Baldwin's of St. James's
Auction 50-51 15 Oct 2020
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Elizabeth I, first issue, half angel, mm. lis (1559-60), beaded inner circles, St. Michael slaying the dragon, ELIZABETH D G ANG FRA Z HIB, rev. ship facing right, bearing shield, cross above, E and rose above, A DNO FACTVM EST ISTVD Z EST M, pellet stops, wt. 2.50gms. (S.2516A; N.1980; Schneider 735; Brown & Comber D1), a full round example on a large flan, good very fine and very rare
Purchased from Mark Rasmussen
It is axiomatic that the smaller denomination gold coins of this reign are particularly rare in finer states of preservation: these were the gold pieces that circulated in commerce far more than the larger coins did, and thus they tend to have endured, as a class, far more day-to-day use, and to have worn away from such handling. Clipping edges also reduced many hammered coins over many decades. Added to this, a number of proclamations over several centuries called for the Mint to melt coins pulled from use by banks as they differed increasingly, over time, from their nominal values. The survival of coins such as this half angel in this remarkable condition became a matter of chance; clearly this coin was put aside by collectors or else was stored for many years as a sort of savings account.
(5000-6000 GBP)
Purchased from Mark Rasmussen
It is axiomatic that the smaller denomination gold coins of this reign are particularly rare in finer states of preservation: these were the gold pieces that circulated in commerce far more than the larger coins did, and thus they tend to have endured, as a class, far more day-to-day use, and to have worn away from such handling. Clipping edges also reduced many hammered coins over many decades. Added to this, a number of proclamations over several centuries called for the Mint to melt coins pulled from use by banks as they differed increasingly, over time, from their nominal values. The survival of coins such as this half angel in this remarkable condition became a matter of chance; clearly this coin was put aside by collectors or else was stored for many years as a sort of savings account.
(5000-6000 GBP)