Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 21006 - British Hammered and Milled Coins: Summer Auction
Lot: 143

James I (1603-1625), Second Coinage, Gold Halfcrown, 1613-1615, Tower, third bust right, rev. crowned square-topped shield, dividing cypher, m.m. cinquefoil, 1.19g, 8h (cf. Schneider II, 74; North 2094; Spink 2630), clashed dies on a small flan, otherwise good fine, the mintmark previously unpublished for the bust type, very rare thus

Provenance
DNW 101, 21 June 2012, lot 415



Despite the clear stylistic differences between the third and fifth bust portraiture on Jacobean coinage (cf. Schneider II, 73 and 74), the use of the cinquefoil privy mark has only previously been noted for the latter. Evidently the bust transition occured during this pyx period (1613-1615), with examples of both appearing in global commerce over the past two decades. Embarrassingly, the opportunity to record this significant sequencing within the Stuart coinage has been missed on at least four occasions in the past decade (Spink, 24 September 2013, lot 566; Lord Stewartby, Spink, 26 September 2016, lot 1015; and Rasmussen, 18 August 2019, lot 5211), as well as the previous appearance of this coin at another London auctioneer in 2012.

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£700

Starting price
£280