Great Britain (1631-32) unite Fr-253

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Ponterio sale 176, lot 20177
GB c1631 unite rev P176-20177.jpg

This specimen was lot 20177 in Ponterio sale 176 (Chicago, August 2013), where it sold for $18,800. The catalog description[1] noted, "GREAT BRITAIN. Charles I, 1625-1649. Unite, ND (1631-32). Daisy, B/B. Briot’s Coinage. Distinctive Early Milled Briot Unite Rarity Crowned bust left, long tresses; ‘XX’ behind. Rv. Crowned square topped arms; flanked by ‘C’ and ‘R’. A rare and distinctive milled type issue. Details nearly Extremely Fine, though the piece was once lightly cleaned; it is now attractively retoning. Two very thin scratches are noted on the obverse, one in front of the chin. An important type coin. Very Fine. Ex: Spink, 1985." This gold unite (twenty shillings) was accompanied by a gold angel (Fr-245), crown (Fr-248) and double crown (Fr-247). The hammered gold more usually looked like Fr-246.Charles' conflicts with Parliament and his subsequent inability to raise funds cramped the production of gold.

Nicholas Briot (1579-1646) was an engraver and medallist. He failed in his efforts to persuade French mint authorities to adopt modern milling machinery and so moved to London, where he was hired by Charles I. He produced a series of milled coins in the early 1630's (including the unite shown here) and was sent by the king to Scotland to reform the mint there. He later served with the royalists in the Civil War and retired to France at the conclusion of that conflict. Hammered coinage continued in France until the 1650's and in England until 1664.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 9 g, 0.917 fine gold, this specimen 137.4 grains.

Catalog reference: S-2719; North-2294; Fr-253; KM-171.

Source:

  • 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.
  • [1]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.

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