A selection of some of the better / more interesting coins SOLD through

HistoryInCoins.com

 

in 2025

 

 

 

 

WMH-8127:  Henry 1st Norman Hammered Silver Penny.  B.M.C. XV, Quadrilateral on cross fleury type, 1125-35 only: +OS[B]ERN ON [G]IPE – Osbern of Ipswich.  S.R. 1276.  There are only x26 results for all Henry 1st types minted at Ipswich on the EMC database - including cut halves and historical entries with no images - but only x6 are Henry 1st type XV Ipswich.  One has a Winchester mint signature which is impressive considering it's in the Ipswich section and Osbern was not a moneyer at Winchester!)  Sold with several old tickets.  A rare coin on an unusual irregular flan.  SOLD

 

WI-9146:  1690 Irish Gun Money Full Crown.  James II emergency Civil War coinage of 1689-91.  S.R. 6578.  Overstruck on the large Gun Money halfcrowns as by 1690, these were obsolete; replaced by the small size halfcrowns.  The obverse of the Gun Money crown (and it is just the crowns) has similarities to the earlier Charles 1st halfcrowns and crowns, which I’m sure was far from accidental.  It won’t have escaped readers’ attention that Gun Money coinage is currently riding high in terms of popularity.  After fleeing from England to France in 1688 – an effective abdication from the English throne – James II landed in Ireland March 1689 in order to promote his Catholic cause, something we are perhaps still living with today?!  He had insufficient funds to prosecute this war so the plan was to raise money by issuing base metal coinage in place of what would previously have been silver issues.  This was a less subtle example of the Quantitative Easing that we all witnessed a few years ago.  This coinage was set up with an intention for them to be exchanged for sterling coinage once the dust had settled.  This never happened.  The metal for these coins came from old cannon, bells and various other scrap metals that were termed “Gun Money”.  Old tickets here.  An uncommonly "clean" example, bearing little or no evidence of the host halfcrown coin.  SOLD

Provenance:

ex John Noel Simpson collection

ex Spink

 

WI-7660:  1690 (May) James II Irish Gun Money Half Crown.  Small-sized halfcrown.  S.R. 6580c.  Limerick bust.  After fleeing from England to France in 1688 – an effective abdication from the English throne – James II landed in Ireland March 1689 in order to promote his Catholic cause, something we are perhaps still living with today?!  He had insufficient funds to prosecute this war so the plan was to raise money by issuing base metal coinage in place of what would previously have been silver issues.  This was a less subtle example of the Quantitative Easing that we all witnessed a few years ago.  If today’s money had still been based on the value of the coin in your hand being worth its face value in precious metal, then the Chancellor in 2009 would perhaps have done something very similar!  This coinage was set up with an intention for them to be exchanged for sterling coinage once the dust had settled.  This never happened.  The metal for these coins came from old cannon, bells and various other scrap metals that were termed “Gun Money”.  SOLD

 

WSax-8032 (commission coin):  Middle Saxon Kings of East Anglia Hammered Silver Penny.  Aethelstan 1st, 825-40.  Obverse and reverse small crosses, both with wedges in the angles.  Obv: AEÐELSTAN RE, rev: AEÐELHELM MO.  North 446/3 (unrecorded moneyer for North - only EADNOTH & MON for type, although the EMC database records three such coins, but all with pellets in the angles as opposed to wedges), S.R. 951.  Ipswich given tentatively as the mint town (see EMC).  Completely fresh to the market, coming out of a very long-held metal detectorist's collection.  The son of the finder tells me that his father rinsed his finds under cold water for literally a second and that was it.  Attractively toned and very nice grade indeed.  A rare opportunity to acquire an outstanding Saxon coin that has never been messed around with.  SOLD

 

WAu-8056:  **Choice** Saxon Merovingian Gold Tremissis.   Wico in Pontio (Quentovic), c. 620-640. Tremissis (Gold, 13mm, 1.26g, 0h), Moneyer Dutta. +VVICCO FIT Laureate bust to right. Rev. DVTTA MONET, Cross on three steps. Belfort 4959. NM II p. 55, 14. Prou 1125.  Rare but rarer still being centrally struck and such good grade. Clear and well struck, good very fine or better.  The Merovingian Dynasty was based in ancient Gaul (which is now France) and dates from the middle of the 5th century AD.  The coins were very much trading pieces and many have been found in Britain as Saxon trade between the Continent and Britain was extremely robust.  Similar examples have been found as far west as Cornwall and as far north as Northumbria.  Ex Ian Millington (an expert on Anglo Saxon coinage), ex Silbury Coins (their ticket), ex DNW.  You will not find a better example of this early Saxon gold coin.  It really is a choice coin.  SOLD

 

WJC-9065:  1625 Charles 1st Silver Pattern Halfcrown - reportedly one of only four known.  Engraved by either Thomas Rawlins or Abraham van der Doort.  Obv: Bust of Charles, lovelock on shoulder, falling lace collar and armour, rev: Cast and chased Royal Arms in garnished shield, the style imitating engraving, very much along the lines of the work De Passe was producing around this time.  Listed in Medallic Illustration as (i)373/267, and clearly stated as:

"...probably a pattern for a half crown".  The internet yields this:

 

The Charles I pattern half-crown is one of the rarest examples assumed to be by Abraham Van der Doort. It shows the bust of King Charles I with no crown and a lace collar on the obverse. Additionally, the Royal Coat of Arms is on the reverse. In 1625 this coin was produced as a prototype before beginning full-scale production. This was due to the intricacy of the design and the decision that it would slow down coin production. Ultimately the design for the 1625 half-crown is King Charles on a horse holding a sword, with the other side depicting an oval quartered shield of arms.  The 1625 Charles I pattern half-crown is spectacularly rare, with possibly only four currently recorded. It would be a remarkable addition to any numismatic collection.

 

and this:

 

Abraham Van der Doort and the 1625 Charles I Pattern Half-crown

Monies, Medals & Militaria

Sale date August 22, 2024

Abraham Van der Doort is a talented artist from the early 17th century. He is known for painting and designing medals and coins. His documented catalogue of the King’s paintings, sculptures and coins is impressive.

Not much is known of the Dutch artist before he moved to England, but once here his talent was recognised and sought after. He first worked with the royals, creating medal and coin designs, through which his working relationships flourished.

In 1609, Abraham Van der Doort was tasked with being Prince Henry’s ‘Curator of his cabinet of Medals and Coins’. After Prince Henry’s death, he worked for Prince Charles I. Once Charles ascended to the throne, Van der Doort started producing new designs of the King for the Royal Mint. Charles instructed the Dutch artist to make the designs for ‘his majesty Coynes and his assistance to the engravers’. The King entrusted Van der Doort with two posts for life: Provider of Patterns and Life Keeper of the Kings Coins Collection.

Van der Doort was the first Surveyor of the King’s Pictures. This meant that he was responsible for the care of the Royal Household’s collection of pictures, specifically Charles I’s art collections.

Sadly, there is only a small number of Abraham Van der Doort’s work in today’s market. His most famous work is with the Juxon Medal. This medal has very similar imagery to the rare 1625 Charles I pattern half-crown, however, the designer of which is uncertain. The style techniques and imagery however suggest that it had been designed by Van der Doort rather than Thomas Rawlins.

Abraham Van der Doort in Auction

Lot 14

England, Ireland & Scotland. Charles I AR Pattern Halfcrown

Price Realised August : £1500 + buyer's commissions on top

 

An extremely rare and important coin from this most interesting, not to mention vast area of numismatics.  SOLD

 

WJC-9016:  1646 Charles 1st Newark Besieged Silver Shilling.  The final die in a three die run (1645-6).  The besieged Royalists set up a mint and used salvers, flagons, drinking cups, etc., fashioned into hand-cut lozenge-shaped planchets, striking half-crowns, shillings, ninepences, and sixpences. Struck by the royalist forces who surrendered Newark (just up the River Trent from Nottingham) on May 6, 1646, the day after King Charles I had fled the fortress in secret to surrender himself personally to the besieging Scots, thus this coin would have been part of the final batch.  Interestingly, Newark was actually besieged three times - first siege: 27-28 February 1643, second siege: 29 February to 21 March 1644 and this third siege, lasting from 26 November 1645 to 8 May 1646.  Evidence on the reverse of underlying host design, especially around the date.  S.R. 3143.  A nice, honest example that's not been pierced and often plugged, as most seem to be these days.  SOLD

 

WTH-9152:  Henry VIII Tudor Hammered Silver Round FARTHING.  Second coinage, S.R.2363.  Tower mint, 1526-44, initial mark Arrow in the legend; the obverse legend should, in theory, read RVTILANS ROSA with DEO GRACIAS on the reverse, but the reality is that this is a ridiculously tiny coin - the smallest hammered coin ever issued in the UK - where you're lucky to get anything at all in terms of legend!  Here, you get plenty.  Coincraft, of all varieties of farthing, have this to say, which I think sums up this little denomination nicely.  Good provenance - see old tickets here.  Graded VF and again, nice to see the price guides giving this coin an appropriate valuation of £1,000 in 2025.  A very rare and sought-after coin but one that comes with a warning - don't drop it because you'll never find it again!!  SOLD

Provenance:

ex James Rosen collection

ex Rasmussen (2003)

 

WMH-9120:  Choice Edward III Medieval Hammered Silver Groat.  Fourth coinage, pre-treaty period, class G.  London mint.  S.R. 1570.  Initial mark Cross 3(4), circa 1356-61.  There are several varieties for class G but this coin is unusual in that it has neither the reverse quarter annulet or the annulet under the bust.  Better than the S.R. plate example.  An outstanding coin - choice.  SOLD

Provenance:

ex Tim Owen (his earlier colour ticket)

 

WMH-9121:  High Grade Henry VI Medieval Hammered Silver Groat.  Rosette-mascle issue of 1430-31 only.  London mint.  S.R. 1858.  A most unusual initial mark combination of Incurved Pierced Cross (obverse) and Cross Patonce (reverse).  The excellent late Ivan Buck, in his seminal publication, Medieval English Groats (Greenlight Publishing, 2000), listed only incurved pierced cross / plain cross and cross patonce / plain cross as initial mark combinations for this rosette-mascle issue.  For the groats of Henry VI, as well as the obverse and reverse 12 o'clock marks (commonly, yet incorrectly termed a mint mark by many - these things never denoted where the coin was actually struck so they're more correctly described as initial marks), we also begin to see Privy marks, in this case rosettes and mascles, which were used to differentiate between the various issues within a reign.  The more observant will have noted that both obverse and reverse are bereft of mascles.  Technically, the rosette-mascle issue was in two parts: the very early rosette only issue, 1430 only, followed by the rosette AND mascle issue of mid to late 1430-31.  A very nice coin indeed with many distinguishing attributes.  SOLD

Provenance:

ex Tim Owen (his earlier colour ticket)

 

WJC-9153:  Choice Charles 1st Hammered Silver BRISTOL DECLARATION Halfgroat.  Civil War, Bristol mint, circa 1643-5.  These Declaration coins are arguably one of the best looking coins in the entire hammered series, at least in England.  Here, you have that aesthetic appeal but crucially, in miniature - this is literally the smallest denomination they did with Charles 1st on the obverse and the full Bristol Declaration on the reverse.  All they sacrificed was the date, which was replaced with the BR symbol.  My camera, or more likely my complete lack of any kind of photographic skill, has provided an indifferent main image.  Here's another, equally mediocre, but taken using a camera phone so at least you can compare the two.  The reality is that the actual coin in the flesh is better than the sum of both images.  S.R.3026 (this coin marginally better than their plate coin).  Coincraft, on this little gem, have this to say, which I think sums up this denomination nicely.  The Coincraft plate coin is on a par with this coin.  Morrison A-1.  Brooker 1007 (this coin marginally better than his plate coin).  Very rare indeed - ask yourself, how many Deceleration halfgroats to you see compared to the larger denominations and then ask yourself how many you see in this grade?!  An outstanding coin and very rare.  SOLD

 

WCA-5387:  1689 Large William & Mary “Act of Toleration” Medal.  An interesting medal that pretty much ignore the Queen and displays only William on the obverse.  Further, the medal commemorates the Act of Toleration which effectively gave the green light to all religious dissenters (and there were many) to come out into the open, free of reprisals, legal or otherwise.  I imagine it wasn’t quite as simple as that!  SOLD

 

