Watch List notes:

Oliver Cromwell, broad of 20 shillings, 1656, by Thomas Simon, laur. head l., rev. crowned shield of arms, straight-grained edge, (S.3225; N.2744; W&R.39), reflective lustre and boldly detailed with faint friction on high points and only minor abrasions, appealing golden red toning, practically as struck, rare While not perfect, this is clearly among the more pleasing examples of the coinage that was, in effect, the first golden guinea, which initially would also be valued at 20 shillings. Most of Cromwell's coinage bears the date 1658, earlier issues generally being far rarer. Challis (on page 330, A New History of the Royal Mint) provides a fascinating glimpse at the moment when this truly modern coin was created. The well-known story of the Frenchman Pierre Blondeau's failure to be engaged by the Royal Mint, just as the transition from hammering the coinage occurred, ended with great success when his brilliant minting innovations were combined with the artistic talent of the mint's chief engraver, Thomas Simon, who in 1656 had just completed his portrait of the Lord Protector for the coinage. At first hesitant, the Royal Mint provided Blondeau with meagre funds as well as a facility that was not within the mint's headquarters at the Tower. His first coins, those dated 1656, were minted in 1657 at Worcester House and then at Drury House. In November, however, 'the government had in fact seen from Blondeau's initial efforts that in practice he could do exactly what all along he had claimed', and only then was funding advanced to him so that the coinage manufactory could move to the Royal Mint in 1658. Challis sums up this brilliant minting experiment as follows: 'On 3 September 1658 Oliver Cromwell died but before he did so Blondeau had time to produce a second, and more plentiful, issue of his most beautiful coins'. None is more stunning than his golden 20-shillings coin of this year.

Estimate: £25,000-30,000