826 proof set. Regardless, its incredible rarity along with recent, immense interest in the works of Wyon aid in creating tremendous focus upon a specimen such as this. The fields are highly mirrored, while the devices present a pleasing, lightly frosted nature, both of which combine to form a rather alluring cameo contrast. A few scattered marks consistent with the grade are observed, but are not distracting, and overall, the appearance compares favorably to examples that have received higher numeric grades. Assuredly, an example destined for the finest of British cabinets or for the connoisseur of refined engraving such as that of William Wyon.From the Marlborough-Blenheim Collection.
