Sell Queen Anne VIGO Five Guineas
Expert guide to the 1703 VIGO Five Guineas: auction records, die varieties, weight specs, and how to spot fakes. Realised prices £300k–£1m+.
Typical UK collector & dealer range for circulated examples
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Market Valuation & Pricing Notes
Values based on realized auction prices: Spink 2005 (£130,000 hammer), Spink 2007 (£82,000), Baldwin's NY 2019 (£845,000 inc. premium for PCGS MS62). Only 4–5 examples offered at UK auction in past 45 years. Price heavily dependent on grade, die variety (position of VIGO), and provenance.
Physical Authentication Checkpoints
Our specialists verify these exact specifications when appraising your Queen Anne VIGO Five Guineas:
- Weight: 41.0–41.8 g (standard post-1670 five-guinea tolerance)
- Diameter: 37 mm
- Obverse: Queen Anne bust left, legend ANNA·DEI·GRATIA, word VIGO incuse below bust (three die varieties distinguished by VIGO position relative to shoulder)
- Reverse: Crowned cruciform shields (England/Scotland, France, Ireland, Nassau) with scepters in angles, legend MAG·BR·FRA·ET·HIB·REG 1703
- Edge: Milled (standard machine-struck edge)
- Die axis: ↑↑ (medallic alignment)
- Engravers: Henry Harris (Chief Engraver) and John Croker (assistant); dies show high-relief portraiture characteristic of Harris/Croker work
- Metal provenance: Struck from 7.5 lbs of gold captured at Battle of Vigo Bay, October 1702
Coin Specifications
- Catalogue ID
- GB-ANNE-VIGO-5G-1703
- Denomination
- 5 Guineas
- Issue Year
- 1703
- Rarity Tier
- Ultra-Rare Numismatic
- Mintage
- Unknown (fewer than 20 specimens known; fewer than 15 in private collections)
- Weight
- 41.5 grams
- Metal Composition
- 91.7% gold (22 carat), 8.3% copper/silver alloy
Common Fakes & Variant Confusion
Regular 1703 five guineas without VIGO mark (common by comparison); VIGO guinea and half-guinea denominations (same issue, different sizes); modern electrotypes and cast replicas; genuine 1703 five guineas with 'VIGO' added post-minting (check for tooling marks around VIGO and correct die pairing). Authentic pieces show VIGO as part of the master die, not punched later.
Best Ways to Sell Your Queen Anne VIGO Five Guineas
Compare liquidation routes in the UK, or sell directly to Finacforce with zero auction commission.
Major specialist auction (Spink, Baldwin's, Noonans, DNW)
Highest visibility for ultra-rarities; attracts international buyers; 15–20% buyer's premium plus vendor commission; 60–90 day settlement
Private treaty sale via specialist dealer
Faster, discreet; negotiated commission (typically 5–10%); limited buyer pool; requires established provenance
International auction (Heritage, Stack's Bowers, Numismatica Genevensis)
Access to US/Swiss collector base; strong recent results for British gold; higher logistics/insurance costs; currency risk
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