St. James's Auctions
Auction 48 23 Sep 2021
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
Elizabeth I, sixth issue, 'crown gold' coinage, half pound, mm. 2 (1602-03) on each side, crowned bust 7B left, ELIZAB D G ANG FRA ET HIB REGINA, rev. crowned shield of arms, E R at sides, SCVTVM FIDEI PROTEGET EAM, pellet stops, wt. 5.50gms. (S.2540; N.2009; Schneider 812; Brown & Comber G32), some faint marks in obverse field, otherwise better than very fine, crisp legends and an intricately detailed portrait, very rare especially so fine
*ex W. Talbot Ready, Sotheby, 15 November 1920, lot 599
V. M. Brand (d.1926), collection widely dispersed 1932
V. J. E. Ryan, Glendining, 28 June 1950, lot 334
Spink 176, 30 November 2005, lot 464
Breaking with age-old tradition, the previous initial marks were abandoned in favour of cyphers as of 1 May 1600, the first use of the 'O' mark. This continued until 20 May 1601; the '1' mark began being used from 29 July of that year, extending until 14 May 1602. The final mark first appeared the next day, 15 May 1602, and continued in use until 24 March 1603. Popular belief amongst collectors is that these cyphers coincide with years, but the actual dates of use of the three cyphers does not entirely support that idea. As Peter Woodhead succinctly states in his catalogue of the Schneider Collection (vol. 1, p. 75), 'Although Elizabeth I's gold coins do not bear dates, a regular system of control using pyx trials was operated and records of these allow, in most cases, exact dates to be accorded to initial marks.' In his Table 14 he further states a total value (in £s, not number of coins) of 'crown gold' struck using both cyphers '1' and '2' came to a mere £21,737. 'Fine gold' coinage came to just £1,292 using the last two cyphers. Yet another factor may also be considered as the coinage as a whole declined. Derek Anthony, the engraver of most of the gold issues of this reign, ended his tenure as chief engraver on 12 July 1599, when he was replaced by his son, Charles Anthony, whose work we are probably viewing in this lot, although as Craig tells us (The Mint, p. 131), 'he was displaced for some years by the famous miniaturist, Nicholas Hilliard. . . .' This is indeed a fascinating coin!
(12000-15000 GBP)
*ex W. Talbot Ready, Sotheby, 15 November 1920, lot 599
V. M. Brand (d.1926), collection widely dispersed 1932
V. J. E. Ryan, Glendining, 28 June 1950, lot 334
Spink 176, 30 November 2005, lot 464
Breaking with age-old tradition, the previous initial marks were abandoned in favour of cyphers as of 1 May 1600, the first use of the 'O' mark. This continued until 20 May 1601; the '1' mark began being used from 29 July of that year, extending until 14 May 1602. The final mark first appeared the next day, 15 May 1602, and continued in use until 24 March 1603. Popular belief amongst collectors is that these cyphers coincide with years, but the actual dates of use of the three cyphers does not entirely support that idea. As Peter Woodhead succinctly states in his catalogue of the Schneider Collection (vol. 1, p. 75), 'Although Elizabeth I's gold coins do not bear dates, a regular system of control using pyx trials was operated and records of these allow, in most cases, exact dates to be accorded to initial marks.' In his Table 14 he further states a total value (in £s, not number of coins) of 'crown gold' struck using both cyphers '1' and '2' came to a mere £21,737. 'Fine gold' coinage came to just £1,292 using the last two cyphers. Yet another factor may also be considered as the coinage as a whole declined. Derek Anthony, the engraver of most of the gold issues of this reign, ended his tenure as chief engraver on 12 July 1599, when he was replaced by his son, Charles Anthony, whose work we are probably viewing in this lot, although as Craig tells us (The Mint, p. 131), 'he was displaced for some years by the famous miniaturist, Nicholas Hilliard. . . .' This is indeed a fascinating coin!
(12000-15000 GBP)