England (1361-69) 1/2 noble Fr-96
This specimen was lot 70683 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Santa Ana, CA, February 2020), where it sold for $2,400. The catalog description[1] noted, "GREAT BRITAIN. 1/2 Noble, ND (1361-69). London Mint; im: annulet/cross potent. Edward III. NGC AU-58. Treaty period. Some hints of peripheral striking weakness are noted, but an otherwise charming example of the type, offering good centering, a problem free flan, and an alluring golden-orange tone." The half noble was introduced by Edward III as part of a monetary reform and was tariffed at forty pence (3 shillings 4 pence) and was the first gold coin to circulate in several centuries. Similar coins with a "C" mintmark were struck in Calais, then an English possession.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: gold, 60 grains (3.9 g), this specimen 3.76 g.
Catalog reference: S-1507; Fr-96; N-1239.
- 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.
- 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.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Richard Ponterio and Kyle Ponterio, The February 2020 Collector's Choice sale: World and Ancient Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2020.
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