Scotland (1625-36) double crown Fr-54

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Stack's Bowers 2021 ANA sale, lot 41531
photo courtesy Stack's Bowers LLC

This specimen was lot 41531 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Costa Mesa, CA, August 2021), where it sold for $12,000. The catalog description[1] noted,

"Extremely Rare Charles I Double Crown, The Spink and Friedberg Plate Coin, Ex Murray-LaRiviere Collections, SCOTLAND. Double Crown (1/2 Unit), ND (1625-36). Edinburgh Mint; mm: thistle. Charles I. NGC EF-45. First Coinage. An exceptional example of this EXTREMELY RARE issue. Attractively toned in vibrant lemon-yellow hues with blooms of satiny luster in the protected areas. Well centered and entirely devoid of notable abrasions. Somewhat darker patina in the right obverse field.

The Charles I first coinage double crown, or half unit, is a significant rarity among early Scottish gold. Just two examples have been sold in the past 15 years including the present specimen; the other was the Cochrane-Patrick specimen graded "good very fine." The inclusion of a Charles I double crown is a hallmark of only the most accomplished collections, private or otherwise. This piece represents an astounding opportunity for specialists and has been offered for sale on average only once every two decades. Plated in the Spink and Friedberg references and traced to the cabinets of Murray and LaRiviere, it is doubtful that a more desirable example is available for public custodianship. From the Loch Ness Collection. Ex: Lucien LaRiviere Collection (Spink - 4/2006) Lot # 210. Ex: J.K.R. Murray Collection (Spink - 4/1987) Lot # 8."

The first gold double crown was struck in Scotland about 1604, the same time as the denomination was introduced in England. While the double crowns of James I are rare, the double crowns of Charles I are extremely rare.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: 4.5 g, 0.917 fine gold, this specimen 5.01 g.

Catalog reference: cf. KM 53, S-5528; Fr-54; Burns-2 (fig. 1031).

Source:

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Lobel, Richard, Mark Davidson, Allan Hailstone and Eleni Calligas, Coincraft's Standard Catalogue of the Coins of Scotland, Ireland, Channel Islands & Isle of Man, London: Coincraft, 1999.
  • [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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