Great Britain (1619-20) laurel
The first specimen was lot 12125 in Ponterio sale 169 (Baltimore, November 2012), where it sold for $1,762. The catalog description[1] noted, "GREAT BRITAIN. Laurel, ND (ca. 1619-20). PCGS Genuine--Filed Rims, AU Details Secure Holder. James I (1603-25). Third coinage. Second bust. Spur rowel mintmark. From the Ronald Lyle Collection." The second specimen was lot 20148 in Ponterio sale 176 (Chicago, August 2013), where it sold for $4,994. The catalog description[2] noted, "GREAT BRITAIN. James I, 1603-1625. Laurel, ND (1619-20). Spur Rowel. Third Coinage. Second bust. Laureate medium square bust left, small close ties, ‘XX’ in right field. Rv. Crowned square topped shield on cross. Exceptionally well-detailed with strong hair, ribbons, facial hair and ruff. Lightly cleaned and now retoning beautifully with coppery highlights in the lettering. Very attractive. Very Fine Plus. Ex: Seaby, 1984 ANA." James I, who united England and Scotland, invented the term Great Britain. The laurel coinage of the second half of his reign comes in one, half (Fr-243) and quarter laurel, all expensive. The "XX" behind the king's head indicated twenty shillings.
Recorded mintage: unknown but scarce.
Specification: 9 g, 0.917 fine gold, the second specimen 138.9 grains.
Catalog reference: Fr-242; S-2638; KM-73; North-2112; Woodhead-83.
- 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]Ponterio, Richard, Ponterio sale 169: The November 2012 Baltimore Auction, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers, LLC, 2012.
- [2]Ponterio, Richard, and Bruce Roland Hagen, Ponterio sale 176: The Thos. H. Law Collection of English Gold Coins, Irvine, CA: Stack's Bowers, LLC, 2013.
- 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.
Link to:
- Great Britain (1615-16) crown Fr-236
- (1619-25) half penny, no mintmark
- (1619-25) penny
- (1621-23) half crown, thistle mintmark
- (1619-20) quarter laurel
- (1619-20) half laurel
- (1619-20) spur ryal
- (1619-20) rose ryal
- (1620-21) half laurel
- Great Britain (1621-23) shilling
- (1621-23) laurel
- Coins and currency dated 1619
- return to coins of Great Britain