WTH-7903:  Henry VII Hammered Silver Tudor Halfpenny.  A very late type IIIc, London Mint, Spink 2245.  The king's head being much out of alignment with the king's shoulders is both interesting and amusing!  A really nice example - I don't ever recall having had better.  SOLD

 

WI-5595:  Irish James 1st Hammered Silver 6d.  1604-7, initial mark rose so 1606 – 1607.  An extremely good grade example of a usually poorly struck obverse issue.  SOLD

 

WSC-9009:  James V Scottish Hammered Silver Stuart Groat.  Second coinage (the first was just gold), 1526-39.  Type III, Spink 5378.  Holyrood Abbey Mint.  James ascended the throne aged just one year old.  Coincidentally, upon her father's death, Mary (the future Mary Queen of Scots), James's only legitimate heir, was only seven days old when she ascended!  You'd be challenged to source average or lesser grade James V groats for under £1,000 these days - this coin is definitely not one of those.  A high grade example of one of the most attractive hammered silver coins ever to be issued, not just in Scotland but in the entire British Isles.  SOLD

 

WI-7839:  1601 Irish Elizabeth 1st Hammered Copper Penny.  Initial mark Star.  Most of these coins come out of the ground (it is interesting to note that examples have been unearthed from the Jamestown site in America, along with later James 1st hammered silver coinage) and as a result the copper corrodes.  The entire Third Issue of Irish coinage, 1601-02 only, was an emergency issue brought about by the need to pay the large numbers of soldiers who were in Ireland.  Their role was to defeat the “independent and warlike” Irish of the North, under the leadership of O’Neil, and to expeditiously “Shire” Ireland and bring it under English rule, basically making Ireland an extension of England.  The Earl of Essex was in command of the English troops but was recalled to England where he was duly executed.  His replacement, Mountjoy, somewhat motivated by the fate of his predecessor, did a much better job.  Excellent grade.  SOLD

 

WI-7414:  1683 High Grade Irish Charles II Copper Halfpenny.  Armstrong & Legge’s Regal Coinage, Spink 6575.  Easily VF for issue (£400 in Spink 2020).  Sold with a detailed information slip.  SOLD

 

WMH-5916:  Edward 1st Hammered Silver Round Farthing.  London (LONDONIENSIS) mint.  Class 3de.  S.1445A.  A choice example.  SOLD

 

WJC-7094:  Charles 1st Hammered Silver Shilling.  Initial mark Book – Aberystwyth mint, 1638/9-42.  Spink 2883. The mint at Aberystwyth had its beginnings in July 1637 when Thomas Bushell had the idea of coining at the source rather than sending the mined silver for coining to London.  He petitioned that it would stimulate the Welsh mining industry with predictions of increased output if the adits to drain water from the mines reached their capacity, and suggested it could lead to other mines in England being used for coining in a similar fashion. The Mint in London was against the idea, but King Charles asked for Bushell to visit and was persuaded by his charm to back him. The agreement was to set up a mint in Aberystwyth Castle with the Crown taking a 10% share with overall supervision from the Warden of the Mint, Sir William Parkhurst. Coins were struck at 0.925 fineness with Welsh plumes at Halfcrown, Shilling, Sixpence, Half-Groat and Penny.  Ex Spink, 25th Nov 2011 – sold for £1,450.  A very nice coin indeed.  SOLD

 

WMH-8104:  Henry IV / V Hammered Silver Medieval SCOWLING BUST Groat.  Light coinage, London mint, type B2a (there is now uncertainty as to whether types A and B of Henry V should be given to Henry IV), initial mark Cross Pattée, no fleurs over the crown and Quatrefoil after hENRIC - Spink 1762B.  There is an interesting mention of this very coin in BNJ 1997 (50), p.26.  See old tickets here and information sheet here.  High grade, impeccable provenance - Choice.  SOLD

Provenance:

ex D. Mangaki collection...

Purchased from Seaby 1956

ex Margaret Delmé Radcliffe collection...

Dispersed Glendining's Action (1985)

Ex North Yorkshire Moor collection...

Dispersed DN W Action (2019)

Ex Mike Vosper (2019 - £1,250 ticket price)

 

WSC-9092:  Rare Scottish Alexander III Post Brussels A Hammered Silver Penny.  First coinage, 1250-80 but right at the very end of this period.  IOhAN of Berwick.  Spink 5048.  It was at this point in the rein that the English introduced the new Edward 1st coinage, heralding the end of the voided cross issues.  The Scottish quickly followed with the introduction of the Alexander III second coinage.  The entire reign was prosperous, even though Alexander succeeded his father at just seven years of age.  The reign was cut short when Alexander rode his horse off a cliff aged just 44 (the king, not the unfortunate horse).  An extremely rare coin as evidenced by R.W. Kirton's annotation, being the first I've ever handled in all the decades.  SOLD

Provenance:

Ex R.W. Kirton collection (an excellent numismatic researcher who amassed a comprehensive collection of Scottish coinage)

 

WMH-8080:  Edward III Medieval Hammered Silver Penny.  Fourth coinage, pre-treaty period of 1351-61 with French titles, series F, London mint.  Initial mark Crown (I have never seen such a clear crown initial mark on one of these pennies before), dating it accurately to 1356.  An outstanding coin.  SOLD

 

WMH-7268:  Edward 1st Medieval Hammered Silver HOARD Penny.  New coinage, class 3g, London mint, Spink 1393.  Part of The Bercar (Scottish) Hoard of 2014 saw x362 silver pennies unearthed by a group of metal detectorists.  The latest coin in the hoard was a class 15d, struck around 1327/8.  Sold with an A4 information sheet.  This coin is one of the very best of the x20 or so I managed to acquire.  SOLD

 

WSC-7978:  CHOICE William 1st, The Lion, Rare Early Scottish Hammered Silver Crescent & Pellet Penny.  Phase 1 Sterling, cross potent sceptre head so bust 1, phase 1, circa 1174-80.  Perth mint.  Spink 5024, Grierson, Coins of Medieval Europe 197; Burns 2 (fig. 30); SCBI 35 (Ashmolean & Hunterian) 31/A-32/A.  Obv: [+ LЄ] R[Є WI]LLAm, bust left with wide crown.  Rev: + FO[LPOLT] DЄ PЄR[T :], short cross pattee with crescents and pellets in angles.  Phase 1 coins are much the rarer of the crescents and pellets coinage, although to be fair, they're all rare.  It is interesting to note that Spink do not acknowledge Perth as an option for Phase 1 coinage: Edinburgh and Dun are the only options they give.  William gained the title "The Lion" not through any particular act of bravery but rather through changing the dragon on the arms of Scotland with a lion.  Old ticket here.  Good VF (about as struck as it left the mint - remember, this issue was contemporary with the English Teably coinage, and we all know how dreadful that was) with attractive cabinet toning together with the majority of the legends legible, something rarely seen on these early issues.  A very large, unclipped flan.  All that is secondary to the amazing depiction of William himself.  You'll struggle to find another for sale and if you do, it won't be as good as this one - even the Spink plate coin, with all Spink's resources, is not as good as this coin.  A very rare and desirable coin indeed.  SOLD

Provenance:

Ex Baldwin, bought by...

Richard A. Jourdan July 2007

 

WCA-5957:  1687 James II Full Silver Crown.  Interestingly modified to incorporate x2 small blades.  See images here and here.  SOLD

 

WMH-9116:  Edward 1st Hammered Silver Penny - a lovely example.  Rose on breast - class 7a.  London mint.  Spink 1403.  One of the most iconic Edward 1st New Coinage types; better still with superb toning and a Very Fine grade.  Edward 1st pennies are readily available but this coin is in a different league to those.  SOLD

Provenance

ex Northern collection, purchased...

ex Sovereign Rarities (£200)

 

WI-7210:  1601-02 Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Struck at the very tail end of the reign in order to pay the troops England sent over to quell the “warlike” Irish of the North, led by O’Neill.  The context was England’s desire to “Shire” Irish land.  The Earl of Essex was sent over to lead the troops but he was recalled to London where he was promptly executed.  The deceased Earl’s successor, Mountjoy, had a slightly better campaign, based on the fact that he wasn’t executed upon his return to London.  This coinage was very base, but not as base as the pence of this issue, which literally contained no silver – a revolutionary action (although Henry VIII got in there first with his “Old Copper Nose” coins) when you bear in mind that the entire foundation of currency was based on these coins actually being worth, in precious metals, what they were circulating as.  For example, in medieval times, a penny coin literally contained silver to the value of one penny.  Spink 6508.  This coin very high grade for issue.  SOLD

 

WI-7658:  Edward 1st Medieval Irish Hammered Silver Round Farthing.  Early issues of 1279-84 (open C and E).  Dublin mint, Spink 6255.  A tiny coin and therefore a much magnified image.  SOLD

 

WI-9033:  Edward 1st Irish Medieval Hammered Round FARTHING.  Second coinage, type 1, the rarer Waterford mint - only Dublin and Waterford struck farthings and only Dublin struck them for the late Edward 1st issue (the issue in between those two struck no farthings).  Spink 6256.  A rare coin.  SOLD

 

WI-8009:  Irish Henry VII Hammered Silver Geraldin Groat.  Three Crowns coinage, type IV, Geraldine issue of August to October 1487 only.  Kildare.  Crude Saltires or Crosses either side of the crowns, no "h" below - Spink 6432.  The Fitzgeralds of Kildare were a powerful family who took control for a brief period after Lambert Simnel's abortive attempt to win the crown.  The reverse legend, DOMINUS YBERNIE, means Lord of Ireland.  This is a rare issue and rarely, if ever, found in better than fine condition.  Sold with a couple of tickets.  SOLD

 

WI-7868:  Henry VII Irish Hammered Silver Early Tudfor Groat.  Late portrait issue coinage of 1496-1505.  "CIVI TAS DVBL InIE" reading - Dublin mint, Spink 6451.  Initial mark Lis, broad portrait, very much double-punched, which was a definite characteristic of this particular group due to issues with the shallow nature of the dies.  SOLD

 

WI-7140:  1558 Elizabeth 1st Irish Hammered Billon Silver Groat.  First issue, preceding the 1561 fine silver issue, at 0.250 silver content.  Spink 6504.  Ex Walter Wilkinson collection, accompanied by all his tickets.  The Walter Wilkinson collection was one of the best collections of Elizabeth 1st coinage ever put together.  Throughout the long life of the collection, Walter was constantly buying in better grade examples to improve the collection.  This coin is a superb example which I have certainly not shown through my poor images.  It’s a VF coin, regardless of the atrocious nature of the issue in general and the provenance is as good as it gets.  SOLD

 

WSC-8989:  Scottish 1708 Jacobite Medal - Map of Great Britain.  Prince James, the Elder Pretender to the throne.  MI ( ii) 312/133, by Norbert Roettier in AE metal.  An interesting medal depicting the British Isles surrounded by ships at sea.  The obverse legend reads literally "Whose is this?", meaning "Whose image is this?" and amplified out to something like "Whose image is this?  The King's.  Render then to the King these Islands, which are his."  Struck in 1708 around the time of the Union and distributed among the partisans of the exiled royal family, the medal sought to build upon the unpopularity of said Union.  As ever, France was on hand to do anything to upset the British - they are her ships surrounding the British Isles.  Interestingly, although struck in 1708, they were used politically again in reasonably high numbers by being distributed at 1711 and 1714 events.  Obviously a design that the Jacobites thought highly of and indeed, the reverse was a stroke of genius in terms of its eye-catching, instantaneously understood message.  SOLD

 

WSC-8019:  Choice 1558 Mary Queen of Scots Hammered Silver Testoon.  First period before marriage, 1542-58.  Type IIIb with the low-arched crown and no annulets below the M and the R, initial mark Crown.  Spink 5406.  No muling of the dates, which is unusual, and interestingly, clear evidence that the 155- part of the date on the obverse was on the die with the final digit, in this case an 8, being added later, and even some evidence that the same occurred on the reverse as there is a cap between the first three and the final digits.  Scottish coinage in general was a product of miniscule mintage figures compared to south of the border with extant examples disappearing even faster as a result of various currency recalls where coinage would be taken in to go into the melting pot upon the death of every old monarch to release silver for new monarch coinage.  There was also a huge recall of coinage in 1707 as a result of the Act of Union: £142,180 face value of hammered Scottish coinage and £96,856 face value of milled Scottish coinage was brought into the Edinburgh mint to be melted down and recoined.  Interestingly, £132,080 face value of foreign (non English, Irish or Scottish) was also handed in, highlighting just how bereft of physical coinage Scotland was at this time, and thus how rare Scottish coinage is today.  Once cleaned but now retoning nicely.  A very desirable coin indeed.  SOLD

