Baldwin & Sons
Auction 103 6 Oct 2021
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James I (1603-25), Gold Spur-Ryal of 15 shillings. Second coinage, mm. rose (1605-06), crowned figure of king with sword and shield standing facing in ship with rose on side and flag featuring I insignia flying from forecastle. Reverse Floriated cross with a lis at end of each limb, rose on spur-rowel at centre, in each angle a lion passant crowned, all within a tressure of eight arches, wt. 6.83gms. (S.2614, N.2080).
A superb example, well struck and about extremely fine. In terms of strike probably one of the best available to commerce but unfortunately this example has been very skilfully pierced and plugged, visible only on close inspection. (had this example not been pierced and plugged the price would no doubt be at least three times more than we have estimated). Most catalogues say little about this wonderfully designed coin, but in fact no other British gold coin shows a man o' war, a one-time (on this coin alone) updating of the long-lived gold angel. Rife with symbolism, this coin shows the royal standard on the ship's bow, with a Latinate "J" (or "I" for IACOBUS) figuratively flapping in
the wind, leading the ship forward. As well, four lions passant alternate with four crowned lis, age-old claims to sovereignty over Scotland and France; these in turn surround a blossomed Tudor rose with a sunburst around it (which Sutherland describes as the spur for which the coin is named, 'from the ability to regard the sun in glory'). The so-called scallop initial mark is more likely a seashell, yet another emblem of a powerful seafaring nation. Few coins in history were so marvellously conceived.
A superb example, well struck and about extremely fine. In terms of strike probably one of the best available to commerce but unfortunately this example has been very skilfully pierced and plugged, visible only on close inspection. (had this example not been pierced and plugged the price would no doubt be at least three times more than we have estimated). Most catalogues say little about this wonderfully designed coin, but in fact no other British gold coin shows a man o' war, a one-time (on this coin alone) updating of the long-lived gold angel. Rife with symbolism, this coin shows the royal standard on the ship's bow, with a Latinate "J" (or "I" for IACOBUS) figuratively flapping in
the wind, leading the ship forward. As well, four lions passant alternate with four crowned lis, age-old claims to sovereignty over Scotland and France; these in turn surround a blossomed Tudor rose with a sunburst around it (which Sutherland describes as the spur for which the coin is named, 'from the ability to regard the sun in glory'). The so-called scallop initial mark is more likely a seashell, yet another emblem of a powerful seafaring nation. Few coins in history were so marvellously conceived.