England (1565) 1/2 pound Fr-203
This specimen was lot 23150 in Stack's Bowers NYINC sale (New York, January 2023), where it sold for $8,400. The catalog description[1] noted, "GREAT BRITAIN. 1/2 Pound, ND (1565). London Mint; mm: rose. Elizabeth I. PCGS EF-45. A wholesome example, this nice piece provides wonderful retained mint brilliance along with good remaining details. The wear on this Half-Pound is light and even across the devices, with much originality yet present. A wonderful specimen for anyone seeking a presentable example of Elizabethan gold." This half pound was tariffed at ten shillings. Milled half pounds also exist (Fr-223) but are scarcer.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: gold, 90 grains (5.82 g).
Catalog reference: S-2520; Fr-203; N-1994.
- 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.
- Skingley, Philip, ed., Standard Catalogue of British Coins: Coins of England & the United Kingdom, 46th edition, London: Spink & Son, 2011.
- Lobel, Richard, Mark Davidson, Allan Hailstone and Eleni Calligas, Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of English and UK Coins, 1066 to Date, London: Coincraft, 1995.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The January 2023 NYINC Auction: Ancient Coins, World Coins & Paper Money, featuring the Taraszka Collection and the Mark and Dottie Salton Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
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