(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) – Hundreds of historic English
coins from the extensive and unprecedented Tyrant Collection
(www.TheTyrantCollection.com)
will be displayed at the American Numismatic Association’s 2023 Pittsburgh
World’s Fair of Money®, August 8-12
(www.WorldsFairofMoney.com).
The 300-coins exhibit will include a rare surviving example of England’s
first gold coin as well as one of the few known 1656 Cromwell 50 Shillings
pattern gold coins, and the only privately-owned complete King Edward VIII
pattern proof set produced in 1937 by the Royal Mint. It will be only the
second time this set has been shown in public in the United States.
The only complete, privately-owned 1937 King Edward VIII patterns proof set is part of the Tyrant Collection, described as the world’s most valuable rare coin collection in private hands. Photo credit: Lyle Engleson/Goldberg Coin & Collectibles.
“English coins from the Tyrant Collection were displayed for the first and
only time five years ago in California. However, there are many new,
superb-condition additions since then, so the new name for the upcoming
display is ‘Tyrants of the Thames 2.0’ to reflect the significant update,”
explained Ira Goldberg President of Goldberg Coins and Collectibles, Inc.
(www.GoldbergCoins.com) in Los
Angeles, California.
Goldberg is one of the numismatic professionals providing guidance in
assembling the wide-ranging Tyrant Collection of superb quality, historic
U.S., world, and ancient coins. Described as the world’s most valuable rare
coin collection in private hands, the unparalleled collection is owned by
Southern California collector Dan O’Dowd.
“The finest collection of English coins outside of Great Britain — and
possibly the finest English collection in private hands anywhere – will be
in the exhibit at the ANA convention. Insured for $30 million, these are
superbly preserved examples of portrait coins minted in the Thames Valley
over the last 1,400 years,” said Goldberg. “There is an example of every
portrait coin denomination issued by English monarchs since the early 7th
century.”
The exhibit will range from early Anglo-Saxon to hammered “Heavy Weight”
“Light Weight” Nobles varieties to modern era coins.
Featured highlights from the Tyrant Collection that will be on display at the 2023 World’s Fair of Money in Pittsburgh. Photo credit: Lyle Engleson/Goldberg Coin & Collectibles and PCGS.
Highlights of the Tyrants of the Thames 2.0 exhibit include:
- The finest privately held example of the gold Thrysma issued by Eadbald,
King of Kent (616 – 640 AD), London Mint, S-758, graded PCGS MS64. This
was the first English coin to carry the name of the issuing king. - Anglo-Saxon pennies including one of only seven known surviving examples
of what researchers describe as the first gold coin of England, a superb
condition Henry III 1257 gold penny graded NGC MS63. - Edward III, Plantagenet King (1327 – 1377), gold Double Leopard, S-1476,
third coinage (1344 – 1351), graded PCGS MS62. There are only four known
examples of this historic coin, and two are in museums. It is described
as perhaps the most important English coin in The Tyrant Collection. - Henry VIII, Tudor King (1509 – 1547), gold Fine Sovereign, second
coinage (1526 – 1544), S-2267, graded PCGS MS63. The largest coin issued
during Henry VIII’s turbulent reign. This example is believed to be the
finest known. - Elizabeth I, Tudor Queen (1558 – 1603), gold “ship” Ryal, sixth issue
(1583 – 1600), S-2530, graded PCGS MS61. This specimen is one of the
finest known and features a fabulous design emblematic of the English
navy’s historical importance. - One of the 12 known 1656 Oliver Cromwell 50 Shillings pattern gold
coins. A century ago, this historic coin depicting one of the most
important figures in British history was in the vast collection of
Chicago beer baron Virgil M. Brand. - An example of the rare 1663 Petition Crown created by Thomas Simon in an
effort to persuade King Charles II to consider Simon’s designs for
English coinage. Graded PCGS SP53, it was once part of the legendary
Norweb Collection. - Charles II, Stuart King (1660 – 1685), proof or presentation gold 5
Guineas dated 1670, S-3328, graded NGC PR64 and one of the great
treasures of The Tyrant Collection. - George III, Hanover King (1760 – 1820), pattern proof gold 5 Guineas by
Tanner dated 1770, S-3723, graded PCGS PR63. This is one of the rarest
coins of this denomination in the English series, and another of the
great treasures of the collection. - George IV, Hanover King (1820 – 1830), gold proof Pound dated 1826,
S-3797, graded PCGS PR65+ Cameo. Unlike most other 1826 issues, this
magnificent cameo specimen is not marred by marks or hairlines. - Victoria, Hanover Queen (1837 – 1901), graded PCGS PR64 Deep Cameo, this
is one of the finest known examples of the world-famous Una & the
Lion gold 5 Pound piece, which was obtained by the Tyrant Collection as
part of a pristine original complete set of Proof 1839 coins issued for
Victoria’s coronation. It is considered to be one of the world’s most
beautiful coins. - Gem condition, complete proof sets from King George II in 1746 through
Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, including the only privately-owned 1937
Edward VIII proof set, considered the most valuable item in English
numismatics.
On December 11, 1936, Edward VIII abdicated his throne to marry “the woman I
love.” Edward VIII then became known as the Duke of Windsor, and during his
lifetime he was never able to acquire even a single English coin bearing his
image.
Three of the four known complete Edward VIII proof sets are owned by the
Royal Mint, with one of the Mint’s two sets on long-term loan to the British
Museum. A fifth set, lacking gold coins, was broken up over the years and
the coins were sold off separately.
Visitors to the exhibit at the ANA convention can receive a free,
illustrated educational booklet about this amazing display. Detailed
catalogs with information and illustrations about each coin in the Tyrants
of the Thames 2.0 exhibit will be available for $10 each.
For additional information about the 2023 Pittsburgh World’s Fair of Money,
visit
www.WorldsFairofMoney.com
.
