Sovereign Rarities Ltd
Auction 1 25 Sep 2018
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Henry IV (1399-1413), gold Noble of Six shillings and Eight pence, heavy coinage (1399-1412), armoured King standing in ship with upright sword and quartered shield, three lis in upper left quarter arranged with one lis above and two below, crescent on ship's rudder, Latin legend and beaded borders surrounding, mascle before and saltire stops in legend, hEn RIC'x DI'x GRA'x REXxx AnGL'x Zxx FRAnC'x DnS'x hIB 'Z AQ, rev. h at centre of ornate cross with floriate and lis terminals, crown over lion in each angle, all within a tressure of eight arcs, large fleurs in spandrels, Latin legend and beaded border surrounding, initial mark cross pattée, IhCxx AVTEmxx TRAnSIEnSxx PERxx mEDIVxx ILLORVxx IBAT, weight 6.28g (Schneider 194; N.1336; S.1706). Has been lightly clipped in antiquity, an excavated coin with associated surface marks and one slight rim perforation, otherwise with a bold portrait of the King for this extremely rare heavy issue, nearly very fine.
Provenance:
Found as a single find, Hoxne, Suffolk, 2010.
Ex Spink Auction 206, 2nd December 2010, lot 882.
The heavier weight gold Noble was the earlier issue of the reign of Henry IV continuing at this weight standard until at least 1408 and probably till 1412 (the mint accounts are missing from 30th September 1408 till 29th November 1411) as the reduced weight of the Noble seems to be extant from Easter of 1412 when reduced to 108 grains (6.998g) from the 120 grain (7.776g) earlier standard. The output of the heavier gold Nobles of six shillings and eight pence of 23 carat 3 ½ grain standard was very low in the London Tower Mint anyway, and once the lighter weight pieces were introduced it was easy for the unscrupulous to clip the excess weight from any earlier heavy nobles or their fractions, not already collected in and melted down, like we have with the example offered herewith. Survival rates of such coins are miniscule as the whole documented coinage of the nine years from 1399-1408 is made from 2,500lb weight of gold for all gold denominations. When you consider just under 9,000lb weight of gold was coined in 1411-12 account year alone for the lighter weight later pieces the survival of such heavier early coins seems even more incredible.
Provenance:
Found as a single find, Hoxne, Suffolk, 2010.
Ex Spink Auction 206, 2nd December 2010, lot 882.
The heavier weight gold Noble was the earlier issue of the reign of Henry IV continuing at this weight standard until at least 1408 and probably till 1412 (the mint accounts are missing from 30th September 1408 till 29th November 1411) as the reduced weight of the Noble seems to be extant from Easter of 1412 when reduced to 108 grains (6.998g) from the 120 grain (7.776g) earlier standard. The output of the heavier gold Nobles of six shillings and eight pence of 23 carat 3 ½ grain standard was very low in the London Tower Mint anyway, and once the lighter weight pieces were introduced it was easy for the unscrupulous to clip the excess weight from any earlier heavy nobles or their fractions, not already collected in and melted down, like we have with the example offered herewith. Survival rates of such coins are miniscule as the whole documented coinage of the nine years from 1399-1408 is made from 2,500lb weight of gold for all gold denominations. When you consider just under 9,000lb weight of gold was coined in 1411-12 account year alone for the lighter weight later pieces the survival of such heavier early coins seems even more incredible.