| Stack's Bowers Galleries (& Ponterio) > January 2024 NYINC Auction | Auction date: 12 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 53252 Price realized: 950 USD (Approx. 866 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: BRITISH HONDURAS. British Honduras - Mexico. Dollar (6 Shillings 1 Penny), ND (1810-21). George III. NGC EF-45. KM-stamp not listed; Prid-stamp not listed; Roehrs Collection Pt.1-Lot # 6(same stamp); Byrne Collection-Lot # 1379(same stamp); Medina-Pg.224(same stamp). Incuse crowned block letter's "GR" countermark on an 1818-MoJJ Mexico 8 Reales of Ferdinand VII. SCARCE countermark variety. This somewhat crude style countermark is deeply applied and bold on a nicely preserved original looking host. The surfaces offer even wear displaying rich attractive gray patina with richer coloration in the protected areas adding to its pleasing appearance. Unfortunately, due to the lack of official contemporary documentation the attribution to British Honduras is uncertain. Famous collector and author Major Fred Pridmore speculates that the merchants of the settlement applied the various crowned "GR" countermarks to dollars for trade with the indigenous Indian tribes between 1810-1818. Prior to 1810 the primary barter item with the Indians were cutlass blades stamped with "GR" in an attempt to continue trade, it is believed that a similar mark was applied to dollars mark to dollars continuing the accustomed unit of value. Stamping coins in this manner would not require official authority since it wouldn't have affected their currency value in the settlement. Estimate: $1000 - $1500 |  |
Match 1:
| Stack's Bowers Galleries (& Ponterio) > January 2024 NYINC Auction | Auction date: 12 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 53254 Price realized: 3,000 USD (Approx. 2,736 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS. Tortola - Mexico. 9 Pence (1/8 Dollar), ND (ca. 1805-24). George III. NGC VG-8; Countermark: VF Strong. KM-14; Prid-Not listed. Countermark: Type III, crude raised "TIRTILA" within shaped indent. Applied to the reverse of a (17)84-Mo FF Mexico bust 2 Reales of Charles III, spelling error variety "DEI GRTIA" (KM-88.2). Charming and seldom encountered, an EXTREMELY RARE denomination with few recorded examples. This handsome little minor coin offers a pleasing appearance with lovely old envelope patina with a slight iridescent sheen that pops out when tilted in the light. The countermark is deeply applied on a well worn pleasing host with much remaining details. Wholesome and attractive, this wholly original looking piece offers good eye appeal. It is interesting to point out that very few examples of this denomination are known on a cut 1/2 2 Reales, rather than the more common cut 1/8 of an 8 Reales. The cut 1/8 is scarce while the 1/2 cut 2 Reales is far more rare with little more than a handful of appearances for all countermark types for this island in the last 20 years. Where as the cut 1/8 has appeared more than 30 times for all countermark types, including multiple islands, in that same period. A highly desirable issue that is sure to excite even the most advanced of collectors. Ex: Clyde Hubbard Collection. Ex: Howard D. Gibbs Collection (Schulman 11/1960) Lot # 575 (part of). Estimate: $1000 - $1500 |  |
Match 2:
| Stack's Bowers Galleries (& Ponterio) > January 2024 NYINC Auction | Auction date: 12 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 53251 Price realized: 1,200 USD (Approx. 1,094 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: BRITISH HONDURAS. British Honduras - Mexico. Dollar (6 Shillings 1 Penny), ND (1810-21). George III. NGC EF-40; Countermark: AU Weak. KM-2; Prid-2. Countermark: Raised crowned script "GR" within ovaloid indent, late die state. Applied to the obverse of a 1818-Mo JJ Mexico bust 8 Reales of Ferdinand VII (KM-111). This handsome and moderately worn example displays lovely rich cabinet patina on the obverse with iridescent hues while the reverse offers a light gray color. The countermark, showing signs of degradation, is boldly on an attractive looking host. A SCARCE and wholly original looking issue offering good eye appeal. According to famous collector and author Fred Pridmore, all of the so-called British Honduras countermarks were applied by merchants to facilitate trade with the local indigenous Indian tribes. However, due to lack of contemporary documentation this is speculative. Estimate: $1000 - $1500 |  |
