| Spink > Auction 25005 | Auction date: 30 September 2025 |
| Lot number: 246 Price realized: 420 GBP (Approx. 564 USD / 480 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: (x) George III (1760-1820), Emergency Issues (1797-1799), Oval-Countermarked Dollar (8-Reales), struck over Charles IV, 8-Reales, 1795-PTS PP, Potosi, CAROLUS · IIII · DEI · GRATIA · laureate and draped bust right, oval countermark of George III in centre, rev. · HISPAN · ET IND · REX · PTS · 8R · P · P · crowned square-topped shield dividing pillars, security edge, 26.59g, 12h (Bull 1857; ESC 131; S.3765A), attempted piercing in reverse legend, otherwise lightly cleaned and rubbed, the host coin very fine, the countermark bolder still, a scarcer prototype for the infamous 'Head of a Fool on the Neck of an Ass' specie!. Estimate: £200 - £300 |  |
Match 1:
| Spink > Auction 25005 | Auction date: 30 September 2025 |
| Lot number: 247 Price realized: 800 GBP (Approx. 1,074 USD / 915 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: George III (1760-1820), Emergency Issues (1797-1799), Octagonal-Countermarked Dollar (8-Reales), 1799, Mexico City, laureate and draped bust right, octagonal countermark of George III in centre, rev. crowned square-topped shield dividing pillars, security edge, 26.95g, 12h (Bull 1868; ESC 138; S.3766), previously cleaned and with light contact marks, roughness to reverse in correspondence to countermark, host coin and countermarks, very fine. Estimate: £200 - £300 |  |
Match 2:
| Baldwin's Auctions Ltd > Auction 125 | Auction date: 31 October 2025 |
| Lot number: 270 Price realized: 520 GBP (Approx. 683 USD / 592 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: British Coins George III (1760-1820), Emergency Issues (1797-1799), Oval-shaped Countermark on AR Dollar (8 Reales) of Charles IV. 1795-FM, Mexico City mint. Laureate and draped bust right, countermark of George III within oval at neck, Rev. Crowned square-topped shield, pillars at either side, 27.07g/12h. (Bull 1852; ESC 129; S. 3765A). Host coin Good Very Fine, countermark Near Extremely Fine. Lightly toned. Estimate: 300 - 400 GBP |  |
Match 3:
| Baldwin's Auctions Ltd > Auction 125 | Auction date: 31 October 2025 |
| Lot number: 271 Price realized: 1,100 GBP (Approx. 1,445 USD / 1,252 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: British Coins George III (1760-1820), Emergency Issues, Oval-shaped Countermark on AR Half-Dollar (4 Reales) of Charles IV, NGC AU 58+. 1796-MF, Madrid mint. Draped bust right, countermark of George III within oval at neck, Rev., Crowned shield of arms, mintmark and master at either side, 12h. (Bull 1893; S. 3767). Graded and encapsulated by NGC as AU 58+. Conservatively graded in our opinion. Estimate: 800 - 1200 GBP |  |
Match 4:
| Classical Numismatic Group > Triton XXIX | Auction date: 13 January 2026 |
| Lot number: 1138 Price realized: This lot is for sale in an upcoming auction - Bid on this lot  | |
| Lot description: HANOVER. George III. 1760-1820. AR Dollar. Struck 1797. Oval countermark of George III on a Lima mint pillar type 8 Reales dated 1795 (LIMÆ) IJ 8 Reales. Bull 1858; ESC 133; SCBC 3765A. Iridescent toning with underlying luster. In NGC encapsulation 8409906-015, graded MS 62, c/s: UNC Strong. In the late 18th century, the circulating coinage in Britain was in a pathetic state. Counterfeit coins, both in copper and silver, were the rule, rather than the exception. The Royal mint, rather than competing with the flood of false issues, simply shut its doors. In 1788, industrialist Matthew Boulton stepped in to attempt to reform the copper coinage where the government would not. A wealthy industrialist and partner of the steam-engine inventor James Watt, Boulton had made his fortune manufacturing other small metallic objects. Using the steam technology at his disposal, he created the first modern mint at Soho in Birmingham. Yet Boulton was initially unable to obtain a patent to strike coinage and instead opened his mint to merchants. The vast majority of provincial tokens struck in England at this time originated from the Soho mint. Meanwhile, the Bank of England endeavored to stabilize the silver coinage. Taking Spanish eight reales coins, they stamped on them a small image of King George, valuing them at a dollar of five shillings. This simple solution did not fare well with the public, as they were extremely easy to counterfeit. The failed issue spawned a popular nursery rhyme, "The Bank to make their Spanish dollars pass/Stamped the head of a fool on the head of an ass." The Bank soon turned to Boulton and his steam presses. By 1805, fully struck dollars from the Soho mint could be seen in change. Estimate: 1500 USD |  |
Match 5:
| Tauler & Fau > Auction 160 | Auction date: 24 June 2025 |
| Lot number: 507 Price realized: 550 EUR (Approx. 639 USD) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Great Britain. George III (1760-1820). Bank of England oval counterstamp with the face of George III for circulation of 1/2 dollar, made in 1797 on a 4 reales minted in 1792 for Madrid during the reign of Charles IV. (S-3767). Ag. 13,87 g. Nice old cabinet tone. Rare. This counterstamp brought a latent discontent among the English people, given that one real of a 8 stamped was equivalent to a crown minus three pennies, namely 4 shillings and 9 pennies (1 crown = 5 shillings; 1 shilling = 12 pennies). It generated some humorous phrases such as "The Bank (of England) in order to make its money pass, stamped the head of a fool on the neck of an ass". Almost XF/Choice VF. Est...900,00. Spanish description: Gran Bretaña. George III (1760-1820). Resello oval muy bien marcado del Banco de Inglaterra con el rostro de George III para circular por valor de 1/2 dollar, realizado en 1797 sobre una moneda de 4 reales acuñada en 1792 por la ceca de Madrid durante el reinado de Carlos IV. (S-3767). Ag. 13,87 g. Bonita pátina de monetario. Muy rara. Este resello trajo un malestar latente en el pueblo ingles, dado que un real de a 8 resellado equivalía a una corona menos tres peniques, Concretamente a 4 shilling y 9 peniques (1 corona = 5 shilling; 1 shilling = 12 peniques). Generó algunas frases humorísticas como "El Banco (de Inglaterra) para hacer pasar su dinero, estampó la cabeza de un tonto en el cuello de un asno". EBC-/MBC+. Est...900,00. |  |
