A selection of choice Milled coins for sale through HistoryInCoins:

(please check the ACTUAL listings pages which, unlike this, are kept bang up to date):

 

 

WCA-6414:  Charles II Hammered Silver Restoration Halfcrown.  Third issue, initial mark crown.  Spink 3321.  This is immediately prior to the introduction of the new milled coinage of 1662.  The third issue is notoriously poor, presumably because the writing was on the wall for hammered coinage therefore little effort went into both the dies and the end product.  This coin is one of the best grade examples I have ever seen.  £795

  

WCA-5779:  1660’s Charles II Copper Pattern Halfpenny.  High grade (about EF) example of the precursor to the recognised long-lived milled halfpenny which started just a few years after this pattern in 1672 and ended with the decimal issue of 1984 (pre decimal copper ended 1860, bronze 1970).  A rare coin, rarer still in this grade.  £575 

  

WCA-5385:  1687 James II Full Silver Crown.  TERTIO edge (normal lettering) but the 8 of the date is distinctly odd, looking more like a lower case “g”.  No over-date is listed in ESC for this or any of the J.II crowns.  £525

  

WCA-5425:  1689 William & Mary Very Large Silver Coronation Medal.  Designed by George Bower for the coronation.  There had been issues with James II so it was heavily promoted at the time that the coronation of William & Mary to the throne of England was a very positive step forward for the country.  A beautiful medal, at least in my opinion.  £475

  

WCA-6397:  1694 William & Mary Silver Proof Farthing.  Plain edge.  Peck 623.  EF grade and simply stunning.  Choice.  £745 

 

WCA-5481:  1694 William & Mary Copper Proof Halfpenny.  Over weight and larger planchet, en medaille die axis.  Usual die flaw on rim (described in Peck).  Good VF grade.  Peck 612 although the N’s are unusual and seemingly not rerecorded in Peck.  A lovely coin in very nice grade considering the soft nature of the copper used in this period.  £539

  

WCA-6003:  1694 William & Mary Copper Halfpenny – Rare Variety & Choice.  Easily VF for issue and probably better.  That grade in itself makes this single year issue for copper desirable.  It was a large issue but widely circulated over a great many years.  The tin halfpence and farthings were extremely short lived in both issue but more importantly life-span, which again put the burden on the coppers.  It is worth repeating: You hardly ever see VF or better W&M halfpennies.  This coin is the rare “1694  unbarred A’s in MARIA” variety (see image) which Spink rate at £525 in VF (2015 price guide).  £395

 
WAu-6020:  Queen Anne Gold Touch Piece.  Guaranteed to have been touched by Queen Anne herself at an official Touching Ceremony to “cure” Scrofula (modern day Tubercularosis).  Sufferers of the disease were invited to attend by strict invitation only.  A pass was given which allowed entry although no Queen Anne passes have been recorded, leading to the assumption that either they were handwritten paper passes or the old Charles II passes were re-used.  The Queen personally gave every sufferer one of these gold touchpieces.  The theory was that the Queen touched the gold touchpiece and then personally gave it to the sufferer, so through her God also touched the sufferer.  Queen Anne is recorded as being the most reluctant Toucher out of all the monarchs, getting out of what she could.  The touchpieces were purposefully pierced, always in the same position, in order that sufferers could wear them around their necks, next to their skin.  The vast majority of these would have been melted down and the money spent on everyday living, if not by the sufferer, then surely his or her descendants.  Recipients were not always commoners.  Queen Anne touched Dr Johnson (of the Dictionary fame) when he was 2 ½ on 30 March 1712.  His touchpiece, identical to this one, currently resides in the British Museum.  Dr Johnson’s touchpiece, like this one, also shows little or no sign of wear.  Unlike previous monarchs who physically touched the sufferers’ open sores and wounds, Queen Anne refused to do this, instead opting for a loadstone to do the touching.  She certainly touched the gold touchpieces though.  27th April 1714, three months before Anne died, was the last ever Touching Ceremony performed on British soil.  In total, the practice had been in existence for 50 years.  The Hanoverians (George 1st etc) would have none of it.  This is a high grade example with a provenance going back to 1968 (x2 tickets and a printout).  Touchpieces issued by Anne are much rarer than those issued by other English monarchs.  This is the first I’ve owned and I don’t think I’ve even seen another outside of books and the BM.  £2,275

 
WCA-5121:  1714 Queen Anne Silver Pattern Farthing.  Large, thick flan.  Peck dies 4 & F.  One of very few examples outside of public establishments.  Very rare.  £560

  

WU-5482:  1672-94 American “Elephant” Copper Merchant Token.  Obverse hand engraved, “RALPH SHARROCK 1731”.   The Baldwin St James auction # 15 (lot 267) had a similar grade coin estimated at £700 BEFORE their 20% commission charges.  A rare, early American coin with an early American inscription.  Further research needed.  £495

  

WSC-6437:  1687 Scottish James VII Silver 10 Shillings.  A two year issue from a very short reign.  Spink 5641.  Rare in this grade – similar to the Spink plate coin.  £550

  

WU-5598:  1862 John Gault’s US Civil War Encased Postage Stamp Currency.  US blue 1c stamp encased behind mica with the reverse advertising AYER’S SARSAPARRILA.  http://choyt48.home.comcast.net/~choyt48/encased_postage_run.htm.  This page gives a full and detailed account of the Ayer’s encased postage stamps.  High grade and rare.  £625