Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3030 5-6 January 2014
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Great Britain
James I (1603-25) gold Rose-Ryal ND, of 30 Shillings, S-2632, North-2108 (rare), Schneider-77, 3rd Coinage of 1619-25, King Enthroned with portcullis at his feet, Tower mint London, Spur rowel mm (struck 1619-20), minted from 23-ct 3.5-gr or almost pure gold, MS63 NGC. The cataloguer spent ten minutes poring over every area of this coin under 9x magnification but was unable to find a single fault. The coin is fully struck down to the smallest design elements. The king's facial features are complete even in the tiniest detail. Surfaces are splendid, showing only tiny contact marks under high magnification. The two spur-rowel initial marks are fully impressed, and the legends are crisp on every letter. Comparing it, this piece actually seems to be finer than the Schneider plate coin, which is not fully struck on HIB REX. This is as fine a Rose-Ryal as the cataloguer has seen in almost 40 years of handling and writing about English coins. It glows with early 17th-century luster and is superb! We've looked carefully through auction records worldwide and cannot locate another piece, of any initial mark, that is either as technically fine or as well struck.The Third Coinage extended from September 3, 1619, through March 27, 1625. Gold alloyed to two purity levels was employed. That being .995 fine was used for the Rose-Ryals, Spur-Ryals and Angels because they were commonly used for foreign trade; the Unites and smaller denomination pieces contained .917-fine gold and were used for commerce within Britain. During this reign, for the first time, details kept in mint documents recorded exactly when each initial mark was used. The initial mark seen on the presently offered coin was employed from the period's beginning (Sept. 3, 1619) until June 23, 1620, after which a succession of four other mintmarks appeared on this denomination. Thus we know today exactly when these coins were struck and in their exact die succession. Perhaps it was King James himself who caused this information to be recorded. Somewhat lacking in the traditional kingly qualities of martial prowess and stately bearing, he is remembered today for his scholarship, for funding one of the greatest of all translations of the Bible, and, as concerns us, for taking an unusually keen interest in his coinage – it is known that he personally approved of a number of newly engraved samples (including one of the earliest known English proofs, a shilling of 1615-16). Only the best-struck pieces were shown to him. Could this possibly have been one of them?
Estimate: 40000-50000 USD
James I (1603-25) gold Rose-Ryal ND, of 30 Shillings, S-2632, North-2108 (rare), Schneider-77, 3rd Coinage of 1619-25, King Enthroned with portcullis at his feet, Tower mint London, Spur rowel mm (struck 1619-20), minted from 23-ct 3.5-gr or almost pure gold, MS63 NGC. The cataloguer spent ten minutes poring over every area of this coin under 9x magnification but was unable to find a single fault. The coin is fully struck down to the smallest design elements. The king's facial features are complete even in the tiniest detail. Surfaces are splendid, showing only tiny contact marks under high magnification. The two spur-rowel initial marks are fully impressed, and the legends are crisp on every letter. Comparing it, this piece actually seems to be finer than the Schneider plate coin, which is not fully struck on HIB REX. This is as fine a Rose-Ryal as the cataloguer has seen in almost 40 years of handling and writing about English coins. It glows with early 17th-century luster and is superb! We've looked carefully through auction records worldwide and cannot locate another piece, of any initial mark, that is either as technically fine or as well struck.The Third Coinage extended from September 3, 1619, through March 27, 1625. Gold alloyed to two purity levels was employed. That being .995 fine was used for the Rose-Ryals, Spur-Ryals and Angels because they were commonly used for foreign trade; the Unites and smaller denomination pieces contained .917-fine gold and were used for commerce within Britain. During this reign, for the first time, details kept in mint documents recorded exactly when each initial mark was used. The initial mark seen on the presently offered coin was employed from the period's beginning (Sept. 3, 1619) until June 23, 1620, after which a succession of four other mintmarks appeared on this denomination. Thus we know today exactly when these coins were struck and in their exact die succession. Perhaps it was King James himself who caused this information to be recorded. Somewhat lacking in the traditional kingly qualities of martial prowess and stately bearing, he is remembered today for his scholarship, for funding one of the greatest of all translations of the Bible, and, as concerns us, for taking an unusually keen interest in his coinage – it is known that he personally approved of a number of newly engraved samples (including one of the earliest known English proofs, a shilling of 1615-16). Only the best-struck pieces were shown to him. Could this possibly have been one of them?
Estimate: 40000-50000 USD