Match 3:
| Spink > Auction 392 | Auction date: 14 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 204 Price realized: 35,000 USD (Approx. 31,976 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: Edward VIII (1936), Winchester College, The King's Gold Prize Medal, 1936, awarded to Christopher Ivan William Seton-Watson MC*, by Thomas Humphrey Paget and Bertram Wyon, EDWARDVS VIII REX ET IMPERATOR HONOREM PROPONIT, 'classical' bare head left, rev. the tomb of William of Wykeham, ETIAM SEPULTI VIVIT FAMA WYKEHAMI OB MCCCCIV in three lines in exergue [\Even buried the fame of Wykeham lives, died 1404"], 49mm., 86.35g., [Unhallmarked, Spink XRF: 18ct. Gold, London (Royal Mint)], struck retrospectively on 2 March 1937, edge largely plain but inscribed upwards C. I. W. SETON-WATSON. 1936. in New Roman capitalised script 9 and 4 o'clock (BHM - [cf. 4383/3720]; Eimer - [cf. 1240]; Jeremy Cheek, 'Royal Prize Medals', BNJ, 2018, pp. 175-188), faintly hairlined and lightly wiped in otherwise lustrous, original fields, an unfortunate but largely imperceptible scratch above Wykeham, otherwise extremely fine and much as issued, OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE, as a 'one-year type' of which only two examples were struck off in gold for English and Latin Speech at Winchester College, the oldest continuously operating patron of an annual Royal Prize Medal, and whose unique obverse legend: 'Edward VIII, The King and Emperor Proposes this Honour' elevates this prestigious award to truly exalted numismatic heights especially when viewed alongside the approved 'Coin Portrait' in a format larger even than his legendary Pattern Five-Pounds, and critically struck in gold, by and housed in, the Royal Mint official case of issue with the stunning and seldom-encountered Edward VIII Cypher in gold-letter Provenance The Estate of Christopher Ivan William Seton-Watson MC and Bar (1918-2007). Christopher was born 6 August 1918, the younger son of Robert William and Marion Esther Seton-Watson. He was baptised at St Margaret's (Westminster) on 7 October that same year. Prior to education, he resided at No. 1 Buckingham Street, Buckingham Gate, London. His father, often writing under the pseudonym 'Scotus Viator' from here, proved a troublesome thorn in the side of the British Government for his outspoken beliefs on a federal solution to Austro-Hungary. Conscripted into the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1917, his allies soon rescued him to the Intelligence Bureau of the War Cabinet and the Enemy Propaganda Department. It was during this posting that Marion would fall pregnant and Christopher would be born. Whilst his second son was still an infant, Robert journeyed to Paris on his own diplomatic mission for the Peace Conference of July 1919. He continued to rile European officials with his jibe about the 'pygmies of Paris', but equally sought the renewal of friendships with ministers of the new state of Czechoslovakia. His allies Tomáš Masaryk would become the first premier; and Edvard Beneš its Foreign Minister. Unsurprisingly Seton-Watson Senior would prove instrumental in the establishing the post-war frontiers of Yugoslavia and Italy. Robert separately established the School of Slavonic Studies and from 1922 held its post as the first Masaryk Chair of the Faculty. Following the Wall Street Crash of 1929, Robert devoted his time to academic teachings; although was reportedly unpunctual, untidy, and too preoccupied with other matters". Unsurprisingly, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's later policy of appeasement to Nazi Germany about the subject of Czechoslovakia, found in Seton-Watson one of his governments most pointed critics. This lead to his publication of "Britain in Europe: 1789-1914 - A Survey of Foreign Policy, 1937, in which he argued for the strengthening of the enforcement role of the League of Nations as a 'united European front against the disturbers of the peace'; in short to be an active deterrent against the 'inverted Bolshevism of Italy' and naked aggression of Germany. Following the Second World War, Seton-Watson lamented the loss of the former Easter blocs new-found democratic freedoms, retiring to the Isle