England (1561-77) penny
This specimen was lot 74631 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2024), where it sold for $264. The catalog description[1] noted, "GREAT BRITAIN. Penny, ND (1561-77). London Mint. Elizabeth I. NGC EF-45. Third and fourth issues. Sharply struck and nicely preserved with strong detailing on the portrait." This is from the queen's third and fourth issue, which comprised shillings, groats, halfgroats and pennies. The first milled coinage made in England appeared at this time, but the process was slow and expensive. Hammered coinage would continue until the 1660's and would not be taken out of circulation until the 1690's. Note the extremely worn reverse die which has muddled the mintmark into illegibility.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: 8 grains, 0.925 fine silver.
Catalog reference: S-2570; N-2001.
- 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.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, February 2024 World Collectors Choice Online Auction, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2024.
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