This week’s fresh listings:

This page is to be updated every Tuesday and will contain all the latest Coin, Medal & Token listings for that particular week.

The more observant of you may have realised that I no longer keep previous "Fresh Listings" coins on this page.

All for sale coins can be found via the category grid on the front page. Most sold coins are now accessible via a new link on that same category grid.

Additions to www.HistoryInCoins.com for week commencing Tuesday 17th September 2024

This week's fresh listings:

WMH-7975: Richard III Hammered Silver Very Late Medieval Round Halfpenny. No marks by neck, initial mark Sun & Rose 2, London mint. Spink 2171. There are no halfpence in Richard's name for Sun & Rose 1. Initial mark Sun & Rose 2 was in operation from the very end of the reign only. Richard III: the infamous Richard of Gloucester, brother to Edward VI. Upon Edward IV's premature death in April of 1483, Richard "removed" the dead king's 12 year old heir to the throne - the would-be Edward V - to the Tower together with his younger brother, Richard Duke of York. In the absence of the princes, Richard was proclaimed King. A high grade for issue coin with an excellent portrait of the rather unsavoury Richard III, whose body was recently discovered in a Leicestershire car park. I probably don't have to point out to anyone reading this just how incredibly rare the halfpence issues of Richard III are. Coincraft, a reference work I've a great deal of time and respect for, are not prone to any kind of hyperbole. Under Richard III, they simply state: "Richard III halfpennies are extremely rare in any grade." To put that into some sort of context for you, Coincraft say of the Richard III halfgroats (and when was the last time any of us saw one of them?!) that the issue is only "... very rare in any condition." In summary, a clear regnal name, a clear initial mark, a very good portrait of the infamous Richard III, and as rare as they come. £1,775 *** The farthing comes next week! ***

WJC-7976: Charles 1st Hammered Silver Provincial Aberystwyth Mint PLUME Penny. Initial mark Book, 1638/9-42, Aberystwyth mint. Obv: Charles 1st with round lace collar, a single arch to his crown and colon stops in the legend; rev: a large plume with pellet stops in the legend. Good, strong inner circles both sides. Spink 2904, North 2346, Brooker 786A. Sold with several old tickets - see here. This and similar small, provincial issues are often problematic in that the dies were too ambitious for both the size of the coin and also the skill, or lack thereof, required to produce a good coin at the minting stage. Far too often we see the king's bust but a raised lump of homogeneous silver with no detail at all bar the vague outline. They also turn up bent - small denominations were by definition widely circulated to all parts of society but on radically new and unfamiliar designs such as this, the public were naturally suspicious. This leading to biting and bending the coins to see if they really were silver. The Spink plate coin for S.2903 illustrates this. None of that here though. An outstanding portrait of King Charles 1st with good detail, struck on a generous flan (this coin being larger than the North plate coin), and attractively toned. Good VF for issue (Rosen collection had this as EF) thus rare. £445

Provenance:

Ex James Rosen collection (purchased 1992)

WJC-7977: Charles 1st Hammered Silver Provincial York Mint Shilling. Coinage of the Civil War, 1643-4. Initial mark Lion, York mint, type 1 with the king in a scalloped lace collar. Reverse square topped shield with EBOR above. Spink 2870. The very first type to leave the mint. Charles mobilised for war on his own, raising his standard at Nottingham in August 1642. During the English Civil War, York remained staunchly Royalist. The Battle of Marston Moor finally witnessed York turning Parliamentarian in July of 1644. A good, honest, totally problem-free coin. £895

Provenance:

Ex Tim Owen (one of his older tickets)

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. £1,950 RESERVED

Provenance:

Ex Baldwin, bought by...

Richard A. Jourdan July 2007

WSC-7978: Alexander III Early Scottish Hammered Silver First Coinage Penny. Long cross & stars, ANDREW ON R - moneyer Andrews at the Roxburgh mint (knowing what to look for, the entire mint reading is just about discernable). Type 3, Spink 5043. A common enough variety but it its favour, the rarer moneyer and obvious grade, particularly the portrait. £485