The Hammersley Collection of Exceptional Sovereigns Fetched £274,000 at Noonans

The Hammersley Collection of exceptional British Milled Sovereigns fetched a hammer price of £274,000 on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at Noonans Mayfair. Comprising 62 lots, the collection, which was 100% sold, represented the best group of milled sovereigns to be dispersed in London for over a decade and was estimated to fetch in the region of £265,000.

Lot 2030: British. Victoria (1837-1901). Sovereign, 1841. PCGS MS 64. Estimate: £30,000-£36,000. Result: £30,000.

The highest price of the sale was paid for an example from the reign of Queen Victoria, dated 1841, which was described as “The King of Victorian Sovereigns”, which fetched a hammer price of £30,000. In a superb mint state, it was purchased by an English Collector [lot 2030].

Lot 2029: British. Victoria (1837-1901). Sovereign, 1839. NGC MS 64+. Estimate: £6,000-£8,000. Result: £15,000.

The star of the show, however, was an extremely rare 1839 sovereign, again minted under Queen Victoria. In an almost perfect state of preservation and described as “amongst the Finest Known” the coin was offered with a pre-sale estimate of £6,000-8,000 before soaring to a final hammer price of £15,000, achieving a new record price [lot 2029].

Lot 2001: British. George III (1760-1820). New Coinage, Sovereign, 1817. NGC MS 64+ Estimate: £6,000-£8,000. Result: £10,000.

After the sale, auctioneer and Head of Coins at Noonans, Bradley Hopper commented: “Lot 2029 achieved a remarkable price owing to its fantastic condition and great rarity. It was bought by a very enthusiastic room bidder, who is just absolutely delighted to have acquired his dream coin.”

Lot 2010: British. George IV (1820-1830). Sovereign, 1823. First digit with small upper serif. NGC MS 63. Estimate: £10,000-£15,000. Result: £10,000.

Prior to the sale, he had explained: “Introduced as a replacement for the Guinea after three decades of economic turbulence caused by the war with France, the purpose of the Sovereign, as its name suggests, was to re-establish the political and economic power of Britain and its Empire.”