The New York Sale
Auction 49 15 Jan 2020
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Great Britain
Oliver Cromwell (d.1658), Silver Crown of Five Shillings, 1658, 8 in date struck over 7. Engraved by Thomas Simon, laureate and draped bust left, raised die flaw at early stage, legend and outer toothed border surrounding, OLIVAR. D.G.R.P. ANG. SCO. HIB &c PRO, rev. crowned quartered shield of arms of the Protectorate, date above, legend and outer toothed border surrounding, PAX QVÆRITVR BELLO, edge inscribed in raised letters, *.HAS. NISI. PERITVRVS. MIHI. ADIMAT. NEMO., weight 30.10g (L&S 1; Bull 240; ESC 10; KM.D207; S.3226). Toned with some light blemishes on obverse, just a few very light hairlines, die flaw at mid-stage with some contemporary adjustment across portrait, otherwise with excellent detail especially in the hair, good extremely fine. Value $8,000 - UP
The largest portrait coin of Oliver Cromwell is the magnificent silver Crown engraved by Thomas Simon. However, not long after striking commenced a crack started to emerge on the lower left side of the obverse die, progressing across the horizontal of the neck of Cromwell. This crack in the die manifests on the struck coins as a raised die flaw across the obverse, which would have been a major problem upon the freshly struck coins at the time. It is thought that many of the coins were worked upon with fine tooling to have the die flaw adjusted as much as possible, resulting in making them perhaps suitable for presentation. The inscription on the edge produced using the new technology of Pierre Blondeau and his castaing machine was a safeguard against the illegal practice of clipping, and was severe in its intent as the Latin translates as "Let no one remove these from me under penalty of death."
The abbreviated Latin legends translate as "Oliver by the Grace of God, Protector of the Republic of England, Scotland and Ireland," and on the reverse "Peace is sought by war."
Provenance:Purchased from Spink and Son Ltd, 30th June 2001.
Oliver Cromwell (d.1658), Silver Crown of Five Shillings, 1658, 8 in date struck over 7. Engraved by Thomas Simon, laureate and draped bust left, raised die flaw at early stage, legend and outer toothed border surrounding, OLIVAR. D.G.R.P. ANG. SCO. HIB &c PRO, rev. crowned quartered shield of arms of the Protectorate, date above, legend and outer toothed border surrounding, PAX QVÆRITVR BELLO, edge inscribed in raised letters, *.HAS. NISI. PERITVRVS. MIHI. ADIMAT. NEMO., weight 30.10g (L&S 1; Bull 240; ESC 10; KM.D207; S.3226). Toned with some light blemishes on obverse, just a few very light hairlines, die flaw at mid-stage with some contemporary adjustment across portrait, otherwise with excellent detail especially in the hair, good extremely fine. Value $8,000 - UP
The largest portrait coin of Oliver Cromwell is the magnificent silver Crown engraved by Thomas Simon. However, not long after striking commenced a crack started to emerge on the lower left side of the obverse die, progressing across the horizontal of the neck of Cromwell. This crack in the die manifests on the struck coins as a raised die flaw across the obverse, which would have been a major problem upon the freshly struck coins at the time. It is thought that many of the coins were worked upon with fine tooling to have the die flaw adjusted as much as possible, resulting in making them perhaps suitable for presentation. The inscription on the edge produced using the new technology of Pierre Blondeau and his castaing machine was a safeguard against the illegal practice of clipping, and was severe in its intent as the Latin translates as "Let no one remove these from me under penalty of death."
The abbreviated Latin legends translate as "Oliver by the Grace of God, Protector of the Republic of England, Scotland and Ireland," and on the reverse "Peace is sought by war."
Provenance:Purchased from Spink and Son Ltd, 30th June 2001.