Provenance:

Ex Libertas collection, purchased Oct 1980 for US $850

 

WSC-7822:  1559 Scottish Mary Queen of Scots Hammered Billon Silver Nonsunt.  A twelve penny groat struck in the second period, 1558-60, under both Mary and her husband, Francis.  It was an issue of half alloy (.5 fine) which was actually quite high considering the Lions of the same date which were 23/24 alloy - basically base metal.  The obverse crowned heraldic dolphin is facing left (it's my belief that left facing is the rarer of the two) so this is Spink 5448.  If you're scratching your head over the derivation of the term "nonsunt", look no further than the reverse legend.  A small hole at 12 o'clock.  As the ticket states, rarely seen these days.  SOLD

 

WSC-9108:  Excessively Rare David II Scottish Medieval Hammered Silver Round Farthing.  First coinage, first issue of early 1330's.  Spink 5086.  More recent ticket here.  Obverse: +DAVID:DEI.GRACIA and reverse: REX SCOTORVM.  Berwick mint (tentative attribution) with initial mark Cross Pattée.  The National Museum in Edinburgh has no examples.  The Hunterian Museum in Glasgow has no examples.  The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford has no examples.  Coincraft, of this issue, state: "...of the highest rarity".  99.99% of the coins in that guide have been given a value.  This is one of those extremely rare instances where the cataloguers do not assign a value, they simply state "ex. rare".  R.W. Kirton, a leading light in Scottish numismatic research and a man not associated with the use of hyperbole, on his ticket states: "Of extreme rarity".  He also states that the reverse die is unrecorded.  Rarity aside, let's focus in on grade.  A problem-free coin with a strong bust, virtually complete lettering (even with the corresponding flat areas, a result of the moneyer's slightly angled strike, those odd letters are just about discernable) and steel-grey toning.  A quick Google search will show you a museum copy of Spink 5086.  It will be directly copied from the very best coin available.  It's a dreadful coin.  As far as I can ascertain, this is one of the best, and possibly the best example known.  Choice all day long.  SOLD

Provenance:

ex R.W. Kirton collection (an excellent numismatic researcher who amassed a comprehensive collection of Scottish coinage)

 

WMH-9102:  Stephen Norman Kings Hammered Silver Penny - Rare Mint.  Almer (actually Aethelmaer, a solid Saxon name for a Norman moneyer!) of Chester: +ALMER:ON:CES.  Old tickets here.  Spink 1278.  B.M.C. I, Cross Moline “Watford” type.  A rarer northern mint (£1,000 in Spink) and a coin well struck for once.  VF for issue.  SOLD

Provenance:

ex Michael Trenerry (1986 and 2023)

 

WMH-7939:  Stephen Norman Hammered Silver Rarer Mint Penny.  Cross Moline or B.M.C. 1 type, 1136-45.  [+S]APINE.ON.HAST – Hastings mint town.  Very few recorded examples, especially complete coins and in this grade, recorded.  The apparent crack at 1 or 2 o'clock on the reverse actually isn't a crack at all, rather a planchet flaw which was there prior to the strike.  Its corresponding obverse location is at 4 o'clock.  Ex Bispham collection (an acknowledged expert in late Norman, early medieval coinage), ex Baldwins - see old tickets here.  It is perhaps full circle in that at the Battle of Hastings the Normans took control of England and then this penny, minted at Hastings, witnessed the end of the Normans period upon Stephen's death.  SOLD

 

WI-9077:  Irish Henry VII Hammered Silver Tudor Groat.  A class 1, late portrait issue, circa 1496 - 1505.  Dublin mint.  Smaller head, Spink 6453.  See here for old tickets.  Uncommon.  SOLD

Provenance:

ex Spink

Old 1995 ticket

 

WTH-7883:  1567 Elizabeth 1st Milled or Machine-Pressed Silver Sixpence with Excellent Provenance.  Initial mark lis, small crude bust, Spink 2599.  Borden & Brown 37 (O1/R1) - type 7c.  The following, which I highlight at the top of the Elizabeth 1st page, is fact:  “85% of Mestrelle’s meagre experimental machine-made coins were sixpences dated 1562.  This leaves 15% for all the other Screw-Pressed sixpences, shillings, groats, threepences, halfgroats, threefarthings and the gold coinage.”  It doesn’t take a statistician to see that for Spink to state that a 1567 milled 6d is commoner than a 1562 6d is beyond ridiculous.  (I don't tend to buy 1562 machine pressed sixpences as they are invariably overpriced).  Queen Elizabeth 1st herself visited both mints (Upper & Lower Houses) upon the occasion of the near completion of the recoinage on 10th July 1561.  She met with Eloye Mestrelle and viewed his machinery.  The visit was reported to be six hours in length.  Eleven years later, Eloye Mestrelle was dismissed from the mint in 1572 and just six years after that, he was executed (hanged) for counterfeiting.  Old tickets here: Ex CEJ 1945 and residing in the same family until recently.  A rarer date coin.  SOLD

 

WMH-8128:  Stephen Norman Hammered Silver Penny.  An exceptional coin.  Cross Moline “Watford” type B.M.C. I, Ð[VR]STAN:ON:EVE – Thorsteinn of York.  Spink 1278.  Of the x5 examples recorded on the EMC database, this coin is the best. Dark toning, full flan, well centred, strong portrait, excellent legends – you will struggle to find a better example for type or mint available today.  SOLD

 

WMH-7396:  William II “Rufus” Hammered Silver Norman Penny.  Cross fleury and piles issue (B.M.C. V) of 1098 – 1100 only.  +ASCIL.ON.[L]I[N]CO.  Lincoln mint.  Spink 1262.  Extra image here.  This final issue is the rarest of all five William II types, being only 9% of all recorded coins, including fragments and mules, for EMC + SCBI.  The EMC alone has type V at 8% with the nest rarest, type IV, at 10%.  Further, the money and type combination is also rare.  SOLD

 

WJC-9094: Stuart De Passe Token - James 1st with Charles 1st.  Circa 1625 - 1629/30.  From a series of Medalets issued by Simon van de Passe (1595-1647) depicting the kings and queens of England.  It is generally accepted that they were issued as gaming tokens.  The dies were cleverly sunk to imitate a hand-engraved appearance and indeed, the uninitiated even today will readily state hand-engraved when asked.  They were not; they were machine-pressed.  There is a commoner Charles 1st De Passe token with his wife, Henrietta Maria, on the reverse but this token, issued when Charles 1st was on the throne, is unusual in that it depicts two monarchs.  Mitchener 4784.  Rare.  £245

 

WCom-6439:  1651 Commonwealth Hammered Silver Shilling.  A straight 51 obverse and reverse but no stop after THE making this the rare E.S.C 984.  SOLD

 

WJC-7503:  1604 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  First Coinage, second bust, initial mark Lis.  Spink 2648.  A common date but the rarer first coinage type.  Ex Wootton collection.  SOLD

 

WG-9081:  1797 George III Copper Cartwheel Penny BOX.  At 40mm in height, this box is comprised of a cartwheel penny as base and another for the lid, together with a copper tube for the body of the box imitating x10 more cartwheel pennies.  The base coin is fixed.  The top pushes into / pulls out of the copper tube in a most pleasing fashion.  Possibly a very early 1800's apprentice piece.  If you're looking for something numismatic, tactile, useful and quirky, look no further!  SOLD

 

WG-9082:  1797 George III Copper Cartwheel Penny SMUGGLER'S BOX.  At first glance, a standard 1797 George III cartwheel penny.  Look closer though and you'll see that this coin cleverly unscrews to reveal a hidden cavity inside.  Possibly a very early 1800's apprentice piece.  Another story I've heard is that these were used to hide a gold guinea inside so that, for instance, if you were taking a horse & coach trip in Georgian times and were held up by a highwayman, he would not really be interested in a paltry penny.  These things have always been termed "Smuggler's Boxes" so clearly there was an element of smuggling involved here, although what you could physically smuggle inside one of these things back in the early 1800's is beyond me!  Crucially, the thread mechanism on this coin is in perfect working order - virtually every other example I've previously had has been problematic on the thread.  A couple of people have been asking me to source one of these pretty much since Covid - this is the first I've had in all that time!  If you're looking for something numismatic, tactile, useful and quirky, look no further!  SOLD

 

WG-9083:  1797 George III Copper Cartwheel Twopence SMUGGLER'S BOX.  At first glance, a standard huge 1797 George III cartwheel twopence.  Look closer though and you'll see that this coin cleverly unscrews to reveal a hidden cavity inside.  Possibly a very early 1800's apprentice piece.  Another story I've heard is that these were used to hide a gold guinea inside so that, for instance, if you were taking a horse & coach trip in Georgian times and were held up by a highwayman, he would not really be interested in a paltry penny.  These things have always been termed "Smuggler's Boxes" so clearly there was an element of smuggling involved here, although what you could physically smuggle inside one of these things back in the early 1800's, even in a coin of this size, is beyond me!  Crucially, the thread mechanism on this coin is in perfect working order - virtually every other example I've previously had has been problematic on the thread.  Further, this is a very different method of manufacture to examples I've previously seen - the thread is set much further into the coin resulting in a very sturdy design indeed.  A couple of people have been asking me to source one of these pretty much since Covid - this is the first I've had in all that time!  If you're looking for something numismatic, tactile, useful and quirky, look no further!  SOLD

 

WSC-9044:  John Baliol Scottish Hammered Silver Long Cross & Stars Penny.  Second coinage, smooth surface issue, circa 1292-6.  Berwick mint.  Obv: +IOhANNES DEI GRA, bust left.  Rev: +REX SCOTORVM, long cross with x4 mullets or stars of six points in angles.  Spink 5071. John Baliol was “chosen” out of thirteen competitors for the Scottish throne upon the death of Alexander III.  The English king, Edward I, was the arbitrator.  John Baliol’s four year reign ended in 1296 with his abdication when Berwick, Edinburgh, Perth, Roxburgh and Stirling all fell to the English.  Unlike the first issue John Baliol pennies, very few specimens of this coinage have been found recently with metal detectors.  Both very rare and desirable in this grade.  SOLD

Provenance:

ex Mike Vosper

 

WI-9078:  John (as Lord) Irish Medieval Hammered Silver Halfpenny.  Listed in reference books as pennies but circulated at halfpence (the halfpennies duly circulated as farthings).  Second DOM[inus] coinage with the rarer obverse legend ending DOOM, c.1185/1190 and no later than 1208/9.  Dublin mint; Norman as moneyer.  With a cross potent as opposed to a cross pommée reverse, this is a Group 1b coin, Spink 6205.  Prince John (his father still being very much alive at this point) was given Lordship of Ireland in 1177.  He finally visited in 1185 which coincided with the first (excessively rare) issue.  This later issue followed on from that.  In 1208, John became king, so heralding the third "Rex" coinage.  See here for old tickets.  An outstanding coin - choice.  SOLD

Provenance:

ex Spink

ex Hartland collection of English coins

ex Baldwins, 1955, where is sold for the very high price of 15 shillings

 

WTH-7884:  1568/7 Elizabeth 1st Milled or Machine-Pressed Silver Sixpence with Excellent Provenance.  Initial mark lis, small crude bust, Spink 2599.  Borden & Brown 40 (O2/R1) - type 7c, this exact coin cited and illustrated.  The following, which I highlight at the top of the Elizabeth 1st page, is fact:  “85% of Mestrelle’s meagre experimental machine-made coins were sixpences dated 1562.  This leaves 15% for all the other Screw-Pressed sixpences, shillings, groats, threepences, halfgroats, threefarthings and the gold coinage.”  It doesn’t take a statistician to see that for Spink to state that a 1568/7 milled 6d is commoner than a 1562 6d is beyond ridiculous.  (I don't tend to buy 1562 machine pressed sixpences as they are invariably overpriced).  Queen Elizabeth 1st herself visited both mints (Upper & Lower Houses) upon the occasion of the near completion of the recoinage on 10th July 1561.  She met with Eloye Mestrelle and viewed his machinery.  The visit was reported to be six hours in length.  Eleven years later, Eloye Mestrelle was dismissed from the mint in 1572 and just six years after that, he was executed (hanged) for counterfeiting.  Old tickets here: Ex Spink 1958 and residing in the same family until recently.  A rarer date and better grade coin.  SOLD

