The New York Sale
Auction 43 10 Jan 2018
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Charles II (1660-85), Pattern Crown, 1663. The masterwork engraved by Thomas Simon with his Petition to King Charles II in two lines on the edge, laureate and draped bust right, signed Simon below, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, CAROLVS II. DEI. GRA, rev. crowned cruciform emblematic shields, pairs of interlinked Cs in angles, St. George and dragon in buckled garter in centre in garter with French motto HONI. SOIT. QVI. MAL. Y. PENSE, date either side of top crown, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding.MAG BRI.FR ET.HIB REX. Edge inscribed in small raised letters in two lines except for double sized italic word "Majesty" witness line at start with pair of crowned interlinked Cs over pair of palm branches, THOMAS SIMON. MOST. HVMBLY. PRAYS .YOVR. MAJESTY TO. COMPARE. THIS. HIS. TRYALL. PIECE. WITH. THE. DVTCH. AND. IF. MORE / TRVLY. DRAWN. & EMBOSS'D. MORE. GRACE: FVLLY. ORDER'D. AND. MORE. ACCURATELY. ENGRAVEN. TO. RELIEVE. HIM., raised rim above and below, all lettering, drapery and neck, frosted in a mezzotint style, weight 34.73g. (S 3354A; ESC 429 (72); L&S 6, and p.10, this piece listed; Bergne, NC 1854, p.137, no.7, this coin; Hocking 1360; KM PnB33). Some hairlines & buffing in obverse field in antiquity, otherwise a superb example of the most famous coin in the entire British series. Only two others, both inferior examples, sold at auction in the USA in the past 100 years, Wormser in 1992 and Jenks in 1921. Only sixteen believed to be extant, of which only five examples auctioned worldwide in the past 25 years, including this example, remain in private hands. Beautifully toned & this piece in the top three best preserved examples in extremely fine condition. A highly desirable extremely rare piece celebrated as the finest in numismatic artistry, in PCGS holder graded SP 53, Pop 1; the only example graded at PCGS. Only 1 example graded higher in MS-63 at NGC. Estimated Value $600,000
Ex: Bought 'for a trifle' casually by coin-dealer Abraham Edmonds from a silversmith in the Strand.
Ex Thomas Dimsdale, Sotheby, 18th June 1824, lot 1788 sold for £30.
Ex Thomas Thomas, Sotheby, 23rd February 1844, lot 387 sold for £48 to dealer Cureton.
Ex James Dodsley Cuff, Sotheby, 8th June 1854, lot 1373, sold for £56/10 to dealer Webster.
Ex Major-General William York Moore, Sotheby, 21st April 1879, lot 255, sold for £86.
Ex The Hon. Robert W. Marsham, Sotheby, 19th November 1888, lot 731, sold for £290 to dealer Verity.
Ex Arthur Doveton Clarke, Christies, 15th June 1891, lot 364.
Ex Henry Webb, Sotheby, 9th July 1894, lot 692, sold for £250 to dealer Lincoln.
Ex Richard Manley Foster, Sotheby, 3rd November 1903, lot 243, sold for £310.
Ex Bernard M S. Roth, part I, Sotheby, 19th July 1917, lot 348, sold for £360.
Ex Lt.-Col. Thomas G. Taylor, collection sold privately to Spink and Son Ltd 1920.
Ex E S Morris as "Well known collector", Glendining, 23rd-25th July 1923, lot 17, sold for £360 to Wheeler.
Ex Ernest H. Wheeler, Sotheby, 12th March 1930, lot 500, sold for £510 to Raynes (described in the catalogue at the time, as being the finest).
Ex William Luard Raynes Collection, private transaction with Spink, Summer 1962. Sold by Spink and Son Ltd to Mrs Norweb, December 1962.
Ex Mrs E. M. H. Norweb Collection, part I, Spink Coin Auction 45, 13th June 1985, lot 223, front cover coin.
Ex James Perley Storer, Spink Coin Auction 111, 21st November 1995, lot 101, coin featured on cover.
Ex Rowley Butters Collection, St James Auction 9, 18th June 2008, lot 333, main front cover coin.
PCGS certification 34313193
The most famous coin in the entire British silver series, Thomas Simon's Petition Crown is familiar to most collectors of the English series, and has always proved a key highlight in any auction sale, whether in Victorian times or today. The latest thoughts on the Petition Crown and circumstances of the famous competition that resulted have been written up by Marvin Lessen in an article in the 2005 British Numismatic Journal entitled "Notes on Simon's Pattern (Petition) Crown of Charles II.&#
Ex: Bought 'for a trifle' casually by coin-dealer Abraham Edmonds from a silversmith in the Strand.
Ex Thomas Dimsdale, Sotheby, 18th June 1824, lot 1788 sold for £30.
Ex Thomas Thomas, Sotheby, 23rd February 1844, lot 387 sold for £48 to dealer Cureton.
Ex James Dodsley Cuff, Sotheby, 8th June 1854, lot 1373, sold for £56/10 to dealer Webster.
Ex Major-General William York Moore, Sotheby, 21st April 1879, lot 255, sold for £86.
Ex The Hon. Robert W. Marsham, Sotheby, 19th November 1888, lot 731, sold for £290 to dealer Verity.
Ex Arthur Doveton Clarke, Christies, 15th June 1891, lot 364.
Ex Henry Webb, Sotheby, 9th July 1894, lot 692, sold for £250 to dealer Lincoln.
Ex Richard Manley Foster, Sotheby, 3rd November 1903, lot 243, sold for £310.
Ex Bernard M S. Roth, part I, Sotheby, 19th July 1917, lot 348, sold for £360.
Ex Lt.-Col. Thomas G. Taylor, collection sold privately to Spink and Son Ltd 1920.
Ex E S Morris as "Well known collector", Glendining, 23rd-25th July 1923, lot 17, sold for £360 to Wheeler.
Ex Ernest H. Wheeler, Sotheby, 12th March 1930, lot 500, sold for £510 to Raynes (described in the catalogue at the time, as being the finest).
Ex William Luard Raynes Collection, private transaction with Spink, Summer 1962. Sold by Spink and Son Ltd to Mrs Norweb, December 1962.
Ex Mrs E. M. H. Norweb Collection, part I, Spink Coin Auction 45, 13th June 1985, lot 223, front cover coin.
Ex James Perley Storer, Spink Coin Auction 111, 21st November 1995, lot 101, coin featured on cover.
Ex Rowley Butters Collection, St James Auction 9, 18th June 2008, lot 333, main front cover coin.
PCGS certification 34313193
The most famous coin in the entire British silver series, Thomas Simon's Petition Crown is familiar to most collectors of the English series, and has always proved a key highlight in any auction sale, whether in Victorian times or today. The latest thoughts on the Petition Crown and circumstances of the famous competition that resulted have been written up by Marvin Lessen in an article in the 2005 British Numismatic Journal entitled "Notes on Simon's Pattern (Petition) Crown of Charles II.&#