In celebration of the publication of the definitive study on the subject, Baldwin's will offer 101 Henry III pennies from the Brussels Hoard on September 27 in London.
 The plate coin for the Brussels Hoard of 1908 |
The Brussels Hoard was first discovered in 1908, when workmen demolished an old tavern to make way for the main railway line through the Belgian city's centre. Concealed in a large container, over 140,000 coins from across the continent were found in a bricked up vault in the basement of the building.
The numismatic community has been waiting over 100 years for these rare 13th century coins to be sold, and there is no better auction house to offer the coins than Baldwin's. It was Albert Baldwin, grandson of the auction house's founder, who saved the UK portion of the hoard from destruction in 1909, when he paid 15,250 francs (around £9,000) for 80,927 English, Scottish and Irish coins.
Unfortunately, much of the continental portion - bought during the same sale - was melted down after initial identification.
Most of the coins found in the hoard were of sterling grade and Baldwin's will offer 101 of the finest examples of the Henry III penny, long cross type. Highlighting the sale will be the plate coin of the newly-released publication, The Brussels Hoard of 1908, which is one of just nine examples found in the hoard. It will sell with a £250-300 estimate.
The most valuable of the collection is a type 1a example, which is one of just three examples in the hoard. Accompanied by an old ticket in the hand of Albert Baldwin, the coin is expected to make £1,000-1,500.
See Paul Fraser Collectibles' online store for more English silver coins, including this William IV proof crown - a previously unrecorded variety.