 

WSC-9087:  1567 Mary Queen of Scots Large Hammered Silver Ryal.  Second widowhood, struck Edinburgh, Spink 5429.  Old tickets here.  Counterstamped due to revaluation (30s to a hefty 36s, 9d) in 1578 - see page 76 of Spink.  It is interesting to note that 1567 was a year that both Mary and James VI issued coinage although it should be noted that the Mary date was but a fraction of the James VI date in terms of output.  About VF.  A most desirable coin.  SOLD

Provenance:

ex Spink, 1980's (May Sinclair tickets)

 

WTH-9091:  Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Tudor Shilling.  Sixth issue, initial mark Woolpack (1594-6), Spink 2577.  An interesting and rarer variety with the obverse legend reading ELZAB.  Excellent grade - just look at the state of most extant Elizabethan coinage from late in the issue.  The Spink plate coin - presumably the best known example - is only marginally better.  Beautifully toned, high grade and rare thus.  SOLD

Provenance:

ex Tim Owen (older colour ticket)

 

WI-8174:  1690 Irish James II Emergency Pewter Money Halfpenny.  Issued as part of the Gun Money Civil War coinage, but very much on the tail-end when the supply of “latten” or scrap base metal was very in dire shortage.  Things were getting so bad that a warrant was issued for the coining of two guns (presumably obsolete ones) from Dublin castle.  It then got worse still: writing to Mary of Modena, James II's wife in France, the duke of Tyrconnell (the lord lieutenant of Ireland) included in a list of 'things we cannot subsist here without' a request that 'forty guns may be sent us to coine into money'.  At the same time that brass latten was becoming almost impossible to source, the public were coming to the very end of their already thinly stretched patience with this non-money.  Their contempt for the coins and those who had issued them was unlimited, and they talked of 'their Tinkerly Treasure' and 'their brass imaginary coin made only valuable by the magic of their priests'.  This was never more so than during the Pewter Money period.  In January 1691, the Irish finally admitted that nothing was going to restore the value of their emergency coinages.  They announced that the brass & pewter would be withdrawn from circulation on 15 March. Those who had emergency coinage were to bring them to the treasury where they would be given receipts which would entitle them to full repayment when James was restored to his throne.  Most people knew that neither was likely to happen.  This pewter issue, the “successor” to Gun Money, had a copper alloy plug.  It was incredibly susceptible to both wear and corrosion.  Very few examples remain extant and hardly any of them are in anything like this grade.  Type I, Spink 6591.  Readers may be interested to know that the rare 1690 pewter money halfpenny issue in silver is all a later re-strike, probably done in France some time later.  What little precious metals they had at this time went to pay the troops in France because they refused to accept the Latten or Pewter coinage.  Further, all silver and gold Gun Money proofs are again later re-strikes using genuine dies.  A particularly pleasing reverse, better than that of the Spink plate coin and overall, on a par with that coin, it being the very best they could source with their huge resources.  Rare and rarer so in this grade.  SOLD

 

WAu-9023:  Edward VI Tudor Hammered Gold Half Sovereign.  Although struck within the early period of Edward's reign, they all bear the name AND portrait of his father, Henry VIII.  A youthful portrayal of Henry - a strange choice of depiction, bearing in mind Henry was not only elderly but also dead at this point! - with sceptre.  Initial mark Arrow.  Lozenge stops on the obverse; broken quatrefoils on the reverse.  Spink 2391, Schneider 660, North 1865.  Always a problematic issue, the dies poor and the end product rarely, if ever, struck up properly.  See here for weight and tickets.  This coin above average for issue.  SOLD

Provenance

Ex Michael Trenerry

 

WAu-7940:  Henry VII Hammered Tudor Gold Angel.  Type IV, rarer Greyhound Head initial mark (1502-4), Spink 2185.  This is the first Greyhound Head angel I have had.  Very much the new dies type - angel with both feet on the dragon as opposed to the old type with just one foot.  A nice, presentable rarer initial mark hammered gold angel, ex mount, for well under £2,000 (possibly even cheaper if you take up the Coin News advert challenge?!)  Good look in finding any other Angel, for any monarch, for sale at under £2K these days.  SOLD

 

WTH-7603:  Philip & Mary Hammered Silver Billon Penny.  P.Z.M. etc, London mint, initial mark Half-rose & castle, Spink 2510A.  Circulated as a halfpenny.  I’m not normally one to get overly excited by grade but even I have to admit that this coin is superb - central striking both sides, exceptionally high grade for issue – choice.   Ex Lancashire collection.  You‘ll struggle to find better.  SOLD

 

WMH-8104:  Henry IV / V Hammered Silver Medieval SCOWLING BUST Groat.  Light coinage, London mint, type B2a (there is now uncertainty as to whether types A and B of Henry V should be given to Henry IV), initial mark Cross Pattée, no fleurs over the crown and Quatrefoil after hENRIC - Spink 1762B.  There is an interesting mention of this very coin in BNJ 1997 (50), p.26.  See old tickets here and information sheet here.  High grade, impeccable provenance - Choice.  SOLD

Provenance:

ex D. Mangaki collection...

Purchased from Seaby 1956

ex Margaret Delmé Radcliffe collection...

Dispersed Glendining's Action (1985)

Ex North Yorkshire Moor collection...

Dispersed DN W Action (2019)

Ex Mike Vosper (2019 - £1,250 ticket price)

Ex Mike Hallam collection

 

WRS-8999:  Roman Silver Legionary Denarius: Legion II - Extraordinary Provenance.  Roman Imperatorial coinage, post Second Triumvirate, Mark Antony.  Struck Autumn 32 to Spring 31 BC.  RSC 27, Sear 349.  Legionary denarii is the modern name for a series of Roman silver denarius coins issued by Mark Antony in the eastern Med

iterranean during the last war of the Roman Republic from 32 to 31 BC, in the lead up to the Battle of Actium.  They were struck for one purpose only - to pay the legionary soldiers.  This coin is Legion II - present in the British invasion force of the imperial propraetor Aulus Plautius in AD43, during which it was placed under the command of the young legionary legate Titus Flavius Vespasianus, later to become emperor.  Twenty Three legions were honoured in this "Legionary" denarius issue.  The coins were struck in reduced silver content (!) and so survived the rigours of circulation much better than standard denarii.  This meant that they continued to be used in circulation and would have been present on the invasion force of AD 43.  The entire legion apart from a small caretaker force, plus detachments of Legio VI Victrix and Legio XX Valeria Victrix, was put to work on the construction of Hadrian’s Wall.  Part of the very famous Helmingham Hoard of 2019 - the largest mixed hoard of British Iron Age and Roman coins ever found in Britain.  This hoard was deposited AD 46-7, only 3 or 4 years after Legion II landed.  Sold with an impressive array of tickets & literature here and here.  The large A4 double-sided glossy document makes very interesting reading as it attempts to focus in on the individual who deposited this hoard into the ground.  A very good coin for issue, bearing in mind its nearly 80 years in circulation, but more than that, true history in a coin!  SOLD

Provenance:

ex Helmingham Hoard of 2019WMH-8059:  An Excellent Henry V Long Cross Hammered Silver Penny.  Initial mark Pierced Cross, York mint, mullet & lis by crown, annulet in reverse quarter - Spink 1791.  For a York mint coin, this is a remarkable, bordering on exceptional example, all the more so because this coin was struck from LOCAL DIES.  I have only ever had London mint coins as good as this before.  Henry V of the Battle of Agincourt fame: I pray thee, wish not one man more. By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; It yearns me not if men my garments wear; Such outward things dwell not in my desires: But if it be a sin to covet honour, I am the most offending soul alive.  This is obviously Shakespeare's interpretation on Henry's St Crispin's Day speech but it's generally believed that Henry V gave a rousing speech to his men, who, remember, were vastly outnumbered, just before they defeated the French.   Centrally struck both sides, good legends, minor clipping only, strong detail throughout.  This would have stood out when it was minted in amongst all the other coins that were poorly struck and from indifferent local dies.  Rare.  SOLD

 

WSC-9031:  Charles 1st Scottish Hammered Silver Twelve Shillings - A Hugely Significant Coin.  Third coinage, 1637-42, Type IV Falconer issue, the rarest (and final) Type IV issue with the bust wholly within the inner circle.  Spink 5563.  So, two things: 

1) This coin has been centrally pierced as part of the 1696 Great Re-coinage, largely overseen by Sir Isaac Newton at the mint.  Hammered coinage in England was phased out at the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 and was officially ended in 1662 with the introduction of Charles II milled silver coins.  Whilst no more hammered coins were minted post 1662, the old hammered coinage was still legal tender; hammered and milled running side by side, although much of the former was battered and bruised through shear over usage, not to mention underweight through clipping.  In 1696, although hammered coinage was still popular with the public, it was decided that enough was enough – all circulating hammered coinage was to be assessed by the mint.  Anything under weight was to be exchanged for the new milled coinage and anything of the correct weight was allowed to circulate for a few years more.  This latter cohort was identified as “still legal” (crucially, these pierced coins were not legal currency, rather they were officially sanctioned to pass as lumps of bullion only, so technically still actual money, but not legally) by the addition of a central punch or piercing administered by the mint.  There were problems, as one would perhaps expect with such a huge national undertaking: 

a.  Due to the mint’s promise of a like-for-like value replacement, regardless of condition, many enterprising individuals, before submitting for exchange, clipped their hammered coinage further still, retaining the silver shavings to be utilised for effectively what was free money later on. 

b.  As a direct result of this extra clipping, together with the high cost of minting the new milled coinage, the government lost a great deal of money – nearly £3 million. 

c.  The timing was appalling – the new milled money was not ready in time for an exchange.  Riots threatened and there was great public unrest until the government bridged the period by issuing paper notes.

d.  The infamous Window Tax, of which we’re all still cognisant of today, was introduced specifically to pay for this near £3 million financial black hole.  There have been some bad government taxes over the years, but a window tax?!

Bearing in mind there were not actually that many hammered coins that passed the grade in 1696 (the process was actually 1696-99), together with the fact that post 1699, whenever a pierced hammered coin passed through the hands of officialdom, it would inevitably be withdrawn, it’s perhaps easy to see why these coins are rare.  You really don’t see than many of them.  Georgian and Victorian gentlemen collectors would not be interested in pierced coins (these were the people who mutilated the Cromwell crowns by smoothing over the infamous die flaw because they couldn’t live with them as they were!!), which is another reason why these extremely interesting coins are so rare. 

2) The 1696 Great Re-coinage of 1696 was absolutely an English move and yet this coin is very much Scottish!  What would have happened was that this coin would have been traded down from Scotland to England, thereby losing it's Twelve Shillings denomination, instead circulating as a simple English Shilling.  The central piercing of coins of the correct weight was perhaps the least worst idea they came up with - it was incredibly unpopular with the man in the street (piercing a coin had always been a mark of non-currency, the best examples being the English centrally pierced jettons).  London was the focus of this great endeavour but officials were sent out into the Shires to perform the deed.  I'd imagine this coin was the work of a mobile mint official somewhere north of London.

