Lot 2260
Great Britain. Silver Sixpence, 1697. William III. S-3542. Third bust. One of the most common of the earlier milled coinages, struck in large numbers (at a number of mints around the country) during what was called the "Great Recoinage." The Crown relented for once, allowing the populace to turn in any old coins, no matter how ragged or worn or bent or partial, at full face value. In return they were given shiny new examples of this coin. Hence they were saved in small numbers, here and there, not usually by intent. The purpose of the act was to clear away the despicable old coins, but it also caused many previous issues to become rarer. Witness the rarity of a coin such as the 1677 sixpence we commented on elsewhere. Mostly, it was centuries of hammered silver that went into the melting pot in 1697 and produced these handsome coins. Quite a few have been certified already, and more will be, but the grading companies do not seem to understand these particular issues too well. Many coins seen in MS slabs are not Mint State, but shiny AU coins. The trouble is caused by the dies, which often were not fully filled out when coins were struck. Also, grease on the dies caused many struck coins to be less than fully detailed, with high points that are "fuzzy." This is easily mistaken for wear and, conversely, worn coins are easily mistaken for soft-die coins. Thus the slabbing populations are going to be less than accurate, and in reality nice, truly Choice examples, like this specimen, are scarcer than many people will deduce. This is indeed a sparkling and very nice Mint State coin. Die-clashing shows, the toning is a silvery gray; the coin has flash and originality, and really is Uncirculated. NGC graded MS-64.
Estimated Value $350 - 450.
The Cheshire Collection.
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| Realized $288 |