of Skye where he died in 1951. With the pursuit of geo-political and military history firmly embedded within the traditions of this family, it is unsurprising to see first Hugh (born 1916), and then Christopher follow in their father's footsteps. Educated at Horris Hill, Christopher became a scholar of Winchester College in 1931. In the Summer of 1936, Christopher would receive this prestigous King's Gold Prize Medal for Latin Verse; and subsequently serve as Head Boy, or 'Aule Prae' until he left the school the following year. His academic record was excellent - having further distinguished himself in History and Latin Speech; a School Exhibition; and as the recipient of the main Classical Prize for an Old Wykehamist - the Goddard Scholarship. The following year, Christopher commenced his Bachelor degree at New College, Oxford with the study of Classics and PPE, and helpfully where his elder brother Hugh was already working as a lecturer. Also revealed on the 1939 Census is the fact Christopher had joined the Officer Training Corps as a Cadet. This would expedite his transition into the colours upon the outbreak of hostilies in September 1939. The history of the Winchester College Prize Medal dates to at least as early as the first decade of the reign of King George III in the 1760s. However, it was not until 1797, that the Prince of Wales (the then Prince Regent) took up the patronage of the award and the addition of HONOREM PROPONIT ("Proposes the Honour") was made to the design. This Royal Prize Medal is the oldest of the now 24 annual awards bestowed by the Sovereign across the Armed Forces, Education, Architecture, Science, Poetry and Geography. As noted by Christopher Eimer (Author, British Historical Medals): "the medal was established by the Prince of Wales... two each in gold and silver, to be awarded in gold for Latin speech and in silver for Latin prose; the other two medals to be awarded for English, gold for speech, silver for verse, these to be awarded in alternate years." Today, Winchester College preserves an early example of the award for 1801, stating the transitional legend 'HONOREM PRINCEPS PROPONIT' and the device of the Prince of Wales (the Ostrich Feathers). When the Prince Regent became King George IV in January 1820, the bestowal of the Prize Medal became the preserve of the Sovereign, a tradition that endures to the present day over two centuries later. The present design was updated by Bertram Wyon during the reign of Queen Victoria to depict the tomb of school founder William of Wykeham, who died in 1404. Winchester College also preserves a small collection of prize medals from the reign of King George V (1919); King George VI (1945) and the late Queen Elizabeth II (2008). As Cheek notes: "Laurence Brown went to great lengths to define which medals should or should not be included in his book. Generally prize medals were excluded, as he felt that if he did not do so the book would never be complete or be published. However his overriding consideration was that medals of national importance would be included. As Royal Prize Medals were thought to be of national importance they were there confusingly in both categories. The result was that Royal Prize Medals issued during the reigns of George IV (1820-30) to George VI (1936-52) were included in BHM.... He continues: "There are also other Royal Price Medals not listed in BHM and not present in the following set: those medals produced with the effigy of Edward VIII, of which twenty-six were produced late in 1937. Equivalent issues to nos. 1-7, 10-12, 14-16, 18 and 20-21 were produced bearing the effigy of Edward VIII; no Edward VIII medals were produced for the Royal Geographical Society (Founder's Medal); the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Police Essay Competition or the Poetry Medal. A Royal Household Long and Faithful Service medal of Edward VIII was produced but never awarded; there is an example in the Royal Mint Museum. The other medals listed in the set described below were only initiated after the abdication of Edward VIII in December 1936. Laurence Brown was an assiduous researcher and I am sure that the omission of these medals from BHM was deliberate, presumably because he believed that they should be considered as Patterns for medals that were not issued, and thus lay outside the scope of