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Auction: 22105 - Spink Numismatic e-Circular 20 - The Wootton Collection of English Silver Coins - e-Auction
Lot: 2249

Charles II (1660-1685), Crown, 1662 [Undated], first laureate and draped bust variety right, cloak frosted, extra curl on neck and additional curls extending below the C of CAROLVS, no rose, rev. crowned shields cruciform, nine strings to harp, undated edge upwards, 29.41g, 6h (Bull 350 [R5]; ESC 20A [R3]; Paget 219 = Slaney I, 135; Spink 3353), softly struck as usual for issue with even rub to higher points, otherwise naturally cabinet toned, strictly fine, the reverse perhaps a touch better, an extremely rare variety matched only in public appearance by the Slaney coin in auction over the last two decades

Provenance
Purchased privately, 10 May 1995



There are two distinctive features to note about this variety of bust. The first is an additonal 'stray' curl on the neck, which at first might appear as inexplicable as it is untidy. But this detail is very deliberately included. Perhaps it is a subtle nod to the courtly fashion for elaborate and contrived 'negligence', as proclaimed by the Cavalier poet Robert Herrick in his 'Delight in Disorder'. Perhaps the coinage of the French kings was also an influence here.


If this seems a little speculative, it is nothing compared with the theorising round the second distinctive feature, the very unnaturally shaped curls below the C of CAROLVS. The shape of these 'curls' very clearly suggests a monogram of JR and this has led to the inevitable conclusion that John Roettier was hiding his signature in the king's hair. Of course there is no evidence for this other than the appearance of the curls themselves, but it is a very compelling theory.


Rayner's ESC 20A recorded the variety as R3, but Bull's revision ESC 350 has increased the rarity of the variety to R5. With the Slaney coin being the only other example to appear at auction in the last 20 years (and that previously appearing via Captain Paget in 1946) this increase would seem to be justified. The Slaney coin has eleven strings and so this is the only number given in Bull. With the appearance of this coin we can now also list nine strings. Just for the record we can also note a tiny raised 'dot' touching the bottom of the central fold of the drapery. This raised dot can be seen on the Slaney coin also, confirming that this is the same obverse die, here matched with a different reverse die.


Spink's Coins of England, the Standard Catalogue, does not distinguish this very rare variety, but groups it with the other 1662 no rose and no date on edge Crowns, which is a pity because the others are far more common. Other varieties of the 1662 Crown have been added, creating A, B, and C numbers, and perhaps a stray curl here and there is not enough justification for yet another addition. After all, it is a Standard Catalogue, not a detailed study. Bull, which is a detailed study, follows ESC and lists the variety, and also gives a good illustration of the 'monogram curl'. The description at Bull 350 however confuses the two distinct elements and describes 'an extra curl on neck shaped as initials JR', a confusion that might appeal to Herrick, but not to numismatists.

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Sold for
£400

Starting price
£180