NGC-certified Silver Pattern Una and the Lion Realizes Over $500,000 in Auction World Sale

A silver Una and the Lion certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company® (NGC®) drew spirited bidding in a recent Auction World sale. The rarity was among approximately 1,000 NGC-certified world and ancient coins being offered in the numismatic firm’s 31st Auction, which took place on January 28-29, 2023.

While most of these Great Britain 1839 5 Sovereigns were struck in gold, a few examples were struck in other metals, including silver. The coin’s obverse depicts a bust of the young Queen Victoria, while the reverse takes inspiration from Edmund Spenser’s “The Faerie Queen,” showing Queen Victoria as Una guiding a lion — a popular scene from the poem. This Great Britain 1839 Una and the Lion Silver Pattern 5 Sovereign graded NGC PF 64 and pedigreed to the Douglas-Morris Collection (lot 3594) realized ¥74,370,000 (about $570,000).

Great Britain 1839 Una and the Lion Silver Pattern 5 Sovereign graded NGC PF 64 and pedigreed to the Douglas Morris Collection. Realized: ¥74,400,000 (about $570,000). Click images to enlarge.

Other NGC-certified coins in the auction included:

• a Germany 1726 VLON/HK Cologne 12 Ducat graded NGC UNC Details (lot 3316) that realized ¥18,093,000 (about $140,000)
• a (1680-1720) Switzerland Bern 10 Ducat graded NGC UNC Details and pedigreed to the Paramount Collection (lot 3869) that realized ¥14,763,000 (about $114,000)
• a Lydia (Croesus or later) after 561 BC Gold Stater graded NGC Ancients Ch MS, 5/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface (lot 3009) that realized ¥10,045,500 (about $77,200)
• a Roman Imperatorial Cleopatra VII & Mark Antony Silver Tetradrachm graded NGC Ancients Ch AU, 4/5 Strike and 2/5 Surface (lot 3076) that realized ¥9,324,000 (about $72,000)
• a Switzerland 1719-dated Zurich Gold Medal graded NGC MS 61 (lot 3918) that realized ¥7,770,000 (about $60,000)
• a Ptolemaic Kingdom Gold Octodrachm graded NGC Ancients MS, 4/5 Strike and 4/5 Surface (lot 3072) that realized ¥7,215,000 (about $56,000)
• an Italy 1773 GP Venice Gold Osella graded NGC MS 63 and pedigreed to the Eric P. Newman Collection (lot 3765) that realized ¥6,882,000 (about $53,000)
• a Great Britain 1839 Half Sovereign graded NGC PF 66 Ultra Cameo and pedigreed to the Eric P. Newman Collection (lot 3574) that realized ¥5,550,000 (about $43,000)

Prices realized include a buyer’s premium. The $ symbol represents US Dollars.