I have never seen or even heard of a Scottish coin connected with the 1696 Great Re-coinage before - the Irish Charles 1st Blacksmith halfcrown I put up on the website a few years back was centrally pierced not because of 1696 but simply to denote it wasn't legal currency.  However, there is a single Scottish reference I've managed to source, and it is just a single reference in amongst all the English extant examples: The Punched Hammered Coinage of 1696 (Galata 2019) by Garry Charman lists a Scottish Charles 1st twelve shilling piece, centrally pierced, as a result of the Great Recoinage, and would you believe it, the coin was also the rarer type IV, Spink 5563!  Not the same coin though.  A very rare coin indeed.  SOLD

 

WTH-9061:  1551 Edward VI Tudor Hammered FINE SILVER Halfcrown.  Walking horse with plume, initial mark y, Spink 2479.  Tower (London) mint.  Extra montage image here, of the coin in the hand and taken with a camera phone, illustrating the countless overstamps and corrections to mainly the reverse lettering, but also the obverse.  Some are smaller, less bulky letters over original larger letters (eg all the letters of REX), whilst others are clearly the correct letter over something entirely different (eg the S of POSVI and the E of DEVM).  I suspect that not only was this the first date, first initial mark and first issue but that it was indeed the very first die pair where they had to iron out all the mistakes.  An interesting coin.  SOLD

 

WI-9060:  Rarer Edward VI Irish Tudor Hammered Silver Groat or Sixpence.  Posthumous (Henry VIII) old head coinage, 1547 - 1550.  CIVI TAS DVB LINIE - Dublin mint.  Initial mark the oh-so-rare BOAR'S HEAD.  The final type IV issue (small right facing bust; very much in the style of the English Tower groats) and so nearer to 1550 in date.  Spink 6488.  Struck in the name of Henry VIII and with the old head portrait of Henry VIII, even though by the time this coin hit the streets of Ireland, Henry had been dead for nearly three years.  The reason for the old king's details on the coinage was not, as most people understand, simply because Edward was too young to do "kingly stuff", or because people still loved the old king, or even that the Irish were slow off the mark - it was actually done to con the people, or rather to carry on conning the people, but conning them just a little bit more.  Actual Henry VIII base coinage, struck towards the end of his reign, was very debased as a way of making money for the mint, and therefore the country, after Henry had all but emptied the country's coffers.  The English ministers planned to bring the currency of England (not Ireland!) back up to .925 alloy from little better than copper and indeed they did this in 1551 with the English fine silver issues.  To pay for this, the Irish debased coinage would continue for a further x4 years after the death of Henry and crucially, having the old king's name and portrait on the coins would, it was thought, trick the public into accepting the poor coins.  Remember, the coin in your hand back then was supposed to be the face value in silver, so much so that the coin itself was largely irrelevant - all you needed was a penny's worth of scrap silver to purchase a penny loaf of bread.  These debased coins were far from being worth their face value in metal.  The bit where the English ministers conned the people just a little bit more was in making the silver content of the Edward VI coinage just a little bit better than the worst of the Henry VIII coinage BUT they increasing the face value from a groat (fourpence) to a sixpence WITHOUT upping the metal content.  Basically, same coin but a revaluation.  To further rub salt into the wound, whilst in 1551 the English were enjoying the bright shiny fine silver coinage of .925 alloy, the Irish, in 1552, having suffered in order to pay for the English fine silver halcyon days, suffered further by having their coinage reduced even more to .250 fine!  So here we have a coin that is Henry VIII and / or Edward VI and a denomination of 4d and / or 6d!  More importantly, we have here the BOAR'S HEAD initial mark, the first I have ever seen, let alone handled.  Sold with two old tickets (illustrated) and another old dealer ticket incorrectly ascribing this coin as Spink 6487.  A rare offering.  SOLD

 

WI-7661:  1690 (August) James II Irish Gun Money Half Crown.  Large-sized halfcrown.  Spink 6579b.  After fleeing from England to France in 1688 – an effective abdication from the English throne – James II landed in Ireland March 1689 in order to promote his Catholic cause, something we are perhaps still living with today?!  He had insufficient funds to prosecute this war so the plan was to raise money by issuing base metal coinage in place of what would previously have been silver issues.  This was a less subtle example of the Quantitative Easing that we all witnessed a few years ago.  If today’s money had still been based on the value of the coin in your hand being worth its face value in precious metal, then the Chancellor in 2009 would perhaps have done something very similar!  This coinage was set up with an intention for them to be exchanged for sterling coinage once the dust had settled.  This never happened.  The metal for these coins came from old cannon, bells and various other scrap metals that were termed “Gun Money”.  SOLD

 

WI-9066:  1690 Irish Gun Money Full Crown.  James II emergency Civil War coinage of 1689-91.  Spink 6578.  Overstruck on the large Gun Money halfcrowns as by 1690, these were obsolete; replaced by the small size halfcrowns.  The obverse of the Gun Money crown (and it is just the crowns) has similarities to the earlier Charles 1st halfcrowns and crowns, which I’m sure was far from accidental.  It won’t have escaped readers’ attention that Gun Money coinage is currently riding high in terms of popularity.  After fleeing from England to France in 1688 – an effective abdication from the English throne – James II landed in Ireland March 1689 in order to promote his Catholic cause, something we are perhaps still living with today?!  He had insufficient funds to prosecute this war so the plan was to raise money by issuing base metal coinage in place of what would previously have been silver issues.  This was a less subtle example of the Quantitative Easing that we all witnessed a few years ago.  This coinage was set up with an intention for them to be exchanged for sterling coinage once the dust had settled.  This never happened.  The metal for these coins came from old cannon, bells and various other scrap metals that were termed “Gun Money”.  SOLD

 

WTH-7601:  1589 Elizabeth 1st Jetton – The Defeat of the Spanish Armada.  This event is iconic in the annals of Tudor history.  Obviously this happened in 1588 but design, production and distribution takes time.  MI 153/128, Eimer 63, Van Loom 388/2.  Well toned and perhaps somewhat harshly graded at GVF.  Ex Baldwin’s.  SOLD

 

WTH-8074:  Edward VI Base Shilling Counterstamped with an Elizabeth 1st Portcullis Revaluation Mark.  An Edward VI base shilling from the Third Period (1551), clear initial mark Lion, the final date letter of the Roman alphabet clearly shown as L, so MDL or 1550.  Counterstamped between 1oth October 1560 and 8th November 1560 with a Portcullis to signify a revaluation to fourpence-halfpenny.  Spink 2546.  The question of recoining the large amount of debased currency in circulation in the first two years of Elizabeth’s reign led a committee of the Privy Council to recommend the city of London provide magistrates to check the coin in circulation in market places, and to stamp Edward VI shillings of 8:2 and 6:2 fineness with a portcullis, enabling them to be current for fourpence-halfpenny, and those of 3:2 fineness with a greyhound, thus current for twopence-farthing. The stamping began on 10 October 1560 (i.e. almost at the end of the lis-marked first coinage, which ceased on 8 November 1560) and was undertaken country-wide, with the die-sinker John Lawrence providing sufficient punches to the corporations of 42 towns. These counterstamped coins were allowed to circulate only until the early Spring of 1561.  Old auction cutting here.  Let's be honest, this is an ugly coin, but you must remember that the entire point of this 1560 counterstamping exercise was to target worn and damaged Edward VI coinage with the ultimate aim of removing this troublesome coin from circulation, so only the "bad" ones were ever counterstamped - you're never going to see a "good" one.  Aesthetics aside, this is an excessively rare, numismatically important Elizabeth 1st coin, described by some as THE rarest of all the issues - the Greyhound c/s is rarer and the undated sixpences are rarer still, in my opinion, but never-the-less I'm sure you get the point.  The Bishopsteignton (Devon) example sold September 2020 through Spink for just a smidgeon under £10,000 after commissions.  The Walter Wilkinson example - so poor that at auction it received a grade of "mediocre" - was estimated at between £4,000 and £5,000 but because there was so much Elizabeth 1st material released onto the market that day courtesy of that superb and enormous collection, it only sold for £2,600 after commission in 2020.  I'm aware of only one other for sale and that's just under £5,000.  Ignore this and you'll probably never see another come up!  SOLD

 

WTH-7600:  1599/8 Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Initial mark Anchor over Key, Sixth issue, Spink 2578B.  1599 as a date represents a frequency of 0.2% for the 2,716 recorded single finds of Elizabeth 1st coins and 0.1% for all 5,588 recorded Elizabeth 1st hoard coins.  *** 1599 is the third rarest of all forty two dates ***  There was an economic depression during the final years of the sixteenth century, a factor hugely relevant in the rarity of this coin.  This led to a situation where there was an oversupply of dies, resulting in not only date alterations (we see 1599/8/6, 99/8 [this coin] and 99/6) but also initial mark changes, in this case it was Anchor for 1599 overstruck on Key for 98.  This scenario only started in 1598 as prior to that date, we see very little, if any overdating – even 1597 was a straight date.  More interesting still, this coin is the rarer AN over KY in ANG error.  Ex Ewerby Hoard.  Not a particularly pleasing coin but nevertheless hugely interesting, very rare and benefiting from coming from that well known, recent hoard – and by the way, this large hoard was very much made up of worn coins from circulation with apparently zero consideration given for any part of it to be “nice coins” – these were the coins available to the individual who put that hoard together at that time.  This 1599 is fairly representative across the board in terms of grade, showing us that the general coinage in circulation in the 1640’s – the given date of this hoard – was poor.  It’s frustrating when people demand high grade, choice sixpences and complain that all see are “battered, low grade” examples.  The Chris Comber and Walter Wilkinson Elizabeth 1st collections had their fair share of coins looking like this, even after many decades of collecting and upgrading.  A rare coin.  SOLD

 

WTH-7708:  1589 Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Tudor Sixpence.  Sixth issue, initial mark Crescent, Spink 2578A.  1589 as a date represents a frequency of 0.5% for the 2,716 recorded single finds of Elizabeth 1st coins and 0.5% for all 5,588 recorded Elizabeth 1st hoard coins.  1589 is the seventh rarest of all forty two dates.  Very nice grade for such a late issue.  SOLD

 

WTH-8030:  1598 Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Initial mark Anchor, Sixth issue, Spink 2578B.  1598 as a date represents a frequency of 0.1% for the 2,716 recorded single finds of Elizabeth 1st coins and 0.1% for all 5,588 recorded Elizabeth 1st hoard coins.  *** 1598 is the second rarest of all forty two dates ***  There was an economic depression during the final years of the sixteenth century, a factor hugely relevant in the rarity of this coin.  This led to a situation where there was an oversupply of dies.  1598 exists only as a straight 1598 but the dies were used in subsequent years because so few coins were struck in 1598 that the existing dies were still fresh as a daisy!  We see later 1599/8/6 and 1599/8 coins to illustrate this.  The more astute among you may well be wondering how a 1598 coin can have an anchor as an initial mark when anchor was 8th Feb 1599 to 30th April 1600.  Some may suggest the change from Julian to Gregorian calendars?  Although the Gregorian calendar was adopted widely in 1582, it wasn't until 1752 that it was adopted in the UK - on that day, Wednesday September 2nd 1752 was promptly followed by Thursday September 14th, and New Year's Day was moved from March 25th to January 1st.  So it wasn't the Gregorian calendar but the truth lies in that last statement: New Year's Day was moved from March 25th to January 1st.  In 1598, the year ended March 24th, thus initial mark anchor (8th Feb 1599 to 30th April 1600) and a date of 1598 was perfectly acceptable.  Ex Ewerby Hoard.  Not a particularly pleasing coin but nevertheless hugely interesting, very rare and benefiting from coming from that well known, recent hoard – and by the way, this large hoard was very much made up of worn coins from circulation with apparently zero consideration given for any part of it to be “nice coins” – these were the coins available to the individual who put that hoard together at that time.  This 1598 is fairly representative across the board in terms of grade, showing us that the general coinage in circulation in the 1640’s – the given date of this hoard – was poor.  It’s frustrating when people demand high grade, choice sixpences and complain that all see are “battered, low grade” examples.  The Chris Comber and Walter Wilkinson Elizabeth 1st collections had their fair share of coins looking like this, even after many decades of collecting and upgrading.  A very rare coin indeed in the sixpence series.  SOLD

 

WTH-8992:  1571/0 Elizabeth 1st MILLED or MACHINE PRESSED Silver Sixpence.  Large, crude bust with ear showing, initial mark Castle over Lis, Spink 2600.  The rarest date in the "milled" series by a country mile.  Queen Elizabeth 1st herself visited both mints (Upper & Lower Houses) upon the occasion of the near completion of the recoinage on 10th July 1561.  She met with Eloye Mestrelle and viewed his machinery.  The visit was reported to be six hours in length.  Eleven years later, Eloye Mestrelle was dismissed from the mint in 1572 and just six years after that, he was executed (hanged) for counterfeiting.  Eloye Mestrelle's experiment effectively came to an end on 1st September 1568 when his kinsman, Philippe Mestrell was charged with counterfeiting Burgundian gold coins.  Unfortunately for Eloye Mestrelle, he was implicated in the crime.  Philippe Mestrell was found guilty in January 1569 and subsequently executed at Tyburn.  Eloye Mestrelle was successful in suing for a pardon but that really was the beginning of the end.  He wasn't allowed anywhere near gold, for obvious reasons, and was restricted with milled silver to such an extent that we see this coin with a previously unheard of retrograde N, an awkward portrait of the Queen and a general low grade set of dies all round.  This date was not a patch on his earlier work, of which he was well aware as he adopted the ongoing initial marks of the hammered series (for this year it was Castle) rather than continuing with his own marks.  Old tickets here.  Walter Wilkinson, on his original distinctive ticket, gives this RRR rarity which is only one less R than the fabled undated sixpence to which he gave a rarity of RRRR.  A great rarity in Elizabethan coinage with a back story to match and a provenance that is quite remarkable.  If you need a 1570 milled 6d for your collection, this is surely the one to get!  SOLD

Provenance:

Ex Seaby (1959)

Ex R. Carlyon-Britton collection (1971)

Ex B.R. Noble collection, dispersed through...

