England (1361) noble Fr-92
The first specimen was lot 99142 in Heritage sale 61253 (Dallas, January 2022), where it sold for $5,640. The catalog description[1] noted, "Great Britain: Edward III (1327-1377) gold Noble ND (1361) AU55 NGC, Tower mint, Cross Potent mm, Transitional Treaty Period. Є | DWΛRD': DЄI: GRΛ': RЄX: ΛnGL': DnS': hIB': F (retrograde): Λ (double saltire stops), Edward crowned, standing facing in ship, sword in right hand, shield in left / + IhC': ΛVTЄ: TRΛnSIЄnS: PЄR: mЄD'Vm: ILLORR': IBΛT (double saltire stops), large floriate cross with Є at center (on side), crowned lions in angles, all within polylobe with trefoils in spandrels. Among the scarcer of Edward's Nobles, and the first Transitional Treaty example we have offered, with just one other in NGC's census, compared to around 50 Treaty Period specimens. Interestingly, this die pairing was not represented in the Schneider Collection, with an interesting engraving error where the die cutter substituted an abbreviatory mark for the I in MEDIVM. For the same of completeness, we note a small spot of tone below the first M in MEDIVM." The second specimen was lot 1505 in Sincona sale 82 (Zürich, May 2023), where it sold for 8,000 CHF (about US$10,707 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted, "Edward III. 1327-1377. Noble n. d. (1361), Tower Mint. Fourth coinage, transitional treaty period. Mintmark "cross". Sehr selten (Very rare). NGC MS63. Schrötlingsriss (Flan crack). Tied with one other for finest certified by NGC." The noble was introduced by Edward III as part of a monetary reform and was tariffed at eighty pence (6 shillings 8 pence) and was the first gold coin to circulate in England in several centuries.
Recorded mintage: unknown but scarce.
Specification: gold, 120 grains (7.8 g); this specimen 7.74 g.
Catalog reference: S-1499, N-1222 (R), Schneider-Unl.; Fr-92.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, The Brittany Collection of French Coins Showcase Auction #61253, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2021.
- Lobel, Richard, Mark Davidson, Allan Hailstone and Eleni Calligas, Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of English and UK Coins, 1066 to Date, London: Coincraft, 1995.
- Skingley, Philip, ed., Standard Catalogue of British Coins: Coins of England & the United Kingdom, 46th edition, London: Spink & Son, 2011.
- [2]Richter, Jürg, SINCONA Auction 82, British Collection, Part 4, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2023.
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