his book. However since the publication of BHM two examples of Royal Prize Medals with the effigy of Edward VIII have appeared at auction inscribed with receipients' names, so it would appear that at least two were in fact awarded. There are no specimens of Royal Prize Medals with the effigy of Edward VIII in the Royal Collection." Corpus: 1. Royal Military Academy (Sandhurst) 2. Britannia Royal Naval College (Dartmouth); Awarded to Peter S Wilson; Morton & Eden, Auction 8, 25 May 2004, lot 133 (£6,200 HP); Joseph S Giordano Collection 3. Royal Air Force College (Cranwell) 4. King Edward VIII School (King's Lynn) The abdication of King Edward VIII on the 11 December 1936 brought to an end a tumultous 325-day reign. The termination of his reign brought with it the logistical headache of scrapping his approved effigy for a replacement in the likeness of King George VI. Deputy-Master of the Royal Mint (1922-1938), Sir Robert Arthur Johnson conceded: "The work of the two artists was all but completed when the events of last December rendered it nugatory. Over 200 dies of coins, medals and seals were thus rendered useless and the Mint was faced with the task of securing portraits of his present Majesty with but limited time available." He added in the same December 1937 interview shortly before his death: "I am betraying no profound secret in stating that the coinage effigy of the former King was, at his personal wish, prepared facing to the left. But as there has been no coinage bearing the bust of the former King, the old tradition has maintained by showing the effigy of the present monarch facing in the same direction as the last monarch but one. The new King's effigy faces left, as did those of King George V and Queen Victoria, a fact which is surely one of the most happy augury." He concluded: "During 1936, in the early stages when the coinage for King Edward was in question, I was made aware that some desire existed for a complete departure from the heraldic tradition which has been associated for several centuries with our principal coins." Based on surviving Royal Mint Archives, Official Gazette entries, contemporary newspaper reports and eyewitness accounts, the following timeline can be reconstructed for the numismatic and philatelic record of the short-lived King's reign. 20 January 1936 - At five minutes to midnight, King George V dies at Sandringham and his eldest son David, Prince of Wales becomes King Edward VIII. Thursday, 6 February 1936 - An official at the General Post Office informs the Daily Telegraph, that: "New postage stamps and postal orders bearing the portrait of King Edward VIII are not likely to be issued until the end of the year. It can also be authoritatively stated that no mourning stamps are to be printed. The annual sale of stamps in Britain totals 7,000,000,000. Postal orders number 225,000,000. Of the 70,000 letter boxes in the country, comparatively few will bear King Edward's initials for some time. New boxes will do so. Letter boxes bearing the inscription E.R. VII are still in existence, and there are still a few old ones marked V.R. On the 9,000 mail vans, the Royal initials will be altered as the vehicles are repainted." It is estimated that only 271 post-boxes bearing the cypher of Edward VIII were eventually produced. The same day, the 4th Winter Olympiad is opened in Garmisch-Partenkirchen by Adolf Hitler. Friday, 21 February 1936 - "The King received Sir Robert Johnson, Deputy Master of the Royal Mint at Buckingham Palace, and inspected a plaster cast of his own head, which had been prepared at the Mint. The cast will, with Royal Approval, be used not only for the new coins, but also in the preparation of dies for medals and other purposes." Friday, 13 March 1936 - "The King has approved two designs for the new Royal cypher: "E.R. VIII.". The War Office will make known to the public next week the designs submitted by Garter King of Arms which have been approved by the King. One Cypher in plain modern block letters surmounted by the Imperial Crown, will be used by the postal authorities and Government offices, Embassies, Legations and Consulates abroad, and by Dominions, India and the Crown Colonies. The other cypher follows the traditional style of interlocked initials with oak-leaf fringes. This will be used by the armed forces and the constabulary of the