Glendining's Auction, 11-12 December 1975, lot 582

Ex Covent Garden collection, sold to...

Ex Chris Comber collection, sold 1986 to...

Ex Walter Wilkinson collection dispersed through...

DNW Auction 148, 18-20th September 2018, lot 519

 

WTH-8994:  1600/159- Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Sixth issue, initial mark 0, bust 6B - Spink 2578B.  For the vast bulk of Elizabethan coinage, little or no foresight had been used regarding dates and initial marks, resulting in glaring overdates when the old dies were used again (recycled) in subsequent years, for example the famous 1578/7/6.  There are many others.  The penny dropped at the mint, eventually, that perhaps sinking dies but omitting initial marks and with only partial dates (those to be added when the dies were brought into use), might be a good idea.  Amusingly, this practice was adopted in, wait for it, 1599 - the most inappropriate time possible because the following year was 1600 with three digits changing as opposed to usually one and rarely two!  Rather than throw away the prepared 159- "future-proof" dies, they decided to alter the middle two digits from -59- to -60-.  The first digit (thankfully!) didn't need changing and all they had to do was add the 0 to the end of the date, as well as add the initial mark in the gap provided.  Thus we have 1600 over 159- coins.  Interestingly, these 159- dies were also used in 1601 but even after adding the final digit and changing the middle two, they discovered that the first and last digits were so far apart in time that they were actually from different punches and so different!  Demand for English coin was much in decline at this period so these were tiny mintages: 1600 as a date represents a frequency of 0.4% for the 2,716 recorded single finds of Elizabeth 1st coins and 0.1% for all 5,588 recorded Elizabeth 1st hoard coins.  1600 is the fifth rarest of all forty two dates.  I have to say that I don't see 1600 as being as abundant as that, and I'm far from the only person saying that.  A rare coin indeed.  SOLD

 

WTH-8118:  Unrecorded 1588 - final 8 over sideways 8 Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Tudor Sixpence.  Sixth issue, initial mark Crescent, Spink 2578A.  Note the two 8's are low down, indicating both final digits were added to a finished 15-- die.  In some instances, only the final 8 has been added to a 158- die.  This was a time of austerity where relatively few coins were struck; the thought being that these dies could be used over several years without the need to overdate.  However, much more important is the final 8, it being overstruck over a sideways 8.  Messrs. Brown, Comber & Wilkinson, the undisputed leading experts on all things numismatically linked to Elizabeth 1st, in their research paper (published 2006, updated 2012), state that there is but a single 1588 variety recorded - of all the other dates in this series (1561 - 1602), 1597 and 1588 are the only dates to have a single type, everything else having multiple dates, overdates, various errors etc, etc.  And yet this coin is ex Chris Comber collection - clearly an addition to his collection (all three of them were actively adding to their collection right up until the end) post the 2012 update to their research.  Completely unrecorded and unique at this point in time.  Interestingly, the same employee at the mint who thought a sideways 8 was a good idea to add to a 15-- die was probably still employed in 1589 when he again thought a sideways 9 was an equally good and acceptable idea!  1580 also has an 8 over a sideways 8.  After 1589, no more errors of this nature are recorded thus we can assume that he was either cured of his sideways view on things or moved out!    1588 as a date represents a frequency of 0.2% for the 2,716 recorded single finds of Elizabeth 1st coins and 0.2% for all 5,588 recorded Elizabeth 1st hoard coins.  1588 is the fourth rarest of all forty two dates.  The famous Spanish Armada date and although only 4th rarest in the “league table”, this date is arguably the most sought after of all dates.   A very important coin.  SOLD

 

WMH-7873:  Edward III Medieval Hammered Silver Groat - a Rare Error.  Pre-Treaty, series C, 1351-52, London mint although this coin has the very rare CIVI TAS DON DON reverse mint reading.  Spink 1565 var.  Ivan Buck in his seminal work on English hammered groats doesn't mention this and I don't ever recall seeing one before, either.  A great rarity.  SOLD

 

WTH-8160:  Edward VI Hammered Billon Silver Shilling.  Second (debased) issue, January 1549 to April 1550.  Bust 5, initial mark y.  Dated 1550 so a rarer late dies coin.  Tower (London) mint, Spink 2466B.  An exceptionally good portrait, being better than the Spink plate coin.  Easily VF for issue.  SOLD

Provenance:

ex Martin Hewitt, his tickets (2005, sold for £250)

ex Spink (their ticket)

 

WTH-6894:  Henry VII Hammered Silver Tudor Groat.  Type IIIc with IIIb bust.  Spink 2199.  London mint.  Very clear initial mark Greyhound’s Head, 1502-1504.  A very nice, desirable coin.  SOLD

 

WCA-5416:  1694 William & Mary Silver Proof Farthing.  Plain edge.  Heavier than usual and with some wear so was obviously in circulation as currency.  Contemporary planchets fault on reverse at 12 o’clock.  Unlisted in Peck.  To illustrate just how rare these silver proofs are, this was a random example I had to hand – see here.  Rest assured, this will not cost you the £4,000+ ticket price after commission!!  Extremely rare.  SOLD

 

WMH-8149:  Richard II Medieval Hammered Silver Groat.  Type II (retrograde Z preceding FRANC), London mint, Spink 1679.  There was a distinct lack of available bullion at this period to make coinage:  Lord Stewartby (English Coins 1180-1551, published 2009) states that ...during the reign of Richard II (even at the end of Edward III), and most definitely going through the subsequent reign of Henry IV, silver was haemorrhaging out of England to the Continent at an alarming rate which was compounded by the fact that the country was far from awash with silver in the first place - the price of silver on the Continent was greater than in England and cross-channel merchants were quick to take advantage.  There are recorded accounts showing the absolute dearth of both coinage in circulation and available bullion during the reign of Richard II and Henry IV: in the Annals of the Coinage of Great Britain, Rudding recounts a licence issued to D.B. Goldsmiths of London to melt down groats, halfgroats and pence to the sum of £100 in order to make a silver vessel for the use of Margaret, Countess of Norfolk.  Another illustration was the meeting of Mac Murrough, an Irish chief and the Earl f Gloucester in 1399.  The chief arrived on a horse and being asked how much such a wonderful horse had cost, he replied "four hundred cows", it being the case that there was no physical money available so bartering was the only means of trade.  Further, the actual groat dies were not really up to the mark in terms of depth - Richard II groats are nearly always wishy-washy in appearance (just look at the Spink plate coin - the best they could source with all their collector contacts) and probably were if you were lucky enough to have one fresh out of the mint in the late 1300's.  This is a remarkably good grade coin, being by far the best I've ever had.  Sold with an old dealer ticket with £1,200 price.  A quick browse of past sales of type II groats will show you that far lesser grade coins sold for well into four figures.  A very desirable coin indeed.  SOLD

 

WTH-8123:  High Grade 1602 Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Seventh issue, initial mark 2 – the last ever date in the lengthy Elizabeth 1st sixpence series.  Interestingly, the obverse initial mark 2 is overstruck on an earlier initial mark 1.  Spink 2585.  1602 as a date represents a frequency of 1.9% for the 2,716 recorded single finds of Elizabeth 1st coins and 2.1% for all 5,588 recorded Elizabeth 1st hoard coins.  Outstanding grade for a coin so late in the series.  Ex Chris Comber collection.  SOLD

 

WAu-9018:  Celtic Iron Age Full Gold Stater - Tasciovanus.  Catulvellauni tribe, 25 BC - AD 10 Hidden faces type with the obverse being Hidden Faces - crossed wreaths, one curved, back-to-back, crescents at the centre with faces in the angles.  The reverse has a horse in flight, right, a bucranium and a solar device above.  TASCIAVAN is supposed to be above nut it rarely is.  Hook-like devices are found below the horse but this coin has an extra object below, described as a "bunch of grapes" on the ticket.  See here for weight.  Again, Tasciovanus appears to have had ties with Rome as his coinage, especially the later issues, use increasingly Romanised designs.  Tasciovanus was an excellent king but unusually, his greatness is perhaps overshadowed by that of his son, Cunobelinus.  It is ironic that the hard work, strengthening and consolidation of the Catulvellauni by Tasciovanus literally paved the way for Cunobelinus to shine so illustriously.  Spink 214, ABC 2553, Van Arsdell 1680, BMC 1591-1603.  An outstanding and thus desirable coin.  SOLD

 

WAu-7996:  Rare Celtic Gold Broad Flan Type Quarter Stater.  Ambiani tribe - imported from Gaul or specifically, the modern day Rouen area of France, circa 3rd century BC to the mid 1st century AD.  These were the first coins to be used in Britain.  Gallo-Belgic "Broad Flan" type with a rather impressive flamboyantly wreathed head facing right on the obverse and a somewhat stylised horse on the reverse, again facing right.  Spink 6, ABC 28 (listed "Rare") - Ancient British Coins (ABC) by Chris Rudd, the go-to reference for Celtic coins since 2010, taking over from Van Arsdell.  From an old collection - the collector does not want to be named on the internet but is willing for me to disclose his name and town to the buyer for provenance.  See here for old tickets etc.  SOLD

Ex J.Follws collection

Ex Chris Rudd (sold for £500 back in the day)

Ex Northern collection

 

WTH-7955:  Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver UNDATED Sixpence.  Initial mark Lion, 1567, Third & Fourth issues, Spink 2562A.  Comber, Wilkinson & Brown (2006, updated 2012) in their seminal publication on Elizabethan coinage list only three examples recorded, one of which is held by the British Museum (ref CT-2201).  My understanding is that in the decade following on from the update, there are now four examples recorded: the British Museum example, initial mark Lion, 1st February 1567 to 30th June 1567 [the CT-2201 coin], initial mark Coronet, 1st July 1567 to 28th February 1570, initial mark Ermine, 19th April 1572 to 30th October 1573, and this coin, another initial mark Lion, sold to the Comber collection in 2010 and, for whatever reason, not included in the 2012 update.  Comber, Wilkinson & Brown do not go into any details regarding the undated issues, save only to suggest that the reverse dies on all sixpences were initially prepared with no date, that being added later.  That doesn't quite add up and to be fair, Comber, Wilkinson & Brown do caveat their suggestion by stating that overdates are known for most dates during this period.  No Comber ticket (as is often the case - his collection was vast and very much a work in progress right up to the end) but Comber did annotate the earlier ticket with the maximum "RRRR".  The more observant of you will see that chronologically, an undated sixpence is missing from the initial mark Castle period, there being two undated sixpences before initial mark Castle and one after.  It does seem a stretch to me that these undated coins are simply down to carelessness at the mint - perhaps one, but three?  With an estimated Elizabeth 1st survival rate today of between four and ten coins per die, we might conceivably look forward to the day when some lucky metal detector unearths "Lucy", the missing link; an undated CASTLE sixpence?!  Regulars will smile wryly, being all too aware that I frequently bang on about 1597 being the rarest dated sixpence.  And so it is, but if you're an Elizabeth 1st sixpence collector, the 1597 is as nothing compared to the rarity of the legendary undated sixpence!!  You will likely never see another one of these for sale ever again.  Ex Chris Comber collection, purchased DNW 2010.  You'll need to be quick on this one!  SOLD

 

WTH-7959:  1574 Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Initial mark obverse Eglantine; reverse Eglantine over Acorn.  One of the clearest initial mark counterstamps you're ever likely to see.  Bust 5A, Third & Fourth issues, Spink 2563.  What is of great interest here is the obverse initial mark, it being originally an Acorn reverse die (1st November 1573 to 25th May 1574) recycled for use as an Eglantine coin (29th May 1574 to 13th July 1578).  There is no overdate evident although the final digit, a 4, shows every indication of being added after the die was cut, ie the reverse die was prepared with 157- in place with the final digit to be added to correspond with whatever year it was when the die was finally put into production.  The original Comber ticket highlights the overmark, attributing a very impressive "RR" rarity rating to the coin.  Such initial mark overstamps are recorded and, as you'd expect, are very rare indeed.  There is a similar coin listed on this site with Initial mark obverse Eglantine over Ermine which is rarer still.  Ex Brown, ex Wilkinson, ex Chris Comber collections.  A very rare coin indeed with the added benefit of being endowed with attractive toning and better grade.  SOLD

