New South Wales. George III. Obverse: Draped laureate bust of king facing right, by C.H. Kuchler. Initials C H K on shoulder. Legend reads: GEORGIUS III DEI GRATIA REX. Reverse: Royal crown, over map of Australia, legend NEW SOUTH WALES and date 1808 below. Weight 46.75 grams. Proof struck in .916 (22 carat) gold. Reverse die axis en medaille (upright). This privately minted ‘retro’ pattern is one of a series of 12 and was inspired by the work of the numismatist W J Taylor who in the mid 1800s produced a series of coins using Kuchler’s spectacular portrait of King George III.
Only two specimens have been struck in gold with the reverse upright.
Struck by INA Limited England in 2007, made of 22 carat gold. Will be listed in the next edition of Colin Bruce, Unusual World Coins, published by Krause. The dies are still in existence and will be made for silver and base metal coins only, then the dies will be canceled.