Great Britain (1638-39) shilling KM-187
This specimen was lot 32541 in Heritage Sale 3115 (Chicago, May 2024), where it sold for $3,840. The catalog description[1] noted, "Great Britain: Charles I Shilling ND (1638-1639) AU58 NGC, Briot's mint at the Tower, Anchor mm. An exquisite representative from the famed Briot series of coinage, boasting clearly superior quality to contemporary hammered issues, here certified on the verge of Mint State and elevated by a premium lavender and magenta reverse patination." Charles' conflicts with Parliament and his subsequent inability to raise funds cramped the production of coin. The SCWC lists over fifty different types of shillings for Charles I. For 1638-39 alone, we note KM 110, KM 187 (shown here), 188, 192, 193, 194, 195 and 196. Milled coinage finally superseded the hammered coinage in 1664. However, the old hammered coin was not called in and melted until 1696-97. This coin was produced by Nicholas Briot (c.1579-1646) who introduced an improved coining press to England and served as mintmaster to Charles I at the Tower mint and in Scotland. His innovations met resistance and England did not abandon hammered coinage until the 1660's.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 6.02 g, 0.925 fine silver.
Catalog reference: KM 187, S-2859.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- [1]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, 2024 May 8 - 10 CSNS World Coins Platinum Session and Signature® Auction #3115, featuring the Ezen Collection, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2024.
- 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:
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- (1638-42) sixpence, Aberystwyth mint
- (1638-39) sixpence
- (1638-39) shilling, anchor mintmark, hammered
- (1638-39) shilling, Aberystwyth mint
- (1638-39) half crown
- (1638-42) half crown, Aberystwyth mint
- (1638-39) silver crown, anchor mintmark
- (1638-39) gold crown, anchor mintmark
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- Coins and currency dated 1638