 

WTH-7470:  1601 Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Seventh Issue, initial mark 1, Spink 2585.  1601 as a date represents a frequency of 0.6% for the 2,716 recorded single finds of Elizabeth 1st coins and 0.7% for all 5,588 recorded Elizabeth 1st hoard coins.  1601 is the tenth rarest of all forty two dates.  These later date coin, and you don’t get much later than this, other than the obvious, were nearly always poorly struck, often using dies of a lesser standard compared to the start of the reign.  This coin is stunning, easily being the best grade example I’ve ever had, or probably seen.  If it wasn’t for the damage, it would be a four figure coin.  SOLD

 

WTH-7956:  1587/6/5 Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Initial mark Crescent, Bust 5B, Sixth issue, Spink 2578.  This is the much rarer 7 over 6 over 5 overdate (there is evidence of a high 5's lower crescent), this being a recorded overdate, along with the 1587/6.  Both overdates are equally rare with the straight 87 being most commonly encountered.  1587 as a date represents a frequency of 0.9% for the 2,716 recorded single finds of Elizabeth 1st coins and 1.0% for all 5,588 recorded Elizabeth 1st hoard coins.  1587 is the twelfth rarest of all forty two dates, but do please bear in mind that 12th rarest is for a straight, non overdate 1587.  Ex Lingford collection, purchased from Lingford by Baldwins in 1951, ex Chris Comber collection.  SOLD

 

WTH-7957:  1577/6 Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Initial mark Eglantine, Bust 5A, Third & Fourth issues, Spink 2563.  The overdate couldn't be clearer.  It may be of interest to read that this is such a rare date that there are only these 1577/6 overdates recorded, ie there are literally no straight 1577 coins, meaning that all 1577 sixpence reverse dies were recycled from earlier years.  1577 as a date represents a frequency of 0.4% for the 2,716 recorded single finds of Elizabeth 1st coins and 0.4% for all 5,588 recorded Elizabeth 1st hoard coins.  1577 is the sixth rarest of all forty two dates.  Nice grade and attractively toned thus a very rare coin.  Ex Chris Comber collection.  SOLD

 

WTH-7958:  1575 Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Initial mark obverse Eglantine over Ermine; reverse Eglantine.  Bust 5A, Third & Fourth issues, Spink 2563.  There is no evidence of this date being 1575/2 as suggested in one of the unidentified tickets and indeed, that combination currently does not exist as a recorded overdate.  What is of great interest is the obverse initial mark, it being originally an Ermine die (19th April 1572 to 30th October 1573) recycled for use as an Eglantine coin (29th May 1574 to 13th July 1578).  No Comber ticket (as is often the case - his collection was vast and very much a work in progress right up to the end) but the old, unidentified ticket states "Eglantine over Acorn?" and then, in another hand, "highly unlikely".  In my opinion, this coin was originally a much earlier Ermine - the two upper horizontals being evident either side of the counterstamped Eglantine.  Such initial mark overstamps are recorded and, as you'd expect, are very rare indeed.  There is a similar coin listed on this site with initial mark obverse Eglantine over Acorn; reverse Eglantine.  Comber attributed a rarity value of "RR" to that coin (this one would be rarer still), which illustrates just how atypical these coins are.  This coin, initial mark obverse Eglantine over Ermine is rarer because of the greater separation of time between the two marks.  Bust 5 was introduced July or August 1573 on Ermine dies thus this is a very late Ermine obverse die, altered to Eglantine, and then paired with a mid-production Eglantine reverse.  Ex Chris Comber collection.  A very rare coin indeed.  SOLD

 

WSax-7974:  Edward the Confessor Hammered Silver Saxon Penny.  Pointed helmet type, B.M.C. VII, c.1053-6 only.  +STIRCOL ON EOFER - York mint.  Spink 1179.  An outstanding well struck example, being the best I've ever handled, slightly impaired by the ragged flan.  Easily a four figure coin otherwise.  SOLD

 

WTH-7977:  Philip and Mary Hammered Silver Tudor Groat.  Initial mark Lis, 1554-58.  Spink 2508.  Mary was the only child of Henry VIII (her mother was Catherine of Aragon) to survive to adulthood.  Mary quickly and efficiently disposed of Lady Jane Gray – proclaimed Queen when Mary’s younger brother Edward VI, died at age 9 – by beheading her, a process not unfamiliar to her, being the daughter of Henry VIII!!  Mary’s marriage to Philip of Spain was entirely political – his close aid once wrote: "The marriage was concluded for no fleshly consideration!"  Ex Lingford (December 1948) collection, ex Chris Comber collection.  SOLD

 

WI-7735:  1543 Henry VIII Irish Hammered Silver Harp Groat.  Third Harp issue, 1543 only.  0.833 silver fineness, which interestingly, in view of Henry VIII’s penchant for progressively reducing the silver content of his coinage throughout the reign, is actually a HIGHER silver content compared to the Second Harp issue of 1540-42.  Rest assured though, the fourth issue was 0.666, the fifth 0.500 and the sixth 0.250.  Initial mark Tudor Rose.  Spink 6481.  A very nice grade coin indeed, possibly edging the Spink plate coin.  SOLD

 

WTH-7802:  1562 Elizabeth 1st Machine Screw-Press Silver Threepence.  Tall bust with no ear showing, initial mark Star, medium rose, Spink 2603.  A much rarer denomination with only x4 different dates.  I again refer the reader to the factual statement at the top of the Elizabeth 1st page, highlighted in yellow, which will comprehensively illustrate just how rare this denomination is.  Spink sold a similar example some time ago for £1,140 after commissions.  It should be noted that in that auction, Spink misidentified the coin by attributing it as Spink 2604.  It was Spink 2603.  Probably only the 3rd threepence I have ever had.  SOLD

 

WTH-7804:  1580 Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Tudor Sixpence  Fifth issue, initial mark Latin or Long Cross, which was in use 1st June 1580 to 31st December 1581 so much more prevalent of 1581 coins.  Further, there are overdates recorded – 1580/79, of which this coin is decidedly not – so it’s a fair assumption to date this coin to the latter months of the second half of 1580.  Interestingly, no 1580 dies were recycled post this date.  Likely to have been part of a hoard at some point as the coin has been historically cleaned and the grade is outstanding.  Note the reverse, which as good as you’ll ever see on one of these.  The coin is probably not far off “as struck” with the obverse being a tad under-struck, coupled with some slight double striking.  Even taking grade out of the equation, this is a particularly well made specimen, especially as 1580 is at the point where quality of the dies and the actual end product started to fall off the cliff!  There is a scratch to the neck which could be as a result of recovery from the ground, or perhaps a test scratch to ascertain authenticity because the coin was probably a stand-out example when it hit the streets.  Just speculation, though.  1580 as a date represents a frequency of 3.7% for the 2,716 recorded single finds of Elizabeth 1st coins and 4.1% for all 5,588 recorded Elizabeth 1st hoard coins.  Spink 2572.  A very desirable coin.  SOLD

 

WCom-7854:  1649 Commonwealth Hammered Silver Shilling.  Initial mark Sun, struck London (Commonwealth coinage, particularly the early, larger denominations, was fairly London-centric in their circulation anyway), Spink 3217.  It is interesting to note that being the very first date in Cromwell's "non reign", the design was perhaps more style over substance.  In subsequent years, although clearly not in 1650, more thought was put into the die design in order to produce a better all-round coin - no pun intended.  To all intents and purposes, this 1649 design is unique to this single year, albeit extremely subtle to the uneducated eye!  I strongly recommend you browse the excellent Sun & Anchor website which is dedicated to Commonwealth coinage.  Regarding the reference on the ticket to the "Shove Groat" game: until fairly recently, and it may even still be going somewhere today, shove hapenny was a pub game.  I'm aware of Edward VI fine silver shillings being used where the coin was always obverse down, thus attracting much more wear that side.  Incidentally, these coins, and coins of a similar period as well, are sometimes marked in the fields with graffiti - this is thought to be players of this parlour game putting their own identifying marks on their "gaming coins".  Shakespeare actually refers to Edward VI shillings being used in this way (The Merry Wives of Windsor) and the famous Stuart, self-named "Water Poet", John Taylor, wrote several lines about the Edward VI shove shilling game in his "Travailes of a Shilling" work (London, 1621).  However, I think it's a stretch to say this Commonwealth shilling has lived a life of  "Shove Groat" (groats were an earlier iteration of this game which were very much superseded by shillings): there was no obvious obverse on these coins (Cromwell was adamant he was not to appear monarch-like by having his portrait on coinage, at least until he had a change of heart in 1656! and 1658!) and I'm aware of no evidence that in a time when Edward VI coinage would still be circulating, especially outside of London, Commonwealth coins were used for this act.  It was the obverse or head being face down that was the important thing in the game, other than winning!!  So, probably nothing to do with any of the above (!), but none-the-less, a rarer, sought after year.  SOLD

 

WSC-7744:  1625 Charles 1st Scottish Hammered Silver Six Shillings.  First coinage, first date in series, Spink 5543.  This is an excessively rare issue – Charles’ Scottish coronation didn’t happen until 1633 and no new dies were produced until then.  Dies of James VI were altered, under an official directive, and coinage was issued as Charles 1st using the old, modified dies  This resulted in the Twelve Shilling and Six Shilling coins literally having a bust of James VI on the front with just a quick name change to the legend and a tweak or two to the beard.  This Charles 1st Six Shilling issue, along with the James VI Six Shilling issue, often goes well under the radar with many people think these coins are simply English dated sixpences.  I refer the reader to the Scottish James VI section of this website for extra information.  You might be thinking that this isn’t much of a coin to look at and just looking at it, you’d be correct.  However, nice grade examples do not turn up simply because this issue was generally poorly struck using modified, often worn-out dies.  The Spink plate coin is a £5,000+ coin.  This is one of the rarest Charles 1st Scottish silver coin issues, if not the rarest.  I’d be surprised if this coin didn’t attract a buyer very quickly.  SOLD

 

WAu-7765:  1710 Queen Anne Full Gold Guinea.   Post Scottish union, third draped bust, Spink 3574.  8.36g.  It won’t have escaped your notice that with Queen Anne gold coinage in particular, when they do come up, they are almost always HALF guineas.  It really is hard work finding full guineas.  Very light ex mounting marks at 11, 12 and 1 o’clock but again, find one that doesn’t these days.  However, they really are minor and do not detract.  Sold with a ticket that made no mention of mount marks.  SOLD

 

WSC-9059:  James VI Scottish Hammered Silver Eightpenny Groat.  Coinage of 1583-90, being before James VI took on the English throne after the death of Elizabeth 1st in 1604.  Edinburgh mint.  An issue of 0.25 fineness.  OPPID EDINB legend with hairline inner circles, Spink 5512.  An excellent example for type.  SOLD

 

WAu-7999:  Extremely Rare Celtic Unrecorded Quarter Stater.  North Thames Region, Eastern.  The x33 uninscribed coins found predominantly in the Eastern part of the North Thames Region, especially Essex, can not be comfortably attributed to the Trinovantes nor the Catuvellauni.  They are all extremely rare (Van Arsdell only listed x7).  Current attribution has this coin in the "Cantian-inspired gold and silver types" category.  Obverse plain field apart from a single "S" shape in the centre (the main image did not really highlight the "S" so I've added another image here) - reverse "S" symbols are thought to represent lightning flashes rather than letters although this "S" is not inverted / the reverse depicts a tree-like trophy on a triad of ringed pellets with various motifs surrounding.  Spink not listed, ABC 2249 (listed "Extremely Rare") - Ancient British Coins (ABC) by Chris Rudd, the go-to reference for Celtic coins since 2010, taking over from Van Arsdell.  From an old collection - the collector does not want to be named on the internet but is willing for me to disclose his name and town to the buyer for provenance.  See here for old tickets etc.  SOLD

Ex Chris Rudd (sold for £650 back in the day)

Ex Northern collection

 

