1937 Gold Proof George VI Quintuple Sovereign NGC PF 62 CAMEO

This 1937 George VI Gold Proof Quintuple Sovereign NGC PF-62 CAMEO features the iconic St George and the Dragon reverse by Benedetto Pistrucci. The obverse features Thomas Humphry Paget's Portrait of King George VI.

This gold proof coin has been graded by the Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) as PF 62. This coin has also received the CAMEO grade. This means that the fields of the coin are deeply mirrored along with highly frosted design meaning that there is a higher degree of contrast between the two finished. It is rarer to have the cameo designation on these coins.  Please see our NGC coin grading guide here if you would like more information about the grading process. 

The 1937 Quintuple Sovereigns were only issued as part of the four-coin gold George VI Coronation proof set. It is thought that most of the sets have since been broken up by collectors and sold individually. Out of the four-coin set the Quintuple Sovereign and Sovereign are the most sought after by collectors. Only 5,001 of these sets were minted, resulting in them being very desirable. 

George VI Gold Coins

During the reign of George VI, there was only one set of gold coins minted. These coins were in proof condition and came in a 4-coin set; Quintuple Sovereign, Double Sovereign, Sovereign and Half Sovereign. Making the 1937 Gold Proof Sovereigns very desirable to collectors who want a gold coin of each monarch. 

Edward VIII Abdication

Following his father's death George VI was second in-line to the throne, with his older brother King Edward VIII the next in succession. Edward VIII wanted to marry Wallis Simpson, an American Socialite and twice divorcee. The public's refusal to accept her as Queen Consort resulted in him abdicating in order for him to pursue their marriage. This resulted in him abdicating on the 20th of December 1936, with his younger brother Albert (Known as George VI) becoming King. 

This resulted in their being three Kings in the year - George V, Edward VIII & George VI! 

The obverse features a portrait of George VI. Designed by Humphrey Paget, it shows a left-facing portrait of the king, with the legend (inscription):

GEORGIVS VI D : G : BR : OMN : REX F : D: IND : IMP.

The reverse was designed by Benedetto Pistrucci. It features the iconic depiction of St. George, on horseback, killing a dragon. The date 1937 appears in the exergue, and the initials B.P. (for Benedetto Pistrucci) appears to the right.