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.
Most sold coins are now
accessible via a new link on the front (index) page category grid.
Additions to www.HistoryInCoins.com
for week commencing Tuesday 7th July 2026
A rare opportunity
as numismatist and collector John Williams sells off the curated
Scottish hammered section of his collection
WSC-9369: Robert II Scottish
Hammered Silver Groat. 1371-90, Edinburgh mint, star at base of sceptre, second issue,
1357-67. Classic early Scottish
'portrait left', very much against the convention south of the border, although
during the following reign, that of his son, Robert III, alignment was
initiated with a front facing bust.
Interesting fact: Robert II’s grandfather was
Robert the Bruce. S.R.5131. 
£295
Provenance:
ex HistoryInCoins, sold to...
ex John Williams collection
WSC-9370: Robert III Scottish
Medieval Hammered Silver Groat. Heavy coinage, Edinburgh mint. First facing
bust issue, bringing this coinage in line with that of England, with obverse colon stops and reverse saltire
"colon-esque" legend terminals. Seven arcs to tressure. The facing bust is not typical of this issue,
being anything but tall. S.R. 5164. John, Earl
of Carrick, eldest son of Robert II, changed his name to Robert on succeeding
to the throne. Being almost entirely
disabled by an accident before his father's death, the country was effectively
run by yet another Robert - Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, the king's younger
brother. Just as in England, there was a severe shortage of silver being brought
to the mint. £425
Provenance:
ex HistoryInCoins, sold to...
ex John Williams collection
WSC-9371: James V Scottish Hammered
Silver Stuart Groat. Second coinage
(the first was just gold), 1526-39. Type
III, S.R.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. The paperwork
seen in the image is no longer with this coin. £995
Provenance:
ex HistoryInCoins, sold to...
ex John Williams collection
WSC-9372: 1556 Mary, Queen of Scots
Hammered Silver Testoon. A first issue (pre marriage), Edinburgh mint, type IIIa Testoon of Five Shillings,
S.R.5404, struck when Mary was just 13 years old – she was made Queen at the
ripe old age of seven days old meaning the country was governed by Regents,
first James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Châtellerault, 2nd
Earl of Arran, great-grandson of King James II of Scotland, and then Marie de
Guise, mother of Mary, Queen of Scots.
This coin would have been struck under Marie de Guise as James Hamilton
lost the Regency in 1554. 0.916 silver
fineness. £495
Provenance:
ex Cambell collection,
purchased by...
ex Mike Vosper, purchased by...
ex HistoryInCoins, sold to...
ex John Williams collection
WSC-9373: 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 1603. Edinburgh mint. S.R.5512. An issue of 0.25
fineness. One of the best grade examples
I’ve ever seen. £295
Provenance:
ex HistoryInCoins, sold to...
ex John Williams collection
WAu-9374: 1602 James VI Hammered
Gold Full Sword & Sceptre Piece of 120 Shillings. Eighth gold coinage (1601-4), struck in 22ct
gold whilst James was still only James VI of Scotland. Edinburgh mint. Obv: +IACOBVS
6 D.G.R. SCOTORVM. S.R.
5460. It is generally accepted
that Scottish coinage is much more attractive than its English counterpart,
especially from the James V until 1603 period when James ascended the English
throne and, by necessity, the two country's followed a more unified path in
terms of coinage. This Sword &
Sceptre piece is absolutely no exception to that aesthetic appraisal. As such, these coins often turn up impaired;
being found mounted or pierced in order to display on the body in the form of
jewellery. Gold coins are also
frequently found with bite marks and creases, often straightened but always
leaving a crease mark. This coin is a
superb example with none of that, although it has been cleaned at some point in
its 420 year life. Scottish coins of
quality are increasing in value seemingly overnight; gold coinage much more so,
which is the main reason I can no longer offer Lay-Away on any gold coins. The paperwork seen in the image is no longer
with this coin. Here you have both an
investment opportunity together with a seriously attractive coin to potentially
go into your collection. £2,995
Provenance:
ex HistoryInCoins, sold to...
ex John Williams collection
WSC-9375: Charles 1st Scottish
Hammered Silver Forty Pence. Third coinage, Briot’s 1st milled issue,
S.R.5576. Nicholas Briot,
previously employed at the French and English mints, received an appointment as
Master of the Scottish Mint in August 1634.
His son-in-law, John Falconer, joined soon after and succeeded Briot in 1646. A much harder denomination to come by than the twenty pence pieces.
£195
Provenance:
ex HistoryInCoins, sold to...
ex John Williams collection
Extra
information added to this listing:
WTH-9110:
1589 Elizabeth
1st Jetton or Medalet - DEFEAT OF THE SPANISH ARMADA. As ever, much imagery: a pious Elizabeth 1st,
seated, holding a prayer book, and a reverse suggesting that England is an innocent green tree
supporting young, nesting birds whilst being attacked by the hawkish
Spanish. Medallic Illustrations 153/128,
Dugn 3230, Peck 63.
May 1588 witnessed a Spanish fleet consisting of about 130 ships with
about 8,000 seamen and possibly as many as 19,000 soldiers leaving Lisbon en route for England.
It was a formidable attack force - they termed it the Invincible Armada
- which was four years in the making but which ultimately failed. Julius Caesar's two invasions of Britain in 55 and 54 BC failed mainly
because of the weather but whilst the Spanish Armada failed in part due to bad
weather, it was bad tactics with bad luck that defeated the Spanish
Armada. It's quite surprising that it
took a year to prepare the dies and even longer to get the medals out to the
public. CNG (July 2026) auctioned a variation on the DEFEAT OF
THE SPANISH ARMADA medal, again in copper.
M.I.147/146, Eimer 60 (rated virtually the same in Eimer). Hammer price was $1,200 so $1,500 after
buyer's commission. The coin on
offer here is a high grade example - remember, this
was struck in soft copper, centuries ago during the reign of Elizabeth
1st. Further, it is but a fraction of
the cost of the CNG example! £345
Provenance
ex S & B Coins (Simon Monks & Brian Reeds)1992
ex Baldwin's
