Heritage’s March Donald G. Partrick Collection offering of 510 lots included nearly 200 pieces in the live Signature Session, one of which was a unique small-sized St. Patrick gold “guinea.” The popular type was produced circa 1663 to 1672. Heritage writes, “This example with a provenance dating to the late 1700s is the only genuine gold St. Patrick coin known today,” and the rarity, graded by Numismatic Guaranty Corp. as About Uncirculated Details, Scratched, sold for $96,000.

The St. Patrick or Mark Newby Coinage is listed in the “Red Book” as a New Jersey issue. These were believed to have been struck in Dublin, Ireland, and were made legal tender by the General Assembly of New Jersey in 1682. Metal detector finds seem to indicate that the pieces did circulate in early America. One side depicts a crowned king kneeling and playing a harp. The other shows St. Patrick driving away serpents and a dragon.

Heritage writes, “It is likely a special presentation piece produced at about the same time as all of the copper and silver examples,” praising “brilliant yellow surfaces with subtle peripheral rose toning on each side,” while noting the scrape on the cathedral mentioned by NGC.

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