Great Britain 1683 2 guineas Fr-284
This specimen was lot 1669 in Sincona sale 82 (Zürich, May 2023), where it sold for 7,500 CHF (about US$10,037 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted, "Charles II. 1660-1685. 2 Guineas 1683, London. Second laureate bust. NGC AU53. Second finest certified by NGC." When milled coinage was introduced in 1663, the unite, double crown and gold crown were retired in favor of the guinea, its fractions and multiples. The guinea would be the basis for all gold issues until the reform of 1817 and took its name from the source of the original gold, the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa. This type was struck 1675-84. There is a similar type (KM 443.2) struck during the same years (including 1683) with an elephant and castle added below the king's bust; this marked gold obtained from Africa.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 16.70 g, 0.917 fine gold; this specimen 16.70 g.
Catalog reference: KM 443.1, Spink 3335. Bull 223. Fr-284.
- 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 82, British Collection, Part 4, Zürich: SINCONA AG, 2023.
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