Empire." Tuesday, 28 April 1936 - The King sat at Buckingham Palace for the two medallionists [Thomas Humphrey Paget and Percy Metcalfe] of the Royal Mint, for the head which will appear on the new coinage and the medals which will be granted by King Edward the Eighth. Friday, 1 May 1936 - In what is estimated to be a £1,000,000 stimulus to the manufacting and stationery industry of Britain, the first printed examples of the King's Cypher appear in circulation. Saturday, 30 May 1936 - Bradford Post Office becomes the first building in Britain to feature the King's new cypher. Monday, 20 July 1936 - The Annual Swan Voyage of His Swan Master's Skiff along the River Thames exhibits the new Royal Cypher 'in red surmounted by a gold crown'. Friday 31 July 1936 - Sir William Currie, Chairman of the Worcester Committee announced that the King had been graciously pleased to become the patron of [Thames Nautical College, H.M.S.] Worcester. The King's gold medal was won by Kenneth Hodson. "A letter from the Secretary of the King's Privy Purse was read explaining that the medal could not be presented yet as a new one had to be cast bearing King Edward's head." This same medal was later sold by Sotheby's at an auction of 5 July 1994 (lot 211) and is believed to remain in a Private British Collection. Friday, 7 August 1936 - The King approves the uncrowned effigy submitted by Mr Thomas Humphrey Paget for his coins and medals, and the designs for the reverse of the new silver coinage by Mr George Kruger Gray. Tuesday, 1 September 1936 - Edward VIII's uncrowned effigy is released on stamps at midnight, featuring the series of halfpenny, threehalfpenny and twopence-halfpenny. London's three 'all-night post offices' in Fleet Street were besieged by collectors with queues forming two hours beforehand. "The issue was regarded as the greatest success of any recorded by the Post Office as over 30,000,000 stamps were sold on the first day." The following day however, critics were quick to note: "The head of the King is far from being the best photograph that has ever been taken and makes him appear more youthful than he really is. People are asking why there could not have been a break from tradition. Why always a face in profile? Why not full face, with the King wearing that boyish smile which has endeared him to millions? The new Australian stamp shows the King full face, so why not the English?" The Belfast Newsletter notes: "People are expressing the hope that a little more imagination will be displayed in the preparation of the new King Edward coins than has been manifested in the printing of the new stamps." Monday, 14 September 1936 - The penny stamp of Edward VIII is released. Wednesday, 16 September 1936 - The Royal Mint submits proposals to the Treasury for a new larger Threepence coin. An official stated: "the size is midway between that of a sixpence and a shilling. Efforts are being made to find a distinctive edge for the coin. The metal to be used has not yet been decided upon. The new coin will not however be made of silver or nickel." As Prince of Wales, Edward had described the silver issue, colloquially dubbed a 'joey' as an 'annoying coin'. Monday, 8 December 1936 - The Official Gazette, Notice No. 769 states: His Majesty the King has approved the issue of the customary official medal to commemorate His Majesty's Coronation. The medal will show on the obverse the crowned effigy of His Majesty with legend, and on the reverse the gateway of St James's Palace. "The Royal Mint are prepared to accept orders for these medals in Gold, large size, diameter 2.5 inches, price 50 guineas; small size, diameter 1.25 inches, price 12 guineas." Notice No. 770, states: "It has been announced that His Majesty the King will broadcast a message to the Empire on the day of his Coronation, Wednesday 12 May 1937. This will be His Majesty's first act after the Coronation ceremony is over. It is understood that a message to the Empire will not be broadcast by His Majesty at Christmas." Wednesday, 10 December 1936 - King Edward VIII signs his 'Instrument of Abdication' Thursday, 11 December 1936 - King George VI acceeds to the throne Tuesday, 2 March 1937 - The Royal Mint produces the obverse die hub for the Winchester College, King's Prize Medal. As each Royal Award is the preserve of the incumbent Sovereign, it is elected to retrospectively strike the medals with the 'classical' uncrowned effigy of the former King Edward VIII for those awarded in 1936. These are distributed to recipients over the following month. i) The Royal Collection boasts the artist's approval in gilt metal of King George VI sent for the monarch's personal assent (RCIN 443736). No artistic trials of Edward VIII were produced for the same purpose as the medals were to be produced retrospectively. ii) Spink has offered Marcus William Dick's, 1938 award in 2014, lot 628 iii) Spink has offered John Christopher Dancy's, 1939 award in 2021, lot 8110 Estimate: 15000 - 20000 USD |  |
