View source for Great Britain (1660-62) unite Fr-276

[[Image:Great Britain c1660 unite obv H3029-30134.jpg|300px|thumb|Heritage sale 3029, lot 30134]]
[[Image:Great Britain c1660 unite rev H3029-30134.jpg|300px|thumb]]

This specimen was lot 30134 in Heritage sale 3029 (New York, January 2014), where it sold for $9,400. The catalog description<sup>[1]</sup> noted, "The Last British Hammered Gold Coin Charles II hammered gold Unite ND (1660-62), XF45 NGC. 2nd Issue with mark of value "XX" (20 Shillings) behind the portrait, Crown mm. Obvious doubling of strike is seen on the king's face. This piece is somewhat lustrous with pleasing fields and bold legends; the reverse design is sharp in all details with much of the outer beaded border in evidence. Reddish gold toning adds to the eye-appeal. All in all, this is a desirable example of the short-lived, hammer-method coinage struck for only two years, after which the mill machinery began turning out a kind of English money seen before only in a few experiments. The very end of the hammered coinage era may be seen right on this very coin." Oliver Cromwell's death in September 1658 left a leadership vacuum which was quickly filled by inviting prince Charles back from exile to become Charles II. The first series of gold coins of his regime reverted to the old practice of not dating them and come in denominations of unite, double crown and crown ([[Great Britain (1660-62) crown Fr-279|Fr-279]]). When milled coinage was introduced in 1663, these denominations were retired in favor of the guinea, its fractions and multiples. The guinea would be the basis for all gold issues until the reform of 1817 and took its name from the source of the original gold, the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa.

''Recorded mintage:'' unknown.

''Specification:'' 9 g, 0.917 fine gold.

''Catalog reference:'' S-3304, North-2754 (rare), Fr-276: KM-416. 

''[[Bibliography|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. 
* <sup>[1]</sup>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. 
* 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 England & the United Kingdom, 46th edition,'' London: Spink & Son, 2011.

''Link to:''
* [[Great Britain 1660 half crown|1660 half crown, Commonwealth]]
* [[Great Britain 1660 unite Fr-269|1660 unite, Commonwealth]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) penny KM-396|(1660-62) silver penny, first issue]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) penny KM-397|(1660-62) silver penny, second issue, value added]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) 2 pence KM-399|(1660-62) silver tuppence, first issue]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) 2 pence KM-400|(1660-62) tuppence (halfgroat), second issue, value added]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) 2 pence KM-401|(1660-62) silver tuppence, third issue, circle added]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) 3 pence KM-281|(1660-62) threepence, third issue]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) 4 pence KM-291|(1660-62) groat]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) 4 pence KM-290|(1660-62) groat, third issue, circle added]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) 6 pence KM-402|(1660-62) sixpence, first issue]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) 6 pence KM-404|(1660-62) sixpence, third issue]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) shilling KM-405|(1660-62) shilling, first issue]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) shilling KM-406|(1660-62) shilling, second issue, value added]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) shilling KM-407|(1660-62) shilling, third issue, circle added]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) half crown KM-408|(1660-62) half crown, first issue, no mark of value]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) half crown KM-409|(1660-62) half crown, second issue, "XXX" behind bust]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) half crown KM-410|(1660-62) half crown, third issue, circles added]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) crown Fr-279|(1660-62) gold crown]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) double crown Fr-278|(1660-62) double crown]]
* [[Great Britain (1660-62) unite Fr-275|(1660-62) unite without "XX"]]
* [[Great Britain 1662 crown]]
* [[Coins and currency dated 1660]]
* return to coins of [[Great Britain]]

[[Category:Selections from Heritage sale 3029]]