Scotland (1488-1513) 1/2 unicorn Fr-19
The first specimen was lot 30245 in Heritage sale 3029 (New York, January 2014), where it sold for $4,993.75. The catalog description[1] noted,
"A Classic and Popular Type James IV (1488-1513) gold Half Unicorn ND, Lis mm, Star stops, XF40 NGC. While a bit short of flan and softly struck at the center, there is little of the normally seen doubling of detail on the wavy star of the reverse, or indeed among the lettering of the legends. The unicorn, prancing with his right rear hoof upon the large annulet with the rectangular block to left of it, lacks small details but is sharply outlined. Struck at Edinburgh of slightly debased (21 ct) gold. An always popular type, and overall a desirable piece possessing antique greenish gold color. James IV was no more than a boy when he ascended the throne after witnessing the death of his father at the Battle of Sauchieburn. He then immersed himself in education, learning Latin and various European languages. He also promoted advancements in medicine and brought the printing press to Scotland. His mind was so keen that even the great scholar Erasmus praised him. A realist as well, he funded fortification building at Edinburgh and other castles and understood the importance of a strong navy. His fatal flaw was his support of the pretender Perkin Warbeck, which involved an alliance with France. Rarely militant, he led his own army south into England and clashed with troops in Northumberland, where he died at the Battle of Flodden on September 9, 1513. He was barely 40 years old when his army was crushed, leaving his shaken kingdom to his infant son, James V. Ex: "Colonel" E.H.R. Green; Green Estate' Partnership of Eric P Newman / B.G. Johnson."
The second specimen was lot 41498 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Costa Mesa, CA, August 2021), where it sold for $15,600. The catalog description[1] noted,
"Spectacular Mint State James IV Half Unicorn, The Davidson-McDonald Specimen. SCOTLAND. Half Unicorn, ND (1488-1513). Edinburgh Mint; mm; lis. James IV. NGC MS-62. An absolutely magnificent survivor of this fantastical type, with surfaces that glow with satiny luster and warm yellow-gold tone. The reverse is ideally centered while the obverse is double struck and slightly drawn toward 12 o'clock. Very sharp across all elements and free of all but the most trivial friction. Perhaps the sole finest of this type, it shares the condition census with the Murray coin (Good Very Fine) and the LaRiviere specimen (Very Fine).
James IV's most notable achievement would not pay dividends for generations: his marriage to Henry VII's daughter Margaret bore fruit and paved the way for his grandson, James VI of Scotland, to become James I of England as a result of the Tudor blood in his veins. Despite this important alliance with England, James IV sided with France when England crossed the Channel to invade. Though the Scottish-French connection was made law through an older alliance, it proved disastrous: James IV was killed at Flodden when he invaded England in 1513. James IV was the last Scottish king to speak Scottish Gaelic and the last British monarch to be killed in battle. From the Loch Ness Collection. Ex: David McDonald Collection (Dix Noonan Webb - 10/2004) Lot #695. Ex: Dr. James Davidson Collection, Part I (Dix Noonan Webb - 10/2003) Lot # 876. Ex: Acquired from Baldwin's (10/1969)."
Full unicorns are also mentioned for this reign.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: gold,the second specimen 1.88 g.
Catalog reference: S-5320; Fr-19; Burns-1 (fig. 660).
- 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.
- [1]Bierrenbach, Cristiano, Stuart Levine and Bruce Lorich, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3029, featuring Selections from the Eric P. Newman Collection, Part III, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2013.
- [2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The August 2021 ANA sale: World and Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
- Lobel, Richard, Mark Davidson, Allan Hailstone and Eleni Calligas, Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of English and UK Coins, 1066 to Date, London: Coincraft, 1995.
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