Sovereign Rarities Ltd
Auction 2 24 Sep 2019
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The Extremely Rare "Reddite" Pattern Crown Dated 1663 by Thomas Simon
Charles II (1660-85), silver Pattern "Reddite" crown, 1663, engraved and signed by Thomas Simon, struck from the same dies as the famed "Petition" crown, "fine work" laureate and draped bust right, Simon italic below, legend and toothed border surrounding, CAROLVS II. DEI. GRA, rev. struck en medaille, crowned cruciform emblematic shields, interlinked Cs in angles, St. George and dragon in ruled Garter in centre, French inscription in garter, HONI. SOIT. QVI. MAL. Y. PENSE, date either side of top crown, legend and toothed border surrounding, .MAG BRI. FR ET. HIB REX. edge inscribed in raised letters, last two words half size font, REDDITE . QVÆ . CÆSARIS . CÆSARI & CT. POST, followed by depiction of the sun appearing out of a cloud, weight 31.39g (L&S 7; Bull 431 R5; ESC 73 R5; S.3354B). Peppered with light surface marks, some nicks both sides, short scratch from eyebrow along junction with hair, toned, more attractive on reverse, otherwise about very fine / a bold very fine, has been graded and slabbed by PCGS as SP35, extremely rare.
This is the actual coin illustrated in the 1974 edition of 'English Silver Coinage'. PCGS certification 34313450.
The Latin legends translate as on the obverse "Charles the second by the grace of God" and on the reverse "King of Great Britain, France and Ireland." The French words on the garter translate as "Evil to him who evil thinks."
The Latin inscription on the edge is what gives this pattern its name and translates as "Render to Caesar, the things which are Caesar's," with the smaller font abbreviation for "POST NUBILA PHOEBUS" meaning "After the storm, the sun shines" alluding to the Restoration of the monarchy after the Commonwealth period.
Celebrated Victorian numismatist J. B. Bergne published the whereabouts of ten examples of the Reddite crown in silver in his 1854 article in the Numismatic Chronicle, three of which were institutionalised and seven in theory still privately held if they all survive till today. Four examples of these seven have appeared in the last forty years for sale whether privately or through auction. The other three have either not surfaced since Victorian times, or may have been last offered over 90 years ago, and are all examples that are apparently in lower grade. The choices of Reddite Crowns available to the market are few and far between, and the finest one from the Glenister collection, hammered at auction for £330,000 in March 2014, representing a total price including premium of £399,000.
It is interesting to note that Bergne recorded the whereabouts of fifteen examples of the companion "Petition" Crown piece in 1854, and at least one though perhaps as many as three may have emerged since then of this more highly coveted piece. In summary these "Reddite" Crowns are much rarer than the "Petition" crown with only ten examples known as of 1854 and seemingly less known today.
Provenance:
Ex Sir John Evans Collection, portion sold to J P Morgan.
Ex J. P. Morgan Collection portion sold privately with first offer to British Museum and secondly R C Lockett 1915.
Ex Richard Cyril Lockett, Sotheby, 28 May 1927, lot 55.
Ex T.B. Clarke-Thornhill, Glendining, 27 May 1937, lot 605.
Ex H.E.G. Paget, Glendining, 25 September, 1947, lot 230.
Ex Seaby Coin and Medal Bulletin, March 1948, item CR79.
Ex G.R. Blake, Seaby Coin and Medal Bulletin, June 1957.
Transacted privately by Spink to Norweb family, USA July 1962.
Ex Mrs E.M.H. Norweb, Spink Coin Auction 48, 13 November 1985, lot 442.
Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, March 1990, no. 1107.
Ex Dr. D. Rees-Jones, Spink Coin Auction 117, 19 November 1996, lot 118.
Transacted privately by Noble Numismatics of Australia to Mr Rowley Butters.
Ex Rowley Butters, St James Auction 9, 18th June 2008, lot 334.
Charles II (1660-85), silver Pattern "Reddite" crown, 1663, engraved and signed by Thomas Simon, struck from the same dies as the famed "Petition" crown, "fine work" laureate and draped bust right, Simon italic below, legend and toothed border surrounding, CAROLVS II. DEI. GRA, rev. struck en medaille, crowned cruciform emblematic shields, interlinked Cs in angles, St. George and dragon in ruled Garter in centre, French inscription in garter, HONI. SOIT. QVI. MAL. Y. PENSE, date either side of top crown, legend and toothed border surrounding, .MAG BRI. FR ET. HIB REX. edge inscribed in raised letters, last two words half size font, REDDITE . QVÆ . CÆSARIS . CÆSARI & CT. POST, followed by depiction of the sun appearing out of a cloud, weight 31.39g (L&S 7; Bull 431 R5; ESC 73 R5; S.3354B). Peppered with light surface marks, some nicks both sides, short scratch from eyebrow along junction with hair, toned, more attractive on reverse, otherwise about very fine / a bold very fine, has been graded and slabbed by PCGS as SP35, extremely rare.
This is the actual coin illustrated in the 1974 edition of 'English Silver Coinage'. PCGS certification 34313450.
The Latin legends translate as on the obverse "Charles the second by the grace of God" and on the reverse "King of Great Britain, France and Ireland." The French words on the garter translate as "Evil to him who evil thinks."
The Latin inscription on the edge is what gives this pattern its name and translates as "Render to Caesar, the things which are Caesar's," with the smaller font abbreviation for "POST NUBILA PHOEBUS" meaning "After the storm, the sun shines" alluding to the Restoration of the monarchy after the Commonwealth period.
Celebrated Victorian numismatist J. B. Bergne published the whereabouts of ten examples of the Reddite crown in silver in his 1854 article in the Numismatic Chronicle, three of which were institutionalised and seven in theory still privately held if they all survive till today. Four examples of these seven have appeared in the last forty years for sale whether privately or through auction. The other three have either not surfaced since Victorian times, or may have been last offered over 90 years ago, and are all examples that are apparently in lower grade. The choices of Reddite Crowns available to the market are few and far between, and the finest one from the Glenister collection, hammered at auction for £330,000 in March 2014, representing a total price including premium of £399,000.
It is interesting to note that Bergne recorded the whereabouts of fifteen examples of the companion "Petition" Crown piece in 1854, and at least one though perhaps as many as three may have emerged since then of this more highly coveted piece. In summary these "Reddite" Crowns are much rarer than the "Petition" crown with only ten examples known as of 1854 and seemingly less known today.
Provenance:
Ex Sir John Evans Collection, portion sold to J P Morgan.
Ex J. P. Morgan Collection portion sold privately with first offer to British Museum and secondly R C Lockett 1915.
Ex Richard Cyril Lockett, Sotheby, 28 May 1927, lot 55.
Ex T.B. Clarke-Thornhill, Glendining, 27 May 1937, lot 605.
Ex H.E.G. Paget, Glendining, 25 September, 1947, lot 230.
Ex Seaby Coin and Medal Bulletin, March 1948, item CR79.
Ex G.R. Blake, Seaby Coin and Medal Bulletin, June 1957.
Transacted privately by Spink to Norweb family, USA July 1962.
Ex Mrs E.M.H. Norweb, Spink Coin Auction 48, 13 November 1985, lot 442.
Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, March 1990, no. 1107.
Ex Dr. D. Rees-Jones, Spink Coin Auction 117, 19 November 1996, lot 118.
Transacted privately by Noble Numismatics of Australia to Mr Rowley Butters.
Ex Rowley Butters, St James Auction 9, 18th June 2008, lot 334.