Match 4:
| Stack's Bowers Galleries (& Ponterio) > January 2024 NYINC Auction | Auction date: 12 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 53273 Price realized: 100,000 USD (Approx. 91,190 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: GREAT BRITAIN. Great Britain - United States of America. Dollar (5 Shillings), ND (1804). Geroge III. PCGS EF-40. S-3766B; KM-660.1; Bull-1873 (plate coin). Authorized 2 January 1804. Countermark: Bank of England Type II (the famous "head of a fool on the neck of an ass"); Bust of George III right utilized from the then current 6 Pence within octagonal indent. Applied to the obverse of a 1798 United States of America draped bust Dollar, small eagle reverse variety (B-1; BB-82). One of only 6 confirmed examples of the host country and the only certified example for both countermark types on either the NGC or PCGS population reports. This exceptional rarity exhibits beautiful cabinet patina with richer coloration amongst the devices. When rotated in the light a dusky iridescence becomes apparent adding to its visually pleasing appearance, while slightly subdued luster in the protected areas speaks through lending to its originality. This moderately worn example offers relatively smooth surfaces with even wear consistent for the grade. Truly an awesome example of the countermark type with an excellent provenance. It is important to note that most examples of the Bank of England countermarked issues are primarily found on Spanish colonial mint Dollars (8 Reales). Occasionally Spanish mints or other European countries can be found with few other host types known. By all accounts the present piece as a 1798 small eagle reverse Dollar appears to be UNIQUE, with all other examples traced with the octagonal countermark are the large eagle reverse of 1798 (British Museum) or 1799 (The Bank of England, Norweb, Lord Hamilton/Whetmore and Sinton Collections). Both the Bank of England and British Museum collections do contain examples of the oval countermarks also on a small eagle dollars, but the later is an electrotype of a 1795 that was acquired in 2004 by famous author and collector Harrington E Manville. Mr. Manville, one of the previous owners of the present example, was a highly respected and revered academic collector of countermarked dollars of England, Scotland and Ireland. His excellent book "Tokens of the Industrial Revolution" remains to be the standard reference on the subject of merchant countermarks, but only briefly touches on Bank of England issues. For a more detailed account of the operations surrounding the Bank of England countermarked coinage Mr. E.M. Kelly author of "Spanish Dollars and Silver Tokens" offers a reasonable explanation. According to Kelly, The Bank of England sent bags of 1,000 troy ounces of coins to the mint to be countermarked rather than specific Dollar amounts. Apparently, the bank was not particular about what the bags contained as long as the were the prescribed even weight of 1,000 ounces. Though the minors that carry these marks are considered by some to be spurious in nature, the most logical reason why so many exist today was to make up the weight deficiency. Unfortunately, the neither the mint or the bank kept records of each type or denomination that was countermarked. Ex: A-Tokyo Collection. Ex: Dr. Bruno Mantegazza Collection (Spink 3/1996) Lot # 87. Ex: Inveruglas Collection (Noble 7/1995) Lot # 4518. Ex: Hopetown House Collection (Spink 11/1988) Lot # 379. Ex: H.D. Gibbs Collection (Schulman 11/1960) Lot # 100. Purchased and sold privately by H. E. Manville between the Gibbs Collection and Hopetown collections. Plated in English Silver Coins by Maurice Bull pg. 267. Estimate: $100000 - $150000 |  |
