Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3061 7-8 Jan 2018
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Great Britain
Charles I gold Triple Unite 1642 AU53 NGC, Oxford mint, S-2724, N-2382 (VR), SCBI 33 (Brooker)-834, Beresford/Jones-III/L1. A superb example of this issue and very rare. The module is well-centered on a flan only slightly out-of-round with very bold central details and only minor touches of striking weakness along the peripheries. The fields exhibit mild handling along with a few contact marks and a ghost of one of the reverse plumes just behind Charles' shoulder. Protected areas amongst the devices have developed an appealing copper-red tone. With the movement of the king's mint from Shrewsbury to Oxford in early January of 1643, the initial production of these pieces were from a cruder die-style as Shrewsbury dies were used up (traditionally all Triple Unites with banded plumes are attributed to Oxford). The minting of 1642-dated pieces at Oxford would have lasted until 25 March 1643.
Ex. St. James (Auction 22, October 2012, Lot 417)
Ex. M&M AG (June 2004, Lot 451)
Ex. J.H. Barnes Collection (Sotheby's, June 1974, Lot 170)
Ex. Sir Kenyon Vaughan-Morgan Collection (Sotheby's, June 1935, Lot 235)
The reign of Charles I was a troubled one at best. Born in Scotland, Charles succeeded his father James I to the united thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1625. James became the King of Scotland at an early age after his mother abdicated, and unified his crown with those of England and Ireland after Queen Elizabeth I died without any children.
The issues which plagued Charles during his reign began well before he ascended. His father James had inherited a large debt due to extended wars in Ireland, which caused tension with Parliament over taxation policies; James also suffered because he refused to give freedom of worship to Catholics, which famously led to the Gunpowder Plot, an unsuccessful assassination attempt led by Guy Fawkes.
After Charles was crowned, Parliament quickly realized that there was little hope for change from James' unpopular policies. Charles believed that his monarchy gave him the absolute authority to rule as he pleased, without the need to seek guidance or approval from Parliament. He attempted to bypass the Parliament when he levied taxes to pay off debts accrued by his predecessors; after Parliament passed the Bill of Right in an attempt to limit Charles' power, he dissolved the body. Charles managed to simultaneously anger Protestants over his peace with France and Spain (as well as his marriage to a Catholic princess from France), as well as Catholics who wished for freedom to practice openly. In 1642 these issues came to a head with the English Civil War, during which Charles had this particular coin minted. The result of the war was the beheading of Charles in 1649 and the institution of the Commonwealth of England, which Oliver Cromwell controlled until Charles' son Charles II returned to England to retake the throne.
From the Burford Collection
HID02901242017
Estimate: 150000-200000 USD
Charles I gold Triple Unite 1642 AU53 NGC, Oxford mint, S-2724, N-2382 (VR), SCBI 33 (Brooker)-834, Beresford/Jones-III/L1. A superb example of this issue and very rare. The module is well-centered on a flan only slightly out-of-round with very bold central details and only minor touches of striking weakness along the peripheries. The fields exhibit mild handling along with a few contact marks and a ghost of one of the reverse plumes just behind Charles' shoulder. Protected areas amongst the devices have developed an appealing copper-red tone. With the movement of the king's mint from Shrewsbury to Oxford in early January of 1643, the initial production of these pieces were from a cruder die-style as Shrewsbury dies were used up (traditionally all Triple Unites with banded plumes are attributed to Oxford). The minting of 1642-dated pieces at Oxford would have lasted until 25 March 1643.
Ex. St. James (Auction 22, October 2012, Lot 417)
Ex. M&M AG (June 2004, Lot 451)
Ex. J.H. Barnes Collection (Sotheby's, June 1974, Lot 170)
Ex. Sir Kenyon Vaughan-Morgan Collection (Sotheby's, June 1935, Lot 235)
The reign of Charles I was a troubled one at best. Born in Scotland, Charles succeeded his father James I to the united thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1625. James became the King of Scotland at an early age after his mother abdicated, and unified his crown with those of England and Ireland after Queen Elizabeth I died without any children.
The issues which plagued Charles during his reign began well before he ascended. His father James had inherited a large debt due to extended wars in Ireland, which caused tension with Parliament over taxation policies; James also suffered because he refused to give freedom of worship to Catholics, which famously led to the Gunpowder Plot, an unsuccessful assassination attempt led by Guy Fawkes.
After Charles was crowned, Parliament quickly realized that there was little hope for change from James' unpopular policies. Charles believed that his monarchy gave him the absolute authority to rule as he pleased, without the need to seek guidance or approval from Parliament. He attempted to bypass the Parliament when he levied taxes to pay off debts accrued by his predecessors; after Parliament passed the Bill of Right in an attempt to limit Charles' power, he dissolved the body. Charles managed to simultaneously anger Protestants over his peace with France and Spain (as well as his marriage to a Catholic princess from France), as well as Catholics who wished for freedom to practice openly. In 1642 these issues came to a head with the English Civil War, during which Charles had this particular coin minted. The result of the war was the beheading of Charles in 1649 and the institution of the Commonwealth of England, which Oliver Cromwell controlled until Charles' son Charles II returned to England to retake the throne.
From the Burford Collection
HID02901242017
Estimate: 150000-200000 USD