The New York Sale
Auction LIII 14 Jan 2021
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Henry VIII (1509-47), posthumous issue under King Edward VI, Gold Crown of the Double Rose of five shillings. Struck in 20 carat crown gold, posthumous coinage (1547-51), first period, Tower Mint I, large crowned rose, crowned H to left, crowned R to right, beaded circle surrounding, Roman style lettering with lozenge stops, initial mark arrow (1547-48) both sides, HENRIC'. 8. RVTILA'. ROS'. SIN'. SPI', rev. crowned quartered shield of arms, crowned H to left, crowned R to right, DEI'. GRA'. AGL'. FRA'. Z' HIB'. REX.:, weight 3.10g (Schneider 649; N.1867; S.2395, incorrect S. number on NGC holder). Toned, has been graded and slabbed by NGC as MS63, the finest graded example of the type. Estimated Value $5,000
NGC Certification 5880654-004. This coin is currently the highest graded Posthumous issue gold crown at both services and the finest ever graded of this denomination for Henry VIII at NGC. PCGS have graded two earlier and more common gold crowns of differing types of Henry VIII as MS63. Therefore, this coin is currently top of the population report. The abbreviated Latin legends translate as on the obverse "Henry VIII a dazzling rose without a thorn" and on the reverse "by the grace of God, King of England, France, and Ireland". The first phase of the coinage of Edward VI was struck as a posthumous issue of King Henry VIII on account of the debased state the coinage had been left in after costly foreign enterprises, leaving the gold coinage issued at a 20 carat fineness. Peace with France was not concluded till 1550 when the first steps could be taken to restoring the fineness to the coinage starting with the surrender of Boulogne for the payment of 400,000 ecus of gold (about £90,000). The gold Crown offered herewith was issued at a time when three mint locations were at work in the London area, Tower I and Tower II mints and the other at Southwark. The arrow mint mark was used at Tower I seemingly from the 5th April 1547 until 24th January 1549 when the lis mark comes into sole use; a period in which some £240,000 of crown gold was struck at this mint.
Ex Mark Rasmussen Numismatist, Surrey, list number 31, item 54.
NGC Certification 5880654-004. This coin is currently the highest graded Posthumous issue gold crown at both services and the finest ever graded of this denomination for Henry VIII at NGC. PCGS have graded two earlier and more common gold crowns of differing types of Henry VIII as MS63. Therefore, this coin is currently top of the population report. The abbreviated Latin legends translate as on the obverse "Henry VIII a dazzling rose without a thorn" and on the reverse "by the grace of God, King of England, France, and Ireland". The first phase of the coinage of Edward VI was struck as a posthumous issue of King Henry VIII on account of the debased state the coinage had been left in after costly foreign enterprises, leaving the gold coinage issued at a 20 carat fineness. Peace with France was not concluded till 1550 when the first steps could be taken to restoring the fineness to the coinage starting with the surrender of Boulogne for the payment of 400,000 ecus of gold (about £90,000). The gold Crown offered herewith was issued at a time when three mint locations were at work in the London area, Tower I and Tower II mints and the other at Southwark. The arrow mint mark was used at Tower I seemingly from the 5th April 1547 until 24th January 1549 when the lis mark comes into sole use; a period in which some £240,000 of crown gold was struck at this mint.
Ex Mark Rasmussen Numismatist, Surrey, list number 31, item 54.