Death row pardons signed by Queen Elizabeth II come to auction

Three death row pardons signed by Queen Elizabeth II are set for auction next month.

The pardons, signed by the Queen in 1956, 1969 and 1973, are being sold by Unique Auctions in Lincoln on May 2.

One of the prisoners in question had his death penalty for larceny reduced to life imprisonment, while a murderer served out his sentence before release.

The items, which have a conservative estimate of £200, belonged to Roland Davis, the deputy governor of Lincoln Prison from 1967 to 1973.

Auctioneer Terry Woodcock told the Lincolnshire Echo: "This is a really unusual collection and a real slice of history from Lincoln prison."

The death row pardons are among many Lincoln Prison items available

The Queen's signature can command large sums at auction, as seen by the recent £4,700 sale of two letters to her second cousin.

Death row-related items can also attract significant interest among investors. This collection of items from the 20^th century British executioner Albert Pierrepoint is currently available on the private market.

The last execution in the UK took place in 1964.