NGC-certified British Pattern Penny Realizes $166,000 at Spink Auction

Posted on 9/24/2019

A reminder of Edward VIII’s short reign, the 1937-dated coin was the centerpiece of the NGC-certified Waterbird Collection.

A 1937 Great Britain Edward VIII Pattern Bronze Penny graded NGC PF 63+ RB realized £133,200 (about $166,000 USD) at a Spink auction in London on September 24, 2019. It was part of the Waterbird Collection of rare British coins spanning six centuries, which were entirely certified by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®).


This 1937 Great Britain Edward VIII Bronze Pattern Penny is very rare because Edward VIII abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson before the coins could go into production. The coin is graded NGC PF 63+ RB and realized £133,200 (about $166,000 USD). Click images to enlarge.

Only a handful of Edward VIII patterns are known to exist in private hands. A pattern is a proposed coin design, and this coin never went into production because Edward VIII abdicated in late 1936 after less than a year in order to marry an American divorcee, Wallis Simpson. This extremely rare coin is graded NGC PF 63+ RB.


An 1808 Great Britain Soho P-1346 Penny graded NGC MS 65 BN is the only example of the date known. It realized £90,000 (about $112,300 USD). Click images to enlarge.

A second NGC-certified penny, an 1808 Great Britain Soho P-1346 believed to be a unique striking and graded NGC MS 65 BN realized £90,000 (about $112,300 USD).

Another pattern, this one a 1763 Great Britain Proof Pattern Guinea graded NGC PF 63 Cameo, realized £42,000 (about $52,400 USD). It is the only specimen certified by NGC and is a beautiful example of a mid-18^th century English gold pattern.

A 1726 Great Britain 2 Guineas graded NGC MS 64+ realized £38,400 (about $47,900 USD).

Spink 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.

Other notable coins in the collection included:

A 1687 England Bull-758, ESC-501 Half Crown graded NGC PF 63 that realized £36,000 (about $45,000 USD).
An 1822 Great Britain Bull-2381, ESC-650 Silver Pattern Half Crown graded NGC PF 64 that realized £31,200 (about $39,000 USD).
A 1681 England Two Guineas graded NGC MS 63 that also realized £31,200 (about $39,000 USD).
A (1600-01) England S-2607A Elizabeth I 8 Testerns graded NGC AU 55 that realized £30,000 (about $37,000 USD).
A 1693 England Two Guineas graded NGC MS 61+ that realized £20,400 (about $25,400 USD).
A (1483-85) England Angel graded NGC UNC Details Damaged that also realized £20,400 (about $25,400 USD).

Prices realized include buyer’s premium.

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NGC-certified British Pattern Penny Realizes $166,000 at Spink Auction

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