Charles II Pattern gold Broad 1662, North-2780 (rare), KM-Pn32, plain edge, XF45 NGC, the obverse struck a bit off center, reverse die perfectly centered, some obvious wear, the portrait is unusual in the coinage and fairly ornate, the surfaces clean and showing an appealing reddish gold tone. Charles is depicted with moustache and armored, a laurel sprig in his hair (periwig), and he looks like a wealthy man who often feasted on roast lamb -- which is exactly what he did at the Court of the French king, Louis XIV, who had given Charles sanctuary while Oliver Cromwell and the Commonwealth held sway back in his kingdom. His regal shield, seen on the reverse of this coin, must have been a welcomed sight to many of his aristocratic supporters and to numerous admirers among the common man. Quite apparently, this and others of his patterns in gold were turned to commerce and were used for years, judging by how few have come down through the centuries in high grade. As well, the times were also changing technologically, and very soon after this piece was created a never-before-seen coinage made by machine would be quickly embraced in England. Patterns such as this simply became outdated in style. This may explain why such a coin went to commercial use: it offered no other purpose. A mere three decades distant in the future, a Great Recoinage would come to be, wiping away forever the vast majority of all the older coins made by hammer -- and helping to usher in a new age of commercial plenty and wealth, thereby setting the stage for a worldwide empire.From The Marston Collection of British Coins.
Estimate: 3500.00-4500.00 USD