Watch List notes:

William III (1694-1702), Great Recoinage, Chester, Shillings (5), 1696 C, first laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, C below, rev. crowned shields cruciform, four strings to harp, nine billets, edge obliquely milled, 5.88g, 6h (Bull 1165; ESC 1082), rubbed and lightly wiped, residually retoned, fine; others, 1697 C (2), similar, rev. seven strings to harp, eight billets, 5.89g, 6h; and, rev. six strings to harp, 5.43g, 7h (Bull 1168 and 1172; ESC 1096; Spink 3499), the first a broadstriking and lightly wiped, otherwise residually lustrous and patchy peripheral toning, a bolder fine; the second a trace off-struck and heavily worn, the reverse scratched, poor; also, 1696 C, third bust, rev. six strings to harp, 5.94g, 7h (Bull 1169 [R3]; ESC 1089), flat even wear, only mediocre to good, but a legible example of this unusual provincial mule, very rare; lastly, 1697 C, third bust, rev. seven strings, 5.94g, 6h (Bull 1175; ESC 1104; Spink 3507), cleaned and softly struck, good to almost fair; an important academic assemblage of this desirable Provincial mint (5).
Provenance
i) D G Barney, Colyton (Devon), 5 July 1993
ii) Squirrel Publications, Shrewsbury, 1 May 1993
Estimate: £180 - £220