NGC-certified British Trial Pieces Offered in Spink Sale

Over 100 coins certified by Numismatic Guaranty Company™ (NGC®), including fascinating experimental modern British pieces, are featured in an upcoming Spink sale. Bidding is already underway for the 50th Anniversary of Decimalisation e-Auction, which concludes on January 6, 2022.

Among the trial pieces is a Great Britain 1967 Bronze 2 New Pence - Proposed Coinage graded NGC MS 66 RB (lot 9120). The decimalization of 1971 greatly simplified British coinage, which had previously relied on a difficult-to-calculate system where 12 pennies made a shilling and 20 shillings made a pound. Preparations for the changeover took years and included trials like this coin, which has an estimate of £600 to £1,000 (about $810 to $1,340).

Great Britain 1967 Bronze 2 New Pence - Proposed Coinage graded NGC MS 66 RB Click image to enlarge.

The sale also includes several examples of a model of a 25 New Pence to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II to the Duke of Edinburgh. One in silver graded NGC PF 68 Ultra Cameo (lot 9121) has an estimate of £400 to £600 (about $540 to $810), while others in cupro-nickel (lot 9122), bronze (lot 9123) and two more in silver (lot 9124 and 9125) — all certified by NGC — are also being offered.

Great Britain 1972 Royal Wedding Anniversary 25 Pence - Silver Reverse Model graded NGC PF 68 Ultra Cameo Click image to enlarge.

Also featured in the auction are 11 examples of a later trial piece, a Great Britain 1981 Copper-Nickel Royal Mint Trial 7-Sided Experimental Coin (lots 9132 to 9142). The coins are graded NGC MS 65 to NGC MS 68, with estimates ranging from £250 to £350 (about $340 to $470) to £400 to £500 (about $540 to $670). Though dated 1981, they were reportedly struck in the 1990s, as the United Kingdom considered whether to replace the pound with the euro.

Great Britain 1981 Copper-Nickel Royal Mint Trial 7-Sided Experimental Coin graded NGC MS 66 Click image to enlarge.

Other NGC-certified highlights in the sale include:

• a Great Britain 2020 Great Engravers Three Graces Gold £200 graded NGC PF 69 Ultra Cameo with a First Releases designation (lot 9233) with an estimate of £15,000 to £20,000 (about $20,100 to $26,900)
• a Great Britain 1848 Silver Pattern 2 Shillings graded NGC PF 61 and pedigreed to the Minnesota Collection (lot 9070) with an estimate of £2,000 to £3,000 (about $2,700 to $4,000)
• a Great Britain 1887 5 Sovereign graded NGC UNC Details (lot 9031) with an estimate of £2,000 to £2,500 (about $2,700 to $3,300)
• a Great Britain 1983 2 Pence Muled with a 1982 2 Pence 'NEW PENCE' Reverse graded NGC MS 66★ RD and pedigreed to the McNicholas Collection (lot 9130) with an estimate of £800 to £1,200 (about $1,070 to $1,610)
• a group of seven Great Britain undated Tower Mint Trial pieces (50C, 20C, 10C, 5C, 2C, 1C and 1/4C) graded NGC MS 62 to NGC MS 64 (lot 9113) with an estimate of £300 to £400 (about $400 to $540)
• a France undated Pessac Essai 50 Cent graded NGC MS 64 (lot 9147) with an estimate of £50 to £80 (about $70 to $110)

All estimates are provided by the auction house. All dollar amounts are US Dollars.