NGC Certifies Impressive Waterbird Collection of British Rarities

Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®) has certified the Waterbird Collection, an impressive array of rare British coins spanning almost six centuries. The coins range from a rare gold noble of King Henry IV struck circa 1412-13 to a 2002 Gold Maundy set from the Cook Islands.

Among the many highlights of the collection is an exceptionally rare 1937 Great Britain Edward VIII Pattern Bronze Penny. Edward VIII was King of Great Britain from January 20 to December 11, 1936, when he abdicated to marry an American divorcee. As a result of his unforeseen abdication, the coins that were scheduled to be struck bearing his portrait and name never went into production.

Only a handful of Edward VIII patterns are known to exist in private hands. (A pattern is a proposed coin design.) This extremely rare specimen is graded NGC PF 63+ RB and will undoubtedly attract significant interest from bidders when the Waterbird Collection is sold by Spink on September 24, 2019. The coin has an estimate of £60,000 to £80,000 (about $73,000 to $97,700 USD).

This 1937 Great Britain Edward VIII Bronze Pattern Penny is very rare because Edward abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson before the coins could go into production. Click images to enlarge.

Spink recently submitted the entire Waterbird Collection to NGC International UK Ltd. (NGC UK), NGC’s UK affiliate. NGC UK was established in mid-2018 to better serve collectors and dealers in the country.

An 1808 Great Britain Soho P-1346 Penny is the only example of the date known. It was graded at NGC MS 65 BN. Click images to enlarge.

Another important rarity in the collection is a 1808 Great Britain Soho P-1346 Penny, believed to be a unique striking in exceptional condition. It is graded NGC MS 65 BN and has an estimate of £80,000 to £100,000 (about $97,000 to $121,000 USD).

A 1763 Pattern Gold Guinea is another special coin in the Waterbird Collection. Graded NGC PF 63 Cameo, it is the only specimen certified by NGC and is a gorgeous example of a mid-18th century English gold pattern. Its estimate is £30,000 to £40,000 (about $36,300 to $48,400 USD).

All of the coins in the Waterbird Collection can be viewed in an NGC online image gallery at NGCcoin.com/waterbird or NGCcoin.uk/waterbird.

“The Waterbird Collection will present many once-in-a-lifetime rarities when it is sold by Spink on September 24,” says Spink Senior Coin Specialist Greg Edmund. “NGC’s certification will provide collectors around the world greater comfort when they bid on these exceptional coins.”

“We are honored that Spink chose NGC to certify this important collection,” says Mark Salzberg, NGC Chairman and Grading Finalizer. “The collector clearly had an impeccable eye for both rarity and quality.”

Other notable coins in this collection include:

• A (1600-01) England S-2607A Elizabeth I 8 Testerns graded NGC AU 55 with an estimate of £30,000 to £40,000 (about $36,300 to $48,400 USD)
• A 1726 England 2 Guineas graded NGC MS 64+ with an estimate of £25,000 to £30,000 (about $30,200 to $36,300 USD)
• A 1687 England BULL-758, ESC-501 Half Crown graded NGC PF 63 with an estimate of £20,000 to £25,000 (about $24,200 to $30,200 USD)
• An 1822 Great Britain BULL-2381, ESC-650 Silver Pattern Half Crown graded NGC PF 64 with an estimate of £20,000 to £30,000 (about $24,200 to $36,300 USD)
• A 1681 Great Britain Two Guineas graded NGC MS 63 with an estimate of £20,000 to £25,000 (about $24,200 to $30,200 USD).
• A 1693 England Two Guineas graded NGC MS 61+ with an estimate of £15,000 to £20,000 (about $18,100 to $24,200 USD)
• A (1422-30) England S-1799 Henry VI Gold Noble graded NGC MS 64 with an estimate of £10,000 to £12,000 (about $12,100 to $15,000 USD)

For more information and to bid, go to Spink.com.