Owner Comments:
GT.BRITAIN, KING EDWARD VII GOLD MATTE PROOF SOVEREIGN 1902 (S3969).
OBVERSE: Engraved by George William De Saulles, bare head facing right. The small letters De S (for De Saules) below the truncation in relief; toothed border and raised rim.
REVERSE: Engraved after Benedetto Pistrucci, St George slaying dragon with sword, cloak with complete hemline, three stand helmet streamer, horse with long tail, ending in three strands, with one spur higher up at curve, broken lance on ground-line to left, wwp in relief under lance, date in exergue, tiny B.P. to upper right, finely toothed border within twin linear concentric circles and raised rim.
ENGRAVERS and DESIGNERS: WHJ Blakemore, George William De Saules (1862-1903). Benedetto Pistruchi (1784-1855).
DIAMETER: 22.05 mm.
WEIGHT: 7.9987 g.
FINENESS: 22 carat.
EDGE: Milled.
MINTAGE: 15,123
RATING: C.
EDWARD VII, 1902 MATT PROOF GOLD SOVEREIGN
According to English Silver Coinage, just over 15,000 matt proof sets were issued of one formation or the other, which included a matt proof gold Sovereign. Single coins may well have been available on request to, so the final figure could be around 15,500 struck. The coinage of the reign of King Edward VII features a bare head portrait of the King facing to the right by George William De Saulles (4 February 1862 - 21 July 1903), who had been Chief Engraver since the death of Leonard Charles Wyon in 1892. De Saulles was authorised to execute new designs on 10 December 1901. His initials appear under the bust of the King and the titles now read EDWARDVS VII D: G: BRITT: OMN: REX F: D: IND: IMP: For the Sovereign the classic St George and dragon design continued, engraved after Pistrucci, still featuring the tiny wwp under the lance for William Wellesley Pole from his days of the Master-ship of the Mint about 1820. The reverse design still carries the inner linear circle and fine square teeth as used from the Jubilee head issue of Victoria through to the last issues of her reign. The coins have a milled edge. De Saulles died suddenly in the Summer of 1903 after a short illness, at Chiswick whilst working upon and preparing models for the Great Seal of Edward VII which had to be executed by Frank Bowcher.
EDWARD VII
The Reign of King Edward VII (House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha) : 1901-1910.
Born: 9 November 1841.
Accession: 22 January 1901.
Married: Alexandra of Denmark 10 March 1863.
Coronation: Saturday, 9 August 1902.
Children: three sons, three daughters.
Died: 6 May 1910, aged 69.
1902 GOLD SOVEREIGN PF 63 MATTE
Superb grade for this low relief coin.
NGC Pop 2 with none grading higher. (Total graded: 58)