NGC at the Forefront of British Numismatics

Posted on 2/16/2021

NGC has certified record-setting rarities and serves collectors and dealers from its London office.

This month, Great Britain is marking the 50th anniversary of a landmark change in its coinage with the decimalization of February 14, 1971. At this important moment in the coin collecting hobby, Numismatic Guaranty Corporation™ (NGC®) is proud to reflect on its position at the forefront of supporting British numismatics.

With a firm commitment to accuracy, consistency and integrity, NGC is a leading third-party certification service for coins, tokens and medals. Since 1987, NGC has authenticated and graded more than 48 million coins, each one protected by the state-of-the-art NGC holder and backed by the comprehensive NGC Guarantee.

Two NGC-certified British rarities surpass $1 millionrealize £888,000
A pair of NGC-certified coins each recently set a new world record for British coins sold at auction. An 1839 "Una and the Lion" Five Pounds graded NGC PF 66 Ultra Cameo and an 1831 Gold Crown graded NGC PF 66★ Ultra Cameo each realized € 984,000 (about $1.148 million£888,000) at an MDC Monaco auction held in October 2020. To learn more, click here.

1839 "Una and the Lion" Gold Five Pounds graded NGC PF 66 Ultra Cameo. Realized: € 984,000 (about $1.148 million£888,000
Click images to enlarge.

Great Britain 1831 Gold Crown graded NGC PF 66★ Ultra Cameo. Realized: € 984,000 (about $1.148 million£888,000
Click images to enlarge.

The previous record-setting Una and the Lion was also NGC-certified

The result in Monaco broke a record set just a few months earlier for an Una and the Lion, which is widely regarded as the most beautiful coin in British numismatics. An NGC-certified example sold for 99,475,000 Yen (about $930,000about £746,000) at an auction in Japan in May 2020, demonstrating that bidders around the world trust coins that are certified by NGC. To learn more, click here.

1839 Victoria Gold “Una and the Lion” Five Pounds. Realized: 99,475,000 Yen (about $930,000about £746,000)
Click images to enlarge.

NGC certifies both vintage and modern British ultra-rarities
NGC's grading team has the expertise to certify both vintage and modern coins. At a sale of world coins in the United States in January, the top two lots were both certified by NGC and far exceeded their pre-auction estimates. The Gold Penny of King Henry III graded NGC MS 63 realized $720,000 (about £524,000). The 2019 Una and the Lion Gold 2,000 Pounds graded NGC PF 69 Ultra Cameo realized $360,000 (about £262,000). NGC's expert certification gives bidders confidence when bidding on coins in any price range. To learn more, click here.

(1257) England Gold Penny graded NGC MS 63. Realized: $720,000 (about £524,000)
Click images to enlarge

Great Britain 2019 Una and the Lion Gold 2000 Pounds graded NGC PF 69 Ultra Cameo and attributed as COA #1. Realized: $360,000 (about £262,000)
Click images to enlarge

NGC-certified silver threepence doubles its estimate
Another NGC-certified British coin that raced past its estimate was a rare 1945 Silver Threepence graded NGC MS 63. It realized £62,000 (almost $74,000 USD) at an online sale by a London-based auction house in March 2020. The amount was more than double its pre-sale estimate. To learn more, click here.

This 1945 Great Britain Silver King George VI 3 Pence graded NGC MS 63
realized £62,000 (almost $74,000 USD).
Click images to enlarge.

NGC certifies outstanding British collections
NGC has certified some impressive collections of British coins. Among them is the Waterbird Collection, which included a rare Edward VIII Pattern Penny that realized £133,200 (about $166,000 USD) at a sale in London in September 2019. Another special group of coins is the Beeston Collection, a diverse assortment of British error coins whose owner sought out NGC's expertise. To learn more about the Waterbird Collection, click here. To learn more about the Beeston Collection, click here.

1937 Great Britain Edward VIII Bronze Pattern Penny graded NGC PF 63+ RB and pedigreed to the Waterbird Collection. Realized: £133,200 (about $166,000 USD).
Click images to enlarge.

(2015) Great Britain Two Pounds graded NGC Mint Error MS 66 - Double Struck, Both Sides Off Center and pedigreed to the Beeston Collection
Click images to enlarge

NGC certifies an extremely rare coin offered by The Royal Mint
Meanwhile, The Royal Mint, the official mint of the United Kingdom, has partnered with NGC to have NGC expertly grade and encapsulate portions of its unique product offerings and select historic pieces, such as an extremely rare Type 2 Henry VII Sovereign. To learn more, click here.

Type 2 Henry VII Sovereign graded NGC AU 50
Click images to enlarge.

NGC certifies Edward VIII ultra-rarity
Another British ultra-rarity is being offered in March at an auction in the United States. A 1937 Edward VIII 5 Sovereign Pattern graded NGC PF 67 Ultra Cameo is part of the unparalleled Paramount Collection. To learn more, click here.

Great Britain 1937 Edward VIII 5 Sovereign Pattern graded NGC PF 67 Ultra Cameo
Click images to enlarge.

NGC has a team in London ready to serve you
NGC has been serving European collectors and dealers for over a decade. In the summer of 2018, it opened its London office, which is operated by its Britain-based affiliate, NGC International UK Limited™ (NGC UK™). If you have questions or would like more information about how NGC can serve you, visit NGCcoin.uk or contact the NGC UK office here.



Discuss on the NGC Chat Boards


Stay Informed

Want news like this delivered to your inbox once a month? Subscribe to the free NGC eNewsletter today!

Thanks!

You've been subscribed to the NGC eNewsletter.

Unable to subscribe to our eNewsletter. Please try again later.

Articles List

Add Coin

Join NGC for free to add coins, track your collection and participate in the NGC Registry. Learn more >

Join NGC

Already a member? Sign In
Add to NGC Coin Registry Example
The NGC Registry is not endorsed by or associated with PCGS or CAC. PCGS is a registered trademark of Collectors Universe, Inc. CAC is a trademark of Certified Acceptance Corporation.