Watch List notes:

Great Britain. Crown, ND. S.2761; Dav-3765. Charles I, 1625-1649. Tower mint under Parliament, group 4. Mint mark eye (1645). Obverse, compact portrait of king on horseback brandishing sword, reads BRI FRA ET HIB. Reverse; Oval garnished shield. Deeply toned with good unblemished surfaces. This is an excellent example of a coin which was normally crudely struck and hastily produced in a period when the English Civil War was reaching its bitter climax. It is almost the twin of the Slaney Collection Crown sold 15th May 2003 (auction lot 42). It was described as 'a lovely example, evenly toned and well struck on a full round flan, extremely fine, very rare thus'. That specimen fetched £7,800 plus buyers' premium fourteen years ago, a sum which was then equal to 14,522 US Dollars. NGC graded EF-45. WINGS. Estimate Value $9,000 - 10,000
* The distinctive and enigmatic mint mark eye was only used on the coinage of Charles I in 1645, when the Tower mint was under the control of the Parliamentary forces.
The year 1645 began and ended badly for the king and his supporters. On 10th January Archbishop of Canterbury William Laud (a close colleague of the king) was executed for treason, despite a royal pardon. On 15th February Parliament's New Model Army was founded, and on 14th June 12,000 Royalist forces were beaten by 15,000 Parliamentarian soldiers at the Battle of Naseby. On 10th September Prince Rupert surrendered Bristol, and it became clear that the king was soon to be defeated.