MDC Monaco Offers Stunning Una and the Lion, the Finest Certified by NGC

A high-grade example of an elite and popular coin from Great Britain is among hundreds of rarities certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company® (NGC®) in an upcoming auction. Bidding is already underway for the MDC Monaco Auction 15, which will be held on October 23-24, 2024.

The centerpiece of the auction is the Great Britain 1839 Una and the Lion 5 Sovereign graded NGC PF 66★ Ultra Cameo (lot 1773), with a starting price of €700,000 (about $777,000). The obverse features a bust of Queen Victoria by chief engraver of the Royal Mint William Wyon — who also designed and sculpted the coin’s more famous reverse with Queen Victoria as Lady Una, a character from Edmund Spenser’s 1590 poem “The Faerie Queene.” The coin’s design is generally considered to be the most beautiful in English numismatics, and this is the finest example in the NGC Census. This coin was offered at auction in 2021, when it realized seven figures.

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Another spectacular coin up for bidding is an Italy 1610 Guastalla 10 Doppie graded NGC MS 61 and pedigreed to the Paramount Collection (lot 1872), which has a starting price of €400,000 (about $444,000). Only four examples are known, including three in private collections. The coin shows Ferrante II Gonzaga, who ruled Guastalla in the early 1600s. Guastalla is located at the crossroads of major trade routes in northern Italy, about halfway between Venice and Genoa.

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Also available is a France 1640A Draped Bust 10 Louis d’Or graded NGC AU Details (lot 761), with a starting price of €250,000 (about $278,000). This is a highly sought-after gold coin, minted during the reign of King Louis XIII. Struck in Paris, it showcases a finely detailed draped bust of the king on the obverse, symbolizing both his authority and the classical influences of the time.

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Other NGC-certified coins in this auction include:

• a France 1855 Essai Gold 100 Francs graded NGC PF 65 Cameo (lot 1240), with a starting price of €200,000 (about $222,000)
• a Switzerland Alliance with France 1777-dated Gold Medal graded NGC UNC Details (lot 912), with a starting price of €120,000 (about $133,000)
• a Roman Empire, Constantine I (A.D. 307-337) Gold Medallion graded NGC Ancients Ch AU★, 5/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface (lot 186), with a starting price of €100,000 (about $111,000)
• a Netherlands 1688 Gold 28 Stuivers graded NGC MS 62 (lot 2014), with a starting price of €100,000 (about $111,000)
• a France 1853 Essai Gold 5 Francs graded NGC PF 61 Cameo and pedigreed to the Paramount Collection (lot 1248), with a starting price of €80,000 (about $89,000)
• a Belgium 1853 Royal Wedding Gold 100 Francs - Hyphen Between Dates graded NGC SP 65 Ultra Cameo (lot 464), with a starting price of €60,000 (about $67,000)
• a Great Britain 1845 Plain Edge Crown graded NGC PF 64 (lot 1776), with a starting price of €60,000 (about $67,000)
• a Roman Empire, Vitellius (A.D. 69) Gold Aureus graded NGC Ancients XF, 5/5 Strike and 3/5 Surface with Fine Style (lot 139), with a starting price of €50,000 (about $56,000)
• a Belgium 1911 Gold Pattern 100 Francs graded NGC MS 60 (lot 473), with a starting price of €50,000 (about $56,000)
• an England (1584-86) Sovereign graded NGC MS 62 (lot 1738), with a starting price of €50,000 (about $57,000)

Starting prices are provided by the auction house. The € symbol indicates Euros, and the $ symbol indicates US Dollars.