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Auction: 22096 - The "St Albans" Collection of English Gold Coins
Lot: 51

The St. Albans Collection of English Gold Coins | NGC UNC Details | Charles II (1660-1685), "Company of Royal Adventurers Trading into Africa", 'Elephant' Five-Guineas, 1668 VICESIMO, first laureate and draped bust right, elephant below, rev. crowned shields cruciform, seven strings to harp, emblem-adorned plain sceptres in angles, •+• DECVS • ET • TVTAMEN • ANNO • REGNI • VICESIMO upwards on edge, 41.71g, 6h (MCE 2; Schneider II, 423/-; EGC 167; Murdoch II, 498; King 91-92; Spink 3329), the edge lettering soft, occasionally smoothed and with further subtle traces of tooling in otherwise original fields, a scarcely perceptible bruise at 8 o'clock, otherwise lustrous, near extremely fine, the devices honestly sharp and considerably above average for this famously 'soft' struck coinage, the historic first year of issue of this immensely popular series, with NGC 'St Albans' Certification, rightfully graded UNC Details ~ Removed from Jewellery (#6295553-013)

Provenance
'A Distinguished Collection', purchased en bloc via Spink, August 2018

R Richardson, Summer FPL, 2011, no. 62 - "edge weak, otherwise retaining much original brilliance, extremely fine" - £14,500
R Richardson, 'New Year' FPL, 2010, no. 46 - "a lovely piece retaining much of its original mint bloom, good extremely fine" - £19,500
R Richardson, Summer FPL, 2009, no. 55 - "edge a little weak or rubbed, but a lovely piece retaining much of its original lustre, good extremely fine" - £17,750
DNW 81, 30 April 2009, lot 158 - "minor surface marks and edge lettering smoothed, otherwise about extremely fine with a superb portrait and attractive tone" - £10,000
DNW 70, 20 June 2006, lot 409 - minor surface marks, edge lettering smoothed (ex ring mount?), otherwise nearly extremely fine with a superb portrait and attractive tone - £4,800
DNW 58, 24-25 June 2003, lot 10 - 'from a ring mount' [?] - £4,200

SNC, October 1986, no. 6853* - extremely fine and an attractive example, scarce - £4,750



In 1663, Charles II sold the control of African trade to The Company of Royal Adventurers of England Trading in Africa. The Company failed later in that decade but re-emerged under the guise of the Royal African Company in 1672. Supported by substantial investment by the Charles II himself, the Company was primarily concerned in the trade of slaves and gold dust from the Asante people of what was then known as Guinea, located on the West African coast. The provenance marks of the elephant and the elephant and castle (found on the Royal African Company coat of arms) located below the monarch's bust denote that the bullion for the coin was supplied to the Mint by these African trading operations.

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Sold for
£32,000

Starting price
£15000