Lot 2228
Great Britain. 2 Guineas, 1693. William & Mary, jugate busts. S-3424; Fr-301. Gold was not plentiful during the few years of this joint monarchy, and most of the types and dates are very rare, especially when they are of such superb condition as the present specimen. This splendid coin shows the two portraits side by side, each in intimate detail, each a portrayal of the monarchy as it could only have been "drawn" in the 1690s. Its artistic style is precisely of its time. The royal shield on the reverse side is equally impressive, a model of efficiency which includes essentially every regal symbol relating to this king and this queen. Unique to it is the deeply curved seashell ornament that appears on each side of the shield, so reminiscent of the "heavenly" door out of which Venus steps in the masterpiece of Botticelli, the Italian Renaissance painter. Whether this was in fact an influence on the engraver of this coin could make for a fine study. The coin itself does indeed stand for the flowering of a new monarchy in England, for the king was the former Prince William of Orange, a diminutive Dutchman who both "invaded" Britain and was welcomed by its Parliament, then searching for a replacement for King James II, who had "turned Catholic" while on the throne. The fear was that religious strife would be refired, something Parliament and the citizenry at large wished to avoid at all costs. William was a Protestant, and his tie to the British Royal Family was undeniable: he was the nephew of Charles II, and married the daughter of James, Duke of York, later James II. She was raised a Protestant and clung to that faith after her parents converted to Catholicism. Her marriage was actually proposed by King Charles II himself, a marriage of convenience when she was just 15. The couple came to the throne of England in what has been called the Bloodless Revolution, solving the religious problem for the land. They had an affectionate marriage but no children. Mary II, as she was properly known in life, died of smallpox in December 1694 at age 32. Her husband went on to rule as William III for another eight years but left no heir. Theirs was an age of elegance, when modern politics was born. This specimen, virtually as struck and a glorious emblem of its time, is especially fine in quality with beautiful golden red toning. NGC graded MS-63.
Estimated Value $14,000 - 17,500.
The Cheshire Collection.
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| Realized $16,100 |
