This week’s fresh listings (scroll down):

 

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

 

Additions to www.HistoryInCoins.com for week commencing Tuesday 23rd February 2021

 

 

Previous Weeks’ Listings (scroll down this page for “This Week’s Listings”):

 

WSax-7022:  Harold 1st Late Saxon Hammered Silver Penny.  Jewel Cross type, B.M.C.i, 1036-38.  +COLGRIM.ON-LINCON.  Lincoln mint.  Spink 1163.  Sold with an old dealer ticket stating £950 asking price.  £875

 

WI-7023:  Henry III Voided Long Cross IRISH Hammered Silver Penny.  RICARD ON DIVE – Dublin mint.  Spink 6240: Type IIa with obverse of “coarser work”, which is all the more remarkable as this is the best Henry III Irish IIa obverse I have ever seen.  Sold with an old ticket.  £225

 

WSC-7024:  Scottish Mary Hammered Billon Silver Bawbee or Sixpence.  First period, pre marriage, 1542-8.  An issue of ¾ alloy struck at Edinburgh.  Spink 5433 – rarer voided saltire cross variety.  Sold with an old auction slip and a collector’s cabinet card.  £195

 

WMH-7018:  Edward IV Medieval Hammered Silver Groat.  Second coinage, initial mark Heraldic Cinquefoil, 1480-83.  London.  Spink 2100.  A very pleasing coin.  £245

 

WTH-7019:  Mary Tudor Hammered Silver Groat.  Initial mark Pomegranate, 1553-54 only.  High grade – strong legends, clear initial mark and excellent portrait.  Of bright appearance so probably cleaned (although I have to say that of all the groups of uncleaned “straight from the ground” hammered silver coins I have bought direct from the metal detectorists, Mary groats are invariably the brightest and shiniest).  Rarer than the Philip & Mary groats.  In recent months prices for Mary groats have risen enormously – here’s an example of a similar coin sold January 2021.  £750

 

WI-7020:  Irish Henry VIII *with Jane Seymour* Hammered Silver Groat.  From the First (1st) Harp Issue of 1534-40, this coin has h and I either side of the harp, indicating Henry and Jane Seymore.  Struck 1536-37.  Jane Seymour was Henry’s third wife, bearing him a son, the future King Edward VI, in 1537.  She died of post natal complications just two weeks after giving birth.  Jane Seymour was the only one of his wives to have been buried alongside Henry in Windsor Castle.  £335

 

WJC-7021:  High Grade 1644 Charles 1st Declaration Issue Bristol Halfcrown.  Initial mark Plume with the Shrewsbury plume behind the king.  Spink 3007, North 2489, Morrieson B-1, Brooker 980 (this example better struck and much better grade than the Brooker example).  Struck on a generously sized planchet but on one with several irregularities, perhaps reflecting turmoil during this particular moment in time.  It is interesting to note that although the strike is excellent, it was an excellent strike on a flawed disc of silver.  Most Bristol coins struck on better planchets are not struck as well as this.  The weight is 14.28g, which is clearly below the usual 15g of other halfcrowns but is actually ABOVE AVERAGE for other early 1644 coins.  Brooker had six excellent early 1644 halfcrowns (North 2489 / 2490) with the following weights: 14.13g, 14.75g, 13.84g, 14.90g, 13.94g, 12.54g, giving an average of 14.02g.  Ex Alan Morris collection, ex Baldwins and a really old unidentified ticket – see here.  A very interesting and desirable coin.  £1,495

 

WTH-7014:  Edward VI Hammered Silver Shilling.  Second period, first issue, Tower mint.  Dated 1549.  Spink 2466.  A lovely portrait on this pre fine silver issue.  £485

 

WTH-7015:  1564 Elizabeth 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Third and fourth issue, im Pheon, larger bust – rarer Spink 2561b.  A rarer date - 1564 as a date represents a frequency of 2.2% for the 2,716 recorded single finds of Elizabeth 1st coins and 1.8% for all 5,588 recorded Elizabeth 1st hoard coins.  £245

 

WAu-7017:  1601 Scottish James 1st Hammered GOLD Sword and Sceptre Piece.  Circulated at 120 shillings.  Eighth coinage – the first date in this very short serious that predated the King’s accession to the English throne.  Spink 5460.  Old crease mark.  The population (and economy) of Scotland was a fraction of that of England, thus we can say with confidence that all Scottish coins, especially gold, were struck in much smaller quantities than English coins.  Also, you tend to see Scottish coins, hammered and milled, in a far greater circulated (worn) state than equivalent English coins.  Bizarrely, this coin is actually listed here cheaper than an equivalently sized English gold Angel, and yet this coin is 120 shillings compared to the Angel’s 12 shillings!  £2,225

 

