Rothsay Mills (1811) 2 shillings 6 pence
This specimen was lot 25053 in Heritage sale 3030 (New York, January 2014), where it sold for $4,700. The catalog description[1] noted, "Rothsay Mills 2 Shillings & 6 Pence (1811), host coin graded VG8, c/s graded VF Details PCGS, the stamp of the Mills boldly applied to a worn, cut half 1746-Mo 8 Reales, this variety having the 6-pointed star to left of the main c/s, choice for this very rare issue and most pleasing. This is believed to be the earliest known host coin bearing the commercial mark of Rothsay Mills, a 'cotton works' or manufactory located southwest of Glasgow. An important piece from the era of the Industrial Revolution." Scotland in the early nineteenth century was tearing into the Industrial Revolution and manufacturers were eager for coin to facilitate trade. As the Royal Mint could not keep up, many private issues appeared. Spanish dollars circulated freely and many of these were countermarked; the SCWC records over a hundred different countermarks. Today they are all rare.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 13.54 g, 0.917 fine silver (host coin).
Catalog reference: KM-CC97, M-94a.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Warren Tucker and David Michaels, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3030, featuring the RLM Collection, the Isaac Rudman Collection, the Hans Cook Collection and the Collection of Donald E. Bently, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2013.
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