Sovereign Rarities Ltd
Auction 4 21 Sep 2021
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William III (1694-1702), gold Five Guineas, 1699, first laureate head right, elephant and castle below, legend and toothed border surrounding, GVLIELMVS. III. DEI. GRA., rev. crowned cruciform shields, sceptres in angles, Lion of Nassau at centre, date either side of top crown, legend and toothed border surrounding, .MAG BR.FRA ET.HIB. REX., edge inscribed in raised letters, upright orientation to obverse, +DECVS. ET. TVTAMEN. ANNO. REGNI. UNDECIMO., 41.63g (Schneider 479; MCE 170; S.3455). A magnificent boldly struck example, surfaces with considerable reflective mint lustre, scattered contact marks and areas of fine scratching to obverse, extremely fine, rare thus.
There are only three years that are possible to collect for the Five Guineas of William III and four varieties in total, 1699 is the earliest with two varieties, either with or without the elephant and castle below. This is the provenance mark of the Royal African Company of England as it had been named since refinancing in 1672, and the issue of the largest denomination of the Five Guineas was a rare occurrence by this time there not being any since the reign of William and Mary. This is in fact the final Five Guineas to have ever been minted with this provenance mark and sporadic issues afterward are of the Guinea or smaller.
Provenance:
Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, August 2002 (MG0912)
(£30,000-£50,000)
There are only three years that are possible to collect for the Five Guineas of William III and four varieties in total, 1699 is the earliest with two varieties, either with or without the elephant and castle below. This is the provenance mark of the Royal African Company of England as it had been named since refinancing in 1672, and the issue of the largest denomination of the Five Guineas was a rare occurrence by this time there not being any since the reign of William and Mary. This is in fact the final Five Guineas to have ever been minted with this provenance mark and sporadic issues afterward are of the Guinea or smaller.
Provenance:
Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, August 2002 (MG0912)
(£30,000-£50,000)