Baldwin's of St. James's
Auction 23 28 Sep 2018
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British Coins, Commonwealth, unite, mm. sun, 1652, English shield of arms of St. George within wreath, rev. conjoined shields of St. George and Ireland, mark of value above (S.3208; N.2715), certified and graded by PCGS as Mint State 61, lustrous with a sharp, even strike on both sides, on a broad flan with much of the rim beading present, finer than most examples that come on to the market
The only coins struck in English history without royal sanction or proclamation for their issue, the money of the Commonwealth was generally well made, coming as it did near the end of the hammered-coinage era, although the majority of survivors of this time cannot compare to the two certified gold pieces on offer in this sale. The style is most distinctive, the result of the Puritans' dislike of ostentation or even ornament. Aside from some fairly modern patterns, these are also the only coins of England issued without inscriptions in Latin. Commonwealth coins were in truth made in some numbers but were subject to melting over the succeeding centuries, being gathered by the Bank of England and delivered to the Royal Mint to be turned into gold coins made by the milled process. By the end of George III's reign, nearly all hammered gold coins had been destroyed. Coins such as are seen here, in very high states of preservation, must surely have been saved from that fate by devoted collectors.
Estimate: 8000-10000 GBP
The only coins struck in English history without royal sanction or proclamation for their issue, the money of the Commonwealth was generally well made, coming as it did near the end of the hammered-coinage era, although the majority of survivors of this time cannot compare to the two certified gold pieces on offer in this sale. The style is most distinctive, the result of the Puritans' dislike of ostentation or even ornament. Aside from some fairly modern patterns, these are also the only coins of England issued without inscriptions in Latin. Commonwealth coins were in truth made in some numbers but were subject to melting over the succeeding centuries, being gathered by the Bank of England and delivered to the Royal Mint to be turned into gold coins made by the milled process. By the end of George III's reign, nearly all hammered gold coins had been destroyed. Coins such as are seen here, in very high states of preservation, must surely have been saved from that fate by devoted collectors.
Estimate: 8000-10000 GBP