Great Britain (1620-21) laurel Fr-242
This specimen was lot 33188 in Heritage sale 3094 (Chicago, August 2021), where it sold for $20,400. The catalog description[1] noted, "Great Britain: James I gold Laurel ND (1620-1621) MS62 NGC, Tower mint, Rose mm, Third Coinage. (rose) • IACOBVS D: G: MAG: BRI: FRAN: ET HIB: REX, third laureate bust of James I left, XX (denomination) behind / FACIAM | EOS IN | GENTEM | VNVM (rose), crowned royal shield with long cross dividing the flan into four quadrants. Astoundingly high quality for any Laurel of James I, and a series which collectors will immediately know is not easy to locate so solidly in Mint State. Despite a few minor wisps which perhaps account for the coin's somewhat conservative grade designation, the offering boasts an eye appeal that is seldom paralleled for the type, James' bust rendered in perhaps the most elegant style of any of his issues, free of weakness, and canvassed on a slightly oversized flan that captures the fullness of the outer border. At present, the second finest Laurel of this subtype we have presented, just behind the Storck example (an MS64)." 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 indicates twenty shillings.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 9 g, 0.917 fine gold, this specimen is 8.99 g.
Catalog reference: Fr-242; KM 74, S-2638A, N-2113, Schneider-84 var.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- 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]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, ANA WFOM World & Ancient Coins Platinum Night Signature Auction #3094, featuring the Cape Coral Collection, the WTR Collection and the Monaco Collection, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2021.
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