Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 24014 - The Alfred Leonard Fuller of Bath Collection of English Silver Coins and Tokens
Lot: 519

George I (1714-1727), 'Roses and Plumes' Halfcrown, 1726 DECIMO TERTIO, laureate, cuirassed and draped bust right, rev. four crowned shields cruciform, smaller roses and plumes in angles, six strings to harp, downwards lettered edge, reading DECVS ET TVTAMEN, inverted Ns in ANNO, 14.94g, 6h (Marsham [1888], 782[b] = Murdoch II, 23 same dies; Clarke-Thornhill 665 = JCS Rashleigh 363 = Jacobs 82 = Samuel 265 = Pywell-Phillips 266 = Waterbird 19 same dies; ESC 593; Bull 1559; S.3644), faint traces of flecking, otherwise a superb example of this key date rarity, delightfully cabinet toned with much underlying brilliance, a most pleasing and wholesome good very fine and even better in hand, excessively rare and unknown to Hawkins or commerce before the Robert Marsham dispersal of 1888, this amongst the finest surviving of the dozen specimens known to this cataloguer, a true connoisseur's rarity thus!

Provenance

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

Acquired privately, by April 1913



The date and method of acquisition of this piece by Fuller remains shrouded in mystery for it does not feature in his collection manuscript (audited April 1913), nor does not appear to be the otherwise missing Murdoch (Second Portion, March 1904, lot 23*, ex Marsham-Townshend 1888, lot 782[b]) specimen described as 'unpublished' at the time of that sale. Whilst coins were added to Fuller's cabinet in the 1920s (the 1927 Proof Set for instance) and towards the end of his life at the time of King George VI's Coronation in May 1937, there is simply no evidence of any serious numismatic acquisitions after May 1902, with a significant parcel of the collection already compiled before his purchase of the Spink-patented interchangeable indexing book in November 1896 that noted all subsequent additions. As a follower of Edward Hawkins categorising system, it seems all the more strange for Fuller to have acquired


Therefore, almost certainly:
Acquired from Messrs Spink & Son, October 1899 - £6.10.0

Spink Numismatic Circular, October 1899 (P.3623, no. 57724) - "1726,Obv. as before. Re. A very small rose or plume in each angle. Edge : DECIMO TERTIO. An excessively rare date type, seen in but few numismatic cabinets, Unpublished by Hawkins. RRR. fine" - £6.10.0

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