Great Britain 1645-BR 1/2 crown
This specimen was lot 40130 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Chicago, August 2024), where it sold for $2,400. The catalog description[1] noted, "GREAT BRITAIN. 1/2 Crown, 1645-Br. Bristol Mint. Charles I. PCGS AU-53. A most pleasing 1/2 Crown from Bristol, with this charming representative delivering good eye appeal, with light gunmetal gray color and reserved underlying brilliance. Slightly die shifted, but this feature adds to the general charm and appeal of the piece. Only light circulation is seen, and the wholesome nature of this piece is never in question. VERY SCARCE as an emission of this Mint in this state of preservation. Ex: E.K. Burstal (Sotheby's 11/1912) Lot #170." Charles' conflicts with Parliament erupted into open war in 1642. One of Parliament's first acts after Charles fled London was to seize the Tower Mint. In response, Charles opened branch mints to provide coin to pay his forces. Some of the mints were shortlived, as an army stopped for a few weeks to reequip but Oxford, Shrewsbury and Bristol operated for several years. Bristol produced half crowns (shown here), shillings, sixpence, groats and threepence. Her mintmark was a "BR" monogram.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 15.05 g, 0.925 fine silver.
Catalog reference: S-3009; N-2491; KM-214.21.
- Cuhaj, George S., and Thomas Michael, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1601-1700, 6th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2014.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, August 2024 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, featuring The Emilio M. Ortiz Collection, The Richard Margolis Collection and The Rutherford Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
Link to:
- 1644-BR shilling, Bristol mint
- 1644-BR half crown, Bristol mint
- Newark 1645 9 pence siege coinage
- Newark 1645 shilling siege issue
- (1645-46) shilling, eye mintmark
- Newark 1645 1/2 crown siege issue
- (1645-46) half crown, sun mintmark
- (1645-46) crown, Tower mint
- 1645 crown, Exeter mint
- (1645) unite, eye mintmark, Tower mint
- (1645-46) unite, sun mintmark, Tower mint
- Coins and currency dated 1645