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Auction: 24014 - The Alfred Leonard Fuller of Bath Collection of English Silver Coins and Tokens
Lot: 417

Charles II (1660-1685), Proof Halfpenny, 1673, by J Roettier, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust left, no denticles, rev. no stops in legend, Britannia seated left, date in exergue, edge plain, 10.57g, 12h (BMC [Peck] 515; cf. S.3393), some minor contact marking and softness to tops of the devices where it has evidently seen circulation, nonetheless with pleasingly chocolate brown surfaces, almost very fine, very rare and an unmistakeable Proof of Record

Provenance

The Alfred Leonard Fuller of Bath Collection (1870-1941)

Acquired from Messrs Spink & Son, 1 September 1898 - £0.15.0

Spink Numismatic Circular, September 1898 (P.2984, no. 48110) - "very fine" - £0.15.0



The famous 17th Century diarist Samuel Pepys informs us that the model for Britannia was taken from Frances Stewart - "La Belle Stuart", later Duchess of Richmond and Lennox. Her refusal to be one of many mistresses of King Charles II, almost led to a repeat of Henrician matrimonial history within his 1660s court. For several years the Sovereign seriously contemplated divorcing Catherine of Braganza, in order to secure her hand.

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Sold for
£380

Starting price
£5