Heritage World Coin Auctions
ANA Signature Sale 3066 17 Aug 2018
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Great Britain
Commonwealth gold Unite 1650 AU58 NGC, S-3208, N-2715. A glorious golden reminder of a brief yet hugely significant event in English history. Commonwealth coinage was introduced in 1649, just one year before this Unite was produced; considered deeply unattractive, it was far removed from the previous coinage under Charles I, bearing no monarch's portrait and the Latin legends replaced by "THE COMMONWEALTH OF ENGLAND" and "GOD WITH US". This coinage remains the sole British issue to ever have purely English legends. The coins of 1649 and 1650 are typically very well-made and sharp, indicative of a strong pride in the new Commonwealth; however, from 1651 onwards the quality steeply declines into misshapen, blundered coins which rarely enter higher grades like this Almost Uncirculated example. The coinage reached its absolute lowest point with the scrappy and poorly produced 1658-60 'Anchor' coinage under the feckless Richard Cromwell, and the coinage as a whole was finally demonetized in 1661 by order of the restored king Charles II making any Commonwealth coin a rarity today.
Clearly a product of the earlier fine style, this Unite gleams with soft luster, its strike so bold as to produce simply exquisite detail, its flan with slight waves but otherwise perfect and round. 1650 is a date only represented in gold within British coinage, and rare even then, and this specimen would serve as an absolutely beautiful representative from this early year of the Commonwealth. Worthy of the finest cabinets of British hammered gold.
Ex. Millenia Collection
HID02901242017
Estimate: 10000-15000 USD
Commonwealth gold Unite 1650 AU58 NGC, S-3208, N-2715. A glorious golden reminder of a brief yet hugely significant event in English history. Commonwealth coinage was introduced in 1649, just one year before this Unite was produced; considered deeply unattractive, it was far removed from the previous coinage under Charles I, bearing no monarch's portrait and the Latin legends replaced by "THE COMMONWEALTH OF ENGLAND" and "GOD WITH US". This coinage remains the sole British issue to ever have purely English legends. The coins of 1649 and 1650 are typically very well-made and sharp, indicative of a strong pride in the new Commonwealth; however, from 1651 onwards the quality steeply declines into misshapen, blundered coins which rarely enter higher grades like this Almost Uncirculated example. The coinage reached its absolute lowest point with the scrappy and poorly produced 1658-60 'Anchor' coinage under the feckless Richard Cromwell, and the coinage as a whole was finally demonetized in 1661 by order of the restored king Charles II making any Commonwealth coin a rarity today.
Clearly a product of the earlier fine style, this Unite gleams with soft luster, its strike so bold as to produce simply exquisite detail, its flan with slight waves but otherwise perfect and round. 1650 is a date only represented in gold within British coinage, and rare even then, and this specimen would serve as an absolutely beautiful representative from this early year of the Commonwealth. Worthy of the finest cabinets of British hammered gold.
Ex. Millenia Collection
HID02901242017
Estimate: 10000-15000 USD