Great Britain (1645-46) unite Fr-249
This specimen was lot 1135 in Sincona sale 79 (Zürich, October 2022), where it sold for 14,000 CHF (about US$16,779 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted, "GREAT BRITAIN | Königreich, Charles I. 1625-1649. Unite of 20 shillings n. d. (1645-1646), Tower Mint under Parliament. Group G. Seventh Bust. Mintmark sun. Rare. NGC UNC Details. Cleaned, otherwise magnificent condition." The gold of the early part of Charles's reign comprised of angels (11 shillings), unites (20 shillings), double crowns (ten shillings) and crowns (five shillings). By 1644, Charles no longer controlled the Tower Mint and coins were made there under the authority of Parliament. Milled coinage finally superseded the hammered coinage in 1664. However, the old hammered coin was not called in and melted until 1696-97.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 9 g, 0.917 fine gold, this specimen is 9.12 g.
Catalog reference: KM 139, Spink 2696, Schneider coll. 170, Fr-249.
- 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]Richter, Jürg, SINCONA Auction 79, British Collection, Part 3, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2022.
Link to:
- (1644-45) unite, Tower mint
- Newark 1645 9 pence siege coinage
- Newark 1645 shilling
- Newark 1645 1/2 crown siege issue
- 1645-BR half crown, Bristol mint
- (1645-46) half crown, sun mintmark
- (1645-46) silver crown, sun mintmark, Tower mint
- 1645 silver crown, castle mintmark, Exeter mint
- (1645) unite, eye mintmark, Tower mint
- 1646 half crown, Bridgnorth-on-Severn mint
- 1646 half crown, Oxford mint
- (1646) half crown, Hartlebury Castle mint
- 1646 unite, Oxford mint
- Coins and currency dated 1645