WMH-7008:  Edward II Medieval Hammered Silver Penny.  A class 11b / 11a mule so Spink 1456 / 1455.  Canterbury mint.  Edward 1st coinage is common yet, try and find a really nice example.  They are extremely thin on the ground.  I’ve had less than a handful of truly top drawer examples in all the years I’ve been involved with this wonderful hobby of ours.  Edward II coinage is much scarcer than Edward 1st, which is partly accounted for by the general lack of prosperity during this reign, as well as the increased military action, mainly directed towards the Scottish.  If Edward 1st pennies in high grade are difficult, Edward II pennies in high grade are bordering on the impossible.  Here we have a lovely example of a rarer mule, being beautifully toned both sides and in exceptionally nice grade.  Choice.  £245

 

WI-7012:  Irish Hammered Silver “Three Crowns” Geraldine Groat.  August to October 1487 only.  Struck under the Fitzgeralds of Kildare, a powerful family who took control for a brief period after Lambert Simnel’s abortive attempt to win the crown (after Richard III, preceding Henry VII).  Spink 6432.  An extremely rare issue in lower grade and virtually unheard of in this VF grade.  Sold with a detailed information slip.  Choice.  £1,450

 

WI-7005:  Charles 1st Hammered Silver Blacksmith’s Issue Half Crown.  An issue of the Irish Confederate Catholics.  Spink 6557.  Circa 1642 and described in literature as follows: “Struck in Kilkenny, this issue was very crude in both style and production…” I’ve only ever owned one other of these although, I’ve seen a couple more on my travels in various collections.  They are ALWAYS poor, should you be lucky enough to come across one.  I dug out the old description when I sold the last Blacksmith half crown, which was, incidentally, from the well respected Brian Dawson collection :  If you’re waiting to acquire something resembling an English Charles 1st half crown for your collection, even in Fine or less grade, save yourself an indeterminate wait as they do not exist.  Here is an image of that coin.  Well, your wait is over as I unreservedly take back what I previously stated because clearly, they do exist!  34mm diameter, a very good weight of 14.62 grams (15g being the English standard but more commonly found similar to this weight), toned and VF for issue, being not far off the Spink plate coin, which will be the very best example they could source to photograph and which is probably worth many, many thousands of pounds.  Here’s another image of this coin, taken with a low resolution camera phone.  Tickets: Ex Sotherby sale, 1972, where it was sold into the famous Bridgwater House collection, where it remained until that collection was recently dispersed.  A very rare coin – one that is seldom offered to the open market and virtually never in this grade.  Choice.  £3,495

 

WSC-6993:  David 1st Early Scottish Medieval Hammered Silver Penny.  Period / Phase D (Burns’ class II), dies being of “local” and “lesser workmanship”.  21.6 grains.  Crowned bust right with lis-tipped sceptre to right, Cross Moline, pellets in quarters.  Spink 5009, Burns’ 16, SCBI (Ashmolean & Huntarian) 35.  The legends on this issue are invariably blundered (meaningless symbols) or if not, retrograde.  Here you have “AVIT” of AVIT IAIT as clear as you could hope for, which is most unusual and exceedingly welcome!  The mint is thought to be Roxburgh although the academics are not certain.  Better than the Spink plate coin.  Ex Lessen collection.  Sold with an old ticket and annotated coin display as well as a detailed information slip.  Rare.  £2,250

 

WMH-6990:  Richard II Hammered Silver London Penny.  The London pennies are many, many times rarer than the York issues.  Type 1, Spink 1686.  Lord Stewartby states that whilst production of gold throughout the reign of Richard II remained constant, silver was somewhat erratic and far from prolific – silver coins headed for the Continent in huge numbers as silver was worth more there than in the UK.  Of the meagre coinage left, what you tend to see, along with Henry IV coinage, is “Northern” coinage (usually York) worn and clipped to within an inch of its life.  Ex Lesken, ex DNW – see old tickets here.  Any decent grade Richard II is hard to find in today’s market.  This coin (I’m fairly sure I’m right in saying it’s the only example I’ve ever had) is very nice grade and the rarer London mint.  £495

 

WTH-6991:  Philip & Mary High Grade Hammered Billion Silver Penny. 1554-1558, “P.Z.M. etc”.  Initial mark halved rose and castle.  Spink 2510A.  Sold with an old ticket and a separate information slip.  The best I’ve ever seen - better than VF for issue and choice.  £365

 

WSC-6992:  James III “Bust Half-Left” Hammered Silver Scottish Groat.  Main issue of 1484-1488, Edinburgh mint.  Initial mark Cross Fleury (reverse only) and the rarer variety with the annulet on the inner circle before the bust.  Spink 5288.  There is a fair amount of dirt and crud on this coin which could easily be removed by a professional to make this coin look a lot better.  Personally I never get involved in that side of things, preferring to sell “as is” and let the collectors make that decision.  Sold with a detailed information slip.  £575

 

WMH-6983:  Stephen Norman Hammered Silver Penny.  B.M.C. 1, Cross Moline or “Watford” type, circa 1136-45.  +STIE[FNE REX] and +R[ICA]RD:ON:SAF – the rare Shaftsbury mint town.  Spink 1278.  Sold with an old ticket – see here.  Ex Spink.  Very rare, obviously for the mint town but also because of the grade.  £785

