Heritage World Coin Auctions
Signature Sale 3029 14-16 January 2014
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
Great Britain
Selections from the Eric P. Newman Collection of World Coins. Charles I "Bridgnorth" Groat 1646, S-3042, North-2525 (scarce), MS61 NGC. Bridgnorth-on-Severn mint. Oxford declaration on reverse, small plume to left of the king's face. Pellet mm on reverse. A chip exists in the flan at 9 o'clock on the obverse, as is common for this series of coins struck at various temporary mints, making emergency coins. As the numerical grade suggests, this is a spectacular example of this rare mint, as fine as this cataloguer has ever encountered, with crisp details throughout -- the portrait is extraordinary, the Declaration reverse is bold and complete, and the legends are sharp to the eye, lacking only slightly where the flan is ragged. The ancient patina is a delightful and richly hued bluish gray, showing some red deposits scattered throughout the legends on the obverse and reverse. The ancient castle (built in 1101) at Bridgnorth, in the Severn Valley, Shropshire, has long been in ruins and was virtually destroyed as the Civil War neared its end. The king's army sought refuge at various fortresses, often setting up on-the-spot mints in order to finance their efforts to maintain the monarchy. As the main mint and fort at Oxford began to fail, tenuous spots such as Bridgnorth saw temporary occupation. Next to no hard evidence exists about this location as an issuer of the king's money, but current scholarship places this groat, along with other denominations marked with a pellet in the reverse legend and a diminutive plume, or badge, to left of the portrait, as being the initial marks of this mint. All in all, this is a fabulous Civil War groat.
Estimate: 750-1000 USD
Selections from the Eric P. Newman Collection of World Coins. Charles I "Bridgnorth" Groat 1646, S-3042, North-2525 (scarce), MS61 NGC. Bridgnorth-on-Severn mint. Oxford declaration on reverse, small plume to left of the king's face. Pellet mm on reverse. A chip exists in the flan at 9 o'clock on the obverse, as is common for this series of coins struck at various temporary mints, making emergency coins. As the numerical grade suggests, this is a spectacular example of this rare mint, as fine as this cataloguer has ever encountered, with crisp details throughout -- the portrait is extraordinary, the Declaration reverse is bold and complete, and the legends are sharp to the eye, lacking only slightly where the flan is ragged. The ancient patina is a delightful and richly hued bluish gray, showing some red deposits scattered throughout the legends on the obverse and reverse. The ancient castle (built in 1101) at Bridgnorth, in the Severn Valley, Shropshire, has long been in ruins and was virtually destroyed as the Civil War neared its end. The king's army sought refuge at various fortresses, often setting up on-the-spot mints in order to finance their efforts to maintain the monarchy. As the main mint and fort at Oxford began to fail, tenuous spots such as Bridgnorth saw temporary occupation. Next to no hard evidence exists about this location as an issuer of the king's money, but current scholarship places this groat, along with other denominations marked with a pellet in the reverse legend and a diminutive plume, or badge, to left of the portrait, as being the initial marks of this mint. All in all, this is a fabulous Civil War groat.
Estimate: 750-1000 USD