Ira and Larry Goldberg Auctioneers
Auction 98 6-7 Jun 2017
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Great Britain. Guinea, 1687. S.3402; Fr-295; KM-459.1. James II, 1685-1688. Second laureate bust left. Reverse; Crowned cruciform shields, scepters in angles. Evenly struck and well centered with remaining luster and pleasing old-gold toning. PCGS graded AU-58. WINGS. Estimate Value $6,000 - 8,000
The guinea series was barely twenty years old when this coin was minted, and the Royal Mint had encountered a number of technical problems converting gold ore imported from Africa into smooth-looking, evenly struck coins. Melting the raw ore into fine-gold strips was largely the business of London goldsmiths. Alloys tended to include small black specks of silver, and these appeared on resulting coins. But not only was the metal unfamiliar, the machinery was also relatively novel, having quite recently replaced the age-old hammered method of producing coins. The coin we see here clearly experienced some use, but it is free of alloy problems and was sharply struck using considerable force. The result was indeed a fine golden Guinea.
The guinea series was barely twenty years old when this coin was minted, and the Royal Mint had encountered a number of technical problems converting gold ore imported from Africa into smooth-looking, evenly struck coins. Melting the raw ore into fine-gold strips was largely the business of London goldsmiths. Alloys tended to include small black specks of silver, and these appeared on resulting coins. But not only was the metal unfamiliar, the machinery was also relatively novel, having quite recently replaced the age-old hammered method of producing coins. The coin we see here clearly experienced some use, but it is free of alloy problems and was sharply struck using considerable force. The result was indeed a fine golden Guinea.