 

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

 

WSax-6968:  Cnut Late Saxon Hammered Silver Penny.  B.M.C. VIII - Quatrefoil type (1017-23), “+AELFPI MO LEHR”.  Spink 1157.  Rarer Leicester mint.  £595

 

WSax-6969:  Edward The Confessor Saxon Hammered Silver Penny.  Late Saxon – small flan type (1048-50).  B.M.C. II.  Sandwich mint - LIFPINE.  Very rare mint town.  The obverse mark by the king’s face is a difference in height of the silver and the reverse stress mark is surface only.  This was clearly not a good blank that they used.  £635

 

WMH-6956:  Unique Stephen Norman Penny – Tutbury Castle, family seat of Robert de Ferrers, second Earl of Derby.  Unique Tutbury mint coin.  Obverse: [STEPH]ANVSX, crude crowned bust right holding sceptre.  Reverse: WALCMI.[INVS] TVT, voided short cross with annulet in centre, martlets in angles, reminiscent of the Edward Confessor Saxon Sovereign / Eagles B.M.C.9 coin.  Struck in the summer of 1141 when Stephen was held in captivity, at a time when royal control had all but broken down and chaos (anarchy) prevailed,especially amongst the King’s supporters.  Spink 1298 var and Mack 175 var.  Listed as a Southern Variant in Spink and not an East Midland’s variant – Derby is in the East Midlands and Tutbury Castle is a short distance south east of Derby in East Staffordshire.  Mack (the definitive work on Stephen coinage) states that “…all known coins are from the same die pairing” with the reverse having the legend: +WALCHELINVS DERBI.  There were three coins and a cut half of this type found in Ashby-de-la-Zouch in 1788 and one other found in London at a similar although unspecified date.  The obverse and reverse of this coin are definitely not a die pair to the other 4 ½ extant “DERBI” examples.  This is a unique coin, from the hitherto unrecorded mint of Tutbury.  Walkelin, the moneyer at both Derby and Tutbury, was a family name of the de Ferrers and so it is likely that the family itself struck this coinage.  The dies were local, in their crudity and workmanship, and were cut by the local seal cutter (see BNJ, v, p.439 and Carlyon-Britton sale catalogue note under lot 1482).  There is obviously no research as to why the family changed the mint town on the coins from Derby to Tutbury (or vice versa) – Tutbury Castle was in the hands of the Earls of Derby throughout this period – as this is the first and only example of a Tutbury coin known.  There is only a single coin of this type listed on the E.M.C database, it being this exact same coin.  This coin made the news some 10 years ago when it was found as a “£10K coin find”, which is remarkable in itself but possibly more so that I can actually remember it making the news, even though I can’t remember what I did last week, never mind what happened ten years ago!  0.97g / 90 degree die rotation.  Ex DNW auction 2014 and ex another auction (see later entry here).  The coin is described as VF in that entry.  The coin has been professionally repaired at 6 o’clock to a remarkably high standard; only apparent under a loop, or the all-revealing camera / lighting setup that I employ for photography.  There is a Castle Rising Watford type Stephen penny doing the rounds of dealers at the moment for £4,000+.  It is not as clear on the legends, not as good a bust, is a rare mint but there are well into double figures of that mint known, and is a just Watford type.  I think that puts this coin into context rather nicely, especially as any discount you may have been awarded previously will be valid on this coin.  £8,850

 

 

 

 


This Week’s Listings

 

 

 

WSax-7026:  Harold II Late Saxon Hammered Silver Penny.  B.M.C. 1 – PAX type with crowned head left and sceptre before.  +LEOFSI ON LVNDEII – London mint.  19.5mm, 1.27g, 12h.  Spink 1186, North 836.  Virtually EF grade with the most amazing toning; slightly greater on the obverse which is absolutely what you’d expect of a coin lying in a cabinet for many years exposed to the atmosphere and light, obverse up.  In fact the toning is so apparent that my Canon camera couldn’t really cope with the visual input but bizarrely, my cheap camera phone could.  Harold II pennies have always been at a premium but in the last few years that has increased exponentially.  I tried to purchase a very similar grade example in January (without the toning) but that went at auction for $10,000 plus the usual 25-30% commission.  Ex Lampasas collection.  Sold with a detailed printout and a cabinet ticket.  £6,900

 

WMH-7027:  Henry VI High Grade Hammered Silver Penny.  Rossette-Mascle issue of 1430-31 only.  Spink 1865.  Calais mint.  The town of Calais in what is now Northern France was under English rule from 1347 until 7 January 1558, being a bit of a vanity statement for the English monarchs in their claim on the French crown. It cost almost 1/5th of all the revenue collected in England to maintain Calais as an English possession.  The mint closed in 1440 after really only producing limited coinage under Edward III, a tiny amount of gold under Richard II and Henry IV, a miniscule quantity of farthings under Henry V and some of the earlier coinage of Henry VI.  Remarkably high grade with only the slight reverse double striking deterring from what is undoubtedly still a choice coin.  £245