Victoria, uniface Pattern Shilling or Sovereign, 1863, struck in gilt copper, by Charles Wiener, wreath of shamrocks, rose and thistle in hair of bust facing left, C.W. below, date below that, VICTORIA REGINA, dimaeter 22.5mm, akin to that of a gold sovereign (cf.ESC 1387), gilt wearing thin, otherwise extremely fine, of the highest rarity
Victoria, uniface Pattern Shilling or Sovereign, 1863, struck in gilt copper, by Charles Wiener, wreath of shamrocks, rose and thistle in hair of bust facing left, C.W. below, date below that, VICTORIA REGINA, dimaeter 22.5mm, akin to that of a gold sovereign (cf.ESC 1387), gilt wearing thin, otherwise extremely fine, of the highest rarity

Details
Victoria, uniface Pattern Shilling or Sovereign, 1863, struck in gilt copper, by Charles Wiener, wreath of shamrocks, rose and thistle in hair of bust facing left, C.W. below, date below that, VICTORIA REGINA, dimaeter 22.5mm, akin to that of a gold sovereign (cf.ESC 1387), gilt wearing thin, otherwise extremely fine, of the highest rarity

Lot Essay

The Montagu sale catalogue of 1890 notes that "this portrait was rejected by the Queen at once." It is interesting to note that this piece is struck on a flan that is of a similar diameter to a sovereign rather than that of a shilling. Though this obverse has been used for a series of pattern shillings; it poses the question that could this pattern be actually for a sovereign, especially with thte gilt nature of this piece.