WMH-9037:  Edward V or Richard III Hammered Silver Medieval Groat.  Type 2a, reading EDWARD DI GRA REX ANGL Z FRANC.  London mint, initial mark Boar's Head 1 struck over Sun & Rose 1.  Spink 2155.  Obverse dies in the name of Edward with an underlying Sun & Rose 1 initial mark.  In 1483, on 12th February, the Cinquefoil coinage of Edward IV's type XXI ended.  The new mint master, Bartholomew Reed, entered into an indenture with the king and thus Sun & Rose 1 was introduced.  Edward died on the 9th April 1483 but Sun & Rose 1 continued through the very short reign of Edward V and into the reign of Richard III.  This ended on 20th July when a new indenture was prepared by Robert Brackenbury to introduce the Boar's Head mark.  The dies were prepared very soon after Richard III ascended the throne on 26th June 1483.  Boar’s Head initial mark - the White Boar was the personal device or badge of Richard III and dear to his heart.  Richard III was the last of the medieval monarchs, losing to Henry Tudor on Bosworth Field, or as is now the current thinking, on a field a few short miles from that famous location.  The famous "King in the Carpark."  Whist Richard was no saint (I think some poor decisions and a ruthless streak that they all had at that time was about as bad as it got), he probably wasn't a ‘child killer’, ‘murderer’, or ‘usurper’, at least no more than any other medieval monarch.  Don't believe all that Shakespeare tells you!!  So here we have a coin struck from an obverse die that was very much part of the Holy Grail of Edward V's coinage but modified by the addition of Richard III's beloved Boar’s Head initial mark, but crucially leaving the old regnal name intact.  Coincraft place this coin under the Edward V category whilst Spink place it under Richard III.  Incidentally, as a Richard III groat, it is the rarest type, other than the York example - the last one of those I saw go through auction achieved £7,000 before commission.  An extremely rare coin indeed.  SOLD

Provenance:

ex Spink (sold August 2014 for £3,010)

ex Frank Limouze collection (dispersed 2024)

 

WMH-7711:  William 1st Hammered Silver Norman Penny.  B.M.C. 1, Profile left, cross fleury issue of 1066-68.  +BRIHTNAR ON PIN – Britmar of Wallingford (Oxford).  Spink 1250.  A rare Norman mint.  Only two other examples recorded on the EMC / SCBI database, making this the third and one of those is unconfirmed.  This is a better coin than the other confirmed example.  Ex Seaby (sold for £275 in 1979), ex Royal Berkshire Collection – see tickets.  Nicely toned, good VF.  A superb coin going all the way back to the actual Norman invasion – Harold’s arrow to the eye, the Bayous Tapestry etc.  SOLD

 

WI-9034:  Excellent Edward VI Irish Tudor Hammered Silver Groat or Sixpence.  Posthumous (Henry VIII) old head coinage, 1547 - 1550.  CIVI TAS DVB LINIE - Dublin mint.  Initial mark P.  The final type IV issue (small right facing bust; very much in the style of the English Tower groats) and so nearer to 1550 in date.  Spink 6488.  Struck in the name of Henry VIII and with the old head portrait of Henry VIII, even though by the time this coin hit the streets of Ireland, Henry had been dead for nearly three years.  The reason for the old king's details on the coinage was not, as most people understand, simply because Edward was too young to do "kingly stuff", or because people still loved the old king, or even that the Irish were slow off the mark - it was actually done to con the people, or rather to carry on conning the people, but conning them just a little bit more.  Actual Henry VIII base coinage, struck towards the end of his reign, was very debased as a way of making money for the mint, and therefore the country, after Henry had all but emptied the country's coffers.  The English ministers planned to bring the currency of England (not Ireland!) back up to .925 alloy from little better than copper and indeed they did this in 1551 with the English fine silver issues.  To pay for this, the Irish debased coinage would continue for a further x4 years after the death of Henry and crucially, having the old king's name and portrait on the coins would, it was thought, trick the public into accepting the poor coins.  Remember, the coin in your hand back then was supposed to be the face value in silver, so much so that the coin itself was largely irrelevant - all you needed was a penny's worth of scrap silver to purchase a penny loaf of bread.  These debased coins were far from being worth their face value in metal.  The bit where the English ministers conned the people just a little bit more was in making the silver content of the Edward VI coinage just a little bit better than the worst of the Henry VIII coinage BUT they increasing the face value from a groat (fourpence) to a sixpence WITHOUT upping the metal content.  Basically, same coin but a revaluation.  To further rub salt into the wound, whilst in 1551 the English were enjoying bright shiny fine silver coinage of .925 alloy, the Irish, in 1552, having suffered in order to pay for the English fine silver halcyon days, suffered further by having their coinage reduced even more to .250!  So here we have a coin that is Henry VIII and/or Edward VI and a denomination of 4d and/or 6d!  More importantly, we have here an excellent grade example with an unusually clear initial mark.  Superior to the Spink plate coin in terms of edge and legends.  A rare offering.  SOLD

Provenance

Ex Tim Owen

 

WTH-9028:  1586 Medal Beseeching Help From Elizabeth 1st.  A dated Jetton or Medalet from the Low Countries imploring Elizabeth 1st step in and help with the trouble Belgium was having with Portugal.  As ever with these pieces, symbolism abounds: two handcuffed (Belgian) hands reaching for the compassionate heart of Elizabeth 1st and England.  MI(i)134/89.  Sold with an old Netherlands' ticket.  The first example of this medalet I've seen.  SOLD

 

WI-9050:  Henry VIII with Anne Boleyn Hammered Silver Irish Groat.  Issued in commemoration of Henry’s marriage to Anne Boleyn, the second and probably most famous of his six wives.  Spink 6472.  The rarer First (1st) Harp Issue, 1534-40 and the rarest of the three wives mentioned on silver coinage, irrespective as to what Spink claim.  Dated to 1534-5, in commemoration of a marriage that lasted just three years, produced the future Queen Elizabeth 1st but ultimately ended in Anne losing her head, quite literally, because she could not produce a male heir.  This issue is at 0.842 silver fineness with later issues going the same way as that of the English silver coinage under Henry, ie downhill.   This is only the third Anne Boleyn groat I've had, the first I remember selling within minutes of it being listed.  Sold with an old (unidentified) ticket.  A rare coin and in exceptional grade for issue.  SOLD

 

WI-7266:  Irish Henry VIII Hammered Silver Groat.  Issued in commemoration of Henry’s marriage to Jane Seymour.  Spink 6473.  The rarer First (1st) Harp Issue, 1534-40 but this coin dated 1536-7 in commemoration of Henry’s marriage.  Subsequent wives to see their names (initials) in lights, or specifically on Harp groats, were Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard.  Anne of Cleves seems to have been overlooked by Henry and by the time of Catherine Parr, he seemed to have realised that perhaps the coinage couldn’t keep up with his marriages.  This issue is at 0.842 silver fineness with later issues going the same way as that of the English silver coinage, ie downhill.  See here for old tickets – ex Spink, ex Bosworth.  Rare.  SOLD

 

WI-7575:  Rare Type 1 1722 George 1st Irish William Wood’s Copper Halfpenny.  Slabbed under NGC and graded by them as AU 50, meaning about Uncirculated.  Spink 6600.  Extra images here and here.  Rare in this grade, rarer still being this first issue.  Incidentally, when you visit the NGC page for this coin, it states that the current market value, something it helpfully does for all NGC slabbed coins, is £658, although bizarrely, EF grade in Spink 2020 is £1,200 in EF and NGC seem to think this coin is a grade above EF?!  Contemporary planchet faults at 12 o’clock and 3 o’clock, otherwise a wonderful coin in both rarity and grade.  SOLD

 

WI-8101:  1690 Irish Gun Money Full Crown.  James II emergency Civil War coinage of 1689-91.  Spink 6578.  Overstruck on the large Gun Money halfcrowns because by 1690 these were obsolete; replaced by the small size halfcrowns.  Much original halfcrown detail still evident on the reverse, which is what sets this coin above nearly all others - I don't recall ever having seen the original host date of 1689 being not only so visible but literally next to the new date of 1690 before!  The obverse of the Gun Money crown (and it is just the crowns) has similarities to the earlier Charles 1st halfcrowns and crowns, which I’m sure was far from accidental.  It won’t have escaped readers’ attention that Gun Money coinage is currently riding high in terms of popularity.  After fleeing from England to France in 1688 – an effective abdication from the English throne – James II landed in Ireland March 1689 in order to promote his Catholic cause, something we are perhaps still living with today?!  He had insufficient funds to prosecute this war so the plan was to raise money by issuing base metal coinage in place of what would previously have been silver issues.  This was a less subtle example of the Quantitative Easing that we all witnessed a few years ago.  This coinage was set up with an intention for them to be exchanged for sterling coinage once the dust had settled.  This never happened.  The metal for these coins came from old cannon, bells and various other scrap metals that were termed “Gun Money”.  Although not looking high grade, it actually is - it's the soft strike resulting in the halfcrown detail being visible which accounts for this.  A very good and desirable coin indeed.  SOLD

 

WSC-9051:  1694 Scottish William & Mary Silver Five Shillings.  Conjoined heads to the left, WM monogram on the reverse.  Spink 5665 but the much rarer variation where the second V in GVLIELMVS is an inverted A.  I have never seen this variety before although Spink do list it.  The exact mintage of this date and denomination was just 3,496 between 5th Jan to 5th Dec 1694.  This is tiny and just shows you how little Scottish coinage in general was minted.  That, coupled with the remarkable grade this coin is in - Scottish coinage was in such short supply that it was constantly being used / circulated / worn; never being hoarded - illustrates just how rare this coin is.  SOLD

 

WCom-9048:  1653 Oliver Cromwell Silver Medal.  A cast medium sized silver medal by T. Simon to commemorate the elevation of Cromwell to the position of Lord Protectorate on 16th December 1653.  Old tickets here.  The portrait of Cromwell was copied from a miniature by Cooper which was held by the Duke of Devonshire, their seat still being Chatsworth House in Derbyshire.  The British Museum holds a gold example of this medal.  The reverse die of this medal broke across the middle very early on and wasn't replaced, thus resulting in a very limited mintage.  Medallic Illustrations (i) 409/45 and Eimer 188b.  Some original mercury gilding evident on the reverse.  A rare medal.  SOLD

Provenance:

Ex "Numismata Cromwelliana", the property of a gentleman

 

WAu-9025:  Charles 1st Hammered Gold SCOTTISH Eighth Unit.  Third coinage, 1637-42, Briot issue, right at the start of this coinage.  Spink 5538.  An EF grade coin, far surpassing the plate coin Spink put up, with all the vast resources at their fingertips.  Some interesting political graffiti lightly behind the king's head ("6" - obviously someone back in the day making a point as to the Scottish heritage of both the coin and the king) which is barely discernable and would polish out if desired.  An outstanding coin with equally impressive provenance.  See here for all the old tickets and here for weight.  An exciting and very rare Scottish hammered gold offering.  SOLD

Provenance

Ex Mark Rasmusson (2013), sold to

Ex Maurice Bull collection, dispersed to

Ex Noonans (Feb 2023 where it sold for £4,128 including buyer's commission)

 

WAu-8088:  Charles II Restoration Period Hammered Gold Crown.  First issue, initial mark Crown, circa very early in the 1660-62 hammered period.  Obverse 3, reverse 3 dies.  Spink 3303, North 2757, Schneider 389, Bull 114 (plate coin).  Pierced and plugged (immediately to the left of the obverse initial mark / around the letter R of the reverse – die rotation 10h).  I bought this as a nEF, unplugged coin because even though I’d looked closely, I did not spot the plug.  In honesty, I still can’t place it with any high degree of certainty as it’s a top rate job.  If the paperwork (which came to me after I’d bought the coin) stating the presence of the plug were to become disassociated from this coin, I doubt anyone would ever notice – the workmanship is that good.  This extremely late hammered coinage period of 1660-62, even though it spanned three issues, was very much treading water and just really getting anything out there that would reassure the public of the Restoration of the monarchy and the demise of the Commonwealth.  The quality of coinage in general was not good and did deteriorate through the issues – you only have to look at the hammered halfcrown issues to see that.  Everyone at the mint was aware that hammered coinage was dead in the water and that milled coinage was coming (indeed, Blondeau was getting everything together, ready for production of his new milled coinage, literally as this coin was being minted) so the dies were mediocre at best, as was the actual execution of the coinage.  And yet look at the state of this coin, especially the obverse!  What a tremendous coin!  Something else to bear in mind: Blondeau needed all the silver and gold he could get his hands on for the onset of milled coinage, and the country was still teetering on bankruptcy after the Commonwealth, so very little bullion was actually put into the hammered years.  A very rare, attractive and desirable coin.  SOLD