Unrecorded 1847 “Medusa”
This unrecorded coin features a die pairing of Obverse A (with W.W. incuse on the truncation) and a rare trial or pattern reverse that is only found on pennies dated 1847 and is particularly distinguishable by the pair of thin raised lines that edge both the crosses of St George and St Andrew on Britannia’s shield. No other variety of Victorian copper penny has this feature. Other distinguishing features include the absence of colon dots after REG (normal 1847 pennies have a colon), and a better defined rose and thistle below Britannia with small protrusions between the outer petals of the rose. Michael Gouby has made a detailed study of this reverse and records it as the “Medusa” reverse because Britannia’s chain mail bodice has a unique design and incorporates an insignia which, on high grade specimens, he feels bears a likeness to classical representations of the gorgon Medusa (notorious in Greek mythology for turning to stone any man who looked into her eyes).
Example 1
Held in a private collection
Example 2
Held in a private collection
Example 3
Sold by Dix, Noonan & Webb in June 2018 as part of the Hiram Brown collection (part lot for £720)
Later offered by Baldwin’s in their fixed price list
Example 4
Held in a private collection
Example 5
Sold by Spink in 2006
Example 6
Sold by Dix, Noonan & Webb in September 2018 (part lot 1186 for £806)
Example 7
Held in a private collection
Example 8
Hard to believe these 2 sets of pictures feature the same coin !
Sold by London Coins in September 2018 (for £3042)
Example 9
The same coin after a superb refurbish by Jerry Davis
(Pictures courtesy of Ian Fall)
Bought on Ebay in 2015
Example 10
Sold on Ebay in 2016
Example 11
Sold by London Coins in December 2018
Example 12
Sold by Dix, Noonan & Webb in March 2020 (as part of the Hiram Brown collection)
Example 13
Sold by Stephen Album Rare Coins in May 2022 (for $3600)
Example 14
Sold by Spink in October 2023 (part Lot 8954 – sold for £3472)