Ancient Gold Coins
-------->Remember, postage is included<--------
Scottish & English Hammered Gold Coins:
WAu-6973: Henry VIII Hammered Gold
Angel. First coinage, initial mark
Castle (with an unusual pellet above the left side), 1509 – 1526. 28mm, 5.05 grams. Tower mint, Schneider 557-8 for type. Spink 2265.
Ex El Medina collection. Henry
VIII was a very different man and king in this first coinage. Later in his 38 year reign (it always seems
like it was much longer to me!), events centred around the king became
undoubtedly more interesting, but far less pleasant. The Portcullis initial mark is usually seen
on these first coinage Angels so this is a slightly rarer coin. Another point of interest in the h and rose
either side of the mast on the ship.
This signifies the ship on the reverse of the coin was the Mary Rose;
Henry’s flagship for 34 years until it sank in July 1545 in the battle of the
Solent, as Henry VIII looked on. The
wreckage of the Mary Rose wasn’t discovered until 1971 and not raised until
1982. I’m giving my age away here when I
tell you that I went down to Portsmouth in the sixth form to officially visit
Portsmouth Polytechnic but unofficially go and see the Mary Rose shortly after
the display was put on. I recall that I
had absolutely no intention whatsoever of signing up to that institution – in
those days not only did the government give you money to attend university,
they also paid you to go and visit such places.
I remember the Mary Rose display vividly, even after all these years – I
genuinely can’t remember if I even bothered to go to Portsmouth Polytechnic
that day! Sold with a couple of
tickets. A very interesting, hammered
gold coin from one of England’s most iconic monarchs. 
£1,975
WAu-6967: Charles 1st
Hammered Gold Unite. Tower mint
under the king, initial mark Crown / Crown over Bell (1635-36), class D, bust
5, Spink 2692. A very good grade,
problem-free coin. The weight is 8.95
grams, which is virtually full weight and all the more interesting when you
bear in mind that around 1630, the mint initiated a policy of issuing reduced
weight unites in order to save money.
This coin, a good five years into that process, survived remarkably unscathed. £2,795
English Gold
Milled Coins:
George III
WAu-5714: 1810 George III Gold Third
Guinea. Second bust (short
hair). No mount marks and EF grade. Spink price is £625 (2018). (E)
£459
WAu-6898: 1788 over 87 George III
Full gold Guinea. Fifth laureate
bust, “spade” shield. Extremely rare
overdate variety (see
here) that is mentioned in Spink (S.3729) as being “known to exist”. Not mentioned at all in Coincraft. This image (here) shows the weight
and the edge at 12 o’clock to show there has been no mounting of this
coin. A great rarity in the series. £1,750
