Scotland (1406-37) 1/2 demy Fr-9
This specimen was lot 41492 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Costa Mesa, CA, August 2021), where it sold for $9,600. The catalog description[1] noted,
"Rare James I Half Demy, Among the Finest Known. SCOTLAND. Half Demy, ND (1406-37). Edinburgh Mint; mm: crown/cross. James I. NGC EF-45. Type II. A beautiful example of this historic rarity, the surfaces are pleasantly glossed with warm lemon-yellow tone. Somewhat weak at the centers but sharp at the borders with virtually full legends. As enigmatic as their larger counterpart, the James I half demies represent a fraction of an unknown basis. Their issue seems to correspond with the first issue of fleur-de-lis groats, as noted by Burns. Survivors are VERY RARE in all grades. The present piece is among the finest extant and ranks superior to the Dundee-LaRiviere specimen (Nearly Very Fine), which appears to be the only example of this type sold in the past 15 years. A truly significant offering. From the Loch Ness Collection."
A gold demy and half demy are listed for this ruler, both very rare.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: gold, this specimen 1.77 g.
Catalog reference: S-5194; Fr-9; Burns-2 (fig. 445).
- 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.
- Skingley, Philip, ed., Standard Catalogue of British Coins: Coins of Scotland, Ireland and the Islands (Jersey, Guernsey, Man & Lundy), Pre-Decimal Issues, 2nd edition, London: Spink & Son, 2003.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The August 2021 ANA sale: World and Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
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