£5,000
1813 George III gold 'Military' Guinea (S 3730, Bull EGC 737). Obverse: sixth laureate head, by Lewis Pingo, facing right with 'GEORGIVS III DEI GRATIA' around. Reverse: shield of royal arms surrounded by a crowned garter with the date below (1813) and a legend around which reads 'BRITANNIARUM REX FIDEI DEFENSOR'. Weight: 8.42g. Diameter: 24.4mm. Grade: gVF - good Very Fine with some pleasing toning, particularly around the legends, plenty of eye appeal and some traces of mint lustre. 1813 was the last year that the Guinea, Half Guinea, and Third Guinea were struck for circulation. These final issues are known as 'Military Guineas' as they were minted specifically to pay British soldiers fighting under the Duke of Wellington on the Iberian Peninsula. At this time, gold was scarce, and banknotes were widely used in Britain, but locals in the Pyrenees would only accept gold in payment. The Royal Mint struck some £519,722 worth of gold coins between February and June 1813, producing about 361,473 'full' gold Guineas on new steam-powered presses supplied by Matthew Boulton.
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