Great Britain 1696 1/2 guinea Fr-316
This specimen was lot 30734 in Heritage sale 3081 (New York, January 2020), where it sold for $4,320. The catalog description[1] noted, "Great Britain: William III gold "Elephant & Castle" 1/2 Guinea 1696 AU58 NGC, KM 487.2, S-3467. The highest grade level for this rare hallmarked type at NGC with no examples graded by PCGS. Immensely warm in color, the butterscotch color of the metal overlaid with an orange-red tone; mint luster gleams beneath the patina, the highpoint detail near complete and the coin itself clearly almost Mint State." While regular half guineas were struck 1695-1701, this type, with the elephant and castle below the bust, was struck 1695-96 only. The hallmark indicated that the gold came from Africa.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 4.175 g, 0.917 fine gold.
Catalog reference: KM 487.3, S-3468, Fr-315.
- 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]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Warren Tucker and Sam Spiegel, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3081, featuring the Caranett Collection, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2019.
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