St. James's Auctions
Auction 39 30 September 2016
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† James II, five guineas, 1687, TERTIO, second laur. bust l., rev. crowned cruciform shields, sceptres in angles (S.3397A), certified and graded by NGC as About Uncirculated 53, most pleasing and almost identical in quality to the 1686 5 guineas above
Variations in the portrait of the king were subtle, and clearly mint workers saw no difference as the obverse dies were used interchangeably, as the appearance of the date 1687 on this 2nd bust indicates, while the 1688 dated 5 guineas in this collection bears the 1st bust. The confusion in the sequence of issue occurs, curiously enough, only on James's largest gold coin. The guinea itself offers two busts in correct order. The 2 guineas and the half guinea feature just one style of portrait. The cause of the slight variations is simple: all dies were engraved by chief engraver John Roettier assisted by his brothers (Joseph and Philip, who left the Mint respectively in 1679 and 1685) and by his sons (James and Norbert, who most likely prepared the second portrait). (£20000-25000)
Variations in the portrait of the king were subtle, and clearly mint workers saw no difference as the obverse dies were used interchangeably, as the appearance of the date 1687 on this 2nd bust indicates, while the 1688 dated 5 guineas in this collection bears the 1st bust. The confusion in the sequence of issue occurs, curiously enough, only on James's largest gold coin. The guinea itself offers two busts in correct order. The 2 guineas and the half guinea feature just one style of portrait. The cause of the slight variations is simple: all dies were engraved by chief engraver John Roettier assisted by his brothers (Joseph and Philip, who left the Mint respectively in 1679 and 1685) and by his sons (James and Norbert, who most likely prepared the second portrait). (£20000-25000)