Scotland 1553 1/2 lion Fr-31

From CoinVarieties
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Heritage sale 3029, lot 30247
Scotland 1553 22 shillings rev H3029-30247.jpg
Heritage sale 3076, lot 32196
Scotland H3076-32196r.jpg

The first specimen was lot 30247 in Heritage sale 3029 (New York, January 2014), where it sold for $18,800. The catalog description[1] noted,

"Very High Grade For Type Mary gold Twenty-two Shillings 1553, MS63 NGC. 1st Period (1542-58). Issued prior to Mary's marriage to Francis, the Dauphin, in 1558, by whom she had no issue. Her second marriage, to Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, in 1565, was the foundation of the Stewart rule in both Scotland and England, as Mary gave birth to the future King James in 1566. Darnley was killed by a bomb in 1567, and in the same year she entered upon her third marriage, to the Earl of Bothwell. Both evidence and the coincidence of that union suggested that the two were responsible for the Lord Darnley's demise. Mary left behind her Catholicism, within which she was reared in France, swore to Protestant rites, and abdicated; she was beheaded in 1587. There was little or no forgiveness in the religious politics of her day.

While arguably her finest money comprised her gold coins, no coin was struck in that metal following her first widowhood in 1560 (save for the unique pattern now identified as S-5400). All of Mary Stewart's gold is either very scarce or rare today. This wonderful specimen captures the charm and luster of her happier early years; it is well struck on a fairly full flan, with boldly detailed legends. The crowned lion passant upon the royal crest is distinct, and much of the intended beaded border is present. On the reverse side the central monogram is deeply detailed but ever so slightly doubled; the legend is crisp but for the blundered first two letters, the date is bold, the two cinquefoils within the inner circle are sharp, the fields are delightful, and the outer beaded border is nearly complete. The charming legend in Latin, reading DILIGITE IVSTICIAM, translates to mean "Observe justice," seemingly a plea of childhood as Queen Mary peered philosophically at a fair end that was never to be. Ex: "Colonel" E.H.R. Green; Green Estate' Partnership of Eric P Newman / B.G. Johnson."

The second specimen was lot 32196 in Heritage sale 3076 (Long Beach, CA, September 2019), where it sold for $7,800. The catalog description[2] noted, "Scotland: Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1567) gold 22 Shillings 1553 XF45 NGC. Variety with pellet above crown. Struck prior to Mary's marriage to Francis in 1558 (1st Period, 1542-1558). A handsome type with light toning around the devices, and even wear. Good clarity of the legends and devices along with a nice flan lacking any flaws should see that this piece receives spirited bidding." Full lions (Fr-30) are also noted for this period.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specification: gold.

Catalog reference: S-5396, Fr-31.

Source:

  • 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]Bierrenbach, Cristiano and Warren Tucker, Heritage World and Ancient Coins Auction 3076, featuring the Allen Moretti Swiss Collection and the James Mossman Collection of Canadian Coinage, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2019.
  • 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 Scotland, Ireland and the Islands (Jersey, Guernsey, Man & Lundy), Pre-Decimal Issues, 2nd edition, London: Spink & Son, 2003.

Link to:

Retrieved from "https://coinvarieties.com/index.php?title=Scotland_1553_1/2_lion_Fr-31&oldid=197305"