Match 5:
| Spink > Auction 23051 | Auction date: 27 January 2024 |
| Lot number: 1113 Price realized: 9,000 GBP (Approx. 11,430 USD / 10,552 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | |
| Lot description: James I (1603-1625), Second Coinage, 'Ship Noble' or Spur Ryal, 1611-1612, Tower, (m.m.) IACOBVS • D .' G .' MAG .' BRIT .' FRAN .' ET • | H[IB .' R]EX, King holding sword and Royal shield, standing three-quarters facing in Galleon, double-rose set atop lower of two gun decks, ropes 3/3, I on standard, plain masts either side of King, choppy waters lap below, rev. (m.m.) • A • DNO .' FACTVM • EST • ISTVD • ET • EST • MIRABILE : (the colon over the key), rose upon radiant sun, alternating crowned Leopards and floriate cross terminals in angles, small trefoils in spandrels, 6.60g, 6h, m.m. mullet [over key] (HCN 205 same dies; Montagu III, 136 = Murdoch I, 686 = Lingford II, 893 same dies; Rashleigh [1909], 858 = BM 1935.0401.6994 same dies; Clarendon II, 1120 this coin; Schneider II, 12-13, same obverse die; North 2080; Spink 2614), a repair between 10 and 11 o'clock but still with daylight crack, otherwise a remarkably bold survivor with many redeeming qualities both in uniformity of strike and originality of overall surfaces, a really bold very fine / near extremely fine, and excessively rare thus. Provenance, Heritage, ANA Signature Sale 3109, 17-19 August 2023, lot 31167, Baumhauer, Part III, Sincona 'British' Auction 79, 24 October 2022, lot 1095, SJA 6, 8 June 2007, lot 115 - "the flan slightly cracked and discoloured at 11 o'clock, otherwise nearly extremely fine, very rare" [Baumhauer] [Bohr] 'Clarendon', Part II, Bonhams, 17 October 2006, lot 1120 [image and weight confused with lot 1119] [Knightsbridge] Patrick Finn, FPL 7, Spring 1996, no. 15* - striking crack along sword from King's shoulder to the edge, otherwise EF and very rare - £4,500, "An old Finn client in Manchester would provide Patrick with Hammered gold coins for his early lists as he had not been confident to handle these during his time at Spink" , , There are only three specimens of this pyx mark known for this celebrated albeit rather incongruous Jacobean specie. The first is the remarkable Alderman Horace Hird specimen graded NGC MS64 STAR prior to its handling by Spink, which ultimately ensured that it sold for a breathtaking £302,000 (~ $428,000) in these rooms in September 2021 and for now remains safely stored in the Tyrant Collection. The other passed through the Evelyn Rashleigh sale in 1909, to T B Clarke-Thornhill, whose generous bequest to the British Museum in 1935 ensured missing die pairings of the rarest English coins would be saved for the nation. Amongst a legendary Queen Anne Vigo Five-Guineas, and varieties of the fabled Henry VII Gold Sovereign issues, the other known example of a mullet-signed Jacobean Ship Noble entered the care of the trustees of the National Collection. Consequently the present example, its faults acknowledged, remains the only example at the present time available to private collectors. , , This obverse die is one of the most remarkable to be employed in the long and illustrious history of the English coinage. Whilst overpunched pyx marks are frequent during the reigns of the Stuart Kings, typically the refurbished die is re-marked only once, and in very rare instances twice. However in this particular case, the die evidently sunk during the pyx period of the Key (1609-1610), is re-employed not just for the Mullet (1611-1612) issue as seen here, but also for the subsequent Tower, Trefoil and Cinquefoil privy marks, in effect four times, as testified by the Schneider collection. The British Museum also possesses a further unique coin, exhibiting either the tun or possibly book pyx symbol, again from the same obverse die. , , Obvious conclusions can be drawn about the serviceable life of the die, which must have been at least four years and perhaps as long as seven. For economic historians and numismatists alike this is a clear indication of the extremely short supply of Ship Nobles struck for circulation between 1611 and 1615, reflective of the shortage of bullion during this period, and tantalising evidence for the revaluation of the gold specie in November 1611, commoditising this coin at 16 Shillings and Sixpence. Estimate: £10000 - £14000 |  |
