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Lot 2591
Great Britain. Proof Unite, ND. Schneider 134 (same obv, die); North-2150, footnote 99. 9.0 grams. Charles I, 1625-1649. Tower mint, under King. Mint mark, Plume (1630-1). Group C, Class 1, bust 3, third bust with ruff and armour, wearing crown 3c similar to crown 3b on the later issues of Group B. Legend: CAROLVS DG MSG BRIT FR ET HIB REX. Reverse: Oval garnished shield, CR at sides, FLORENT CONCORDIA REGNA. Lightly scratched under R on reverse, of highest rarity, believed to be only 5 known examples.
Historical note: This most regal of engraving types stands out as an especially fine golden portrait of King Charles, facing to left in his Renaissance neck ruff. The strike, as seen in our photos, is particularly sharp, on a broad flan showing truly crisp legend details. The king's facial qualities, so often blurred or entirely missing (due to strike and/or engraving on so many of his coins), are about as fine as may be found, and in fact they present the viewer with a splendid quality of portrayal seen mainly in paintings in the National Portrait Gallery in London. Should those Gallery paintings not be convenient for your viewing, here you have a fabulous "miniature" that may be held right in your own hand!
The plume mint or initial mark, so prominent on this wonderful specimen within the pair of beaded circles just above the king's head, was used for only some two years early in the reign, when the monarchy was fully in control of its coinages and could direct the engraving efforts performed within the Tower Mint. At the time of this coin's creation, Charles was just 30 years old, having been born in 1600 to James I and Anne of Denmark and by 1630 having outgrown his childhood sicknesses. He is remembered as having been remarkably courageous in his day, although his strong will sometimes led him to make poor judgments in the affairs of state. All his life he resisted Parliament's attempts to temper his power; accordingly, he dissolved Parliament three times before the disastrous onset of civil war. Beginning in 1629, and for the following eleven years, he ruled without parliamentary governance, entirely alone as head of state. Without a parliament, however, he was unable to raise taxes and so he cleverly resorted to the sale of monopolies and such hated fees as the infamous "ship money" demanded of seaports and towns throughout the kingdom. Early in the reign, his coinage was often elegant, as seen in this very special Unite, but by the time he raised his standard at Nottingham in 1642, and for the duration of the four years of civil war that followed, the coins became as weary looking as the man whose often ill-shapen image they bore. There can be little doubt that some aristocrat, some great defender of the king, discovered and kept secret this memento of the reign - and thus it came down to us today, nearly as unsullied as the day it was struck during the early halcyon years of one of England's most famous rulers. Proof, Choice Extremely Fine.
Estimated Value $20,000 - 25,000.
Ex: W Talbot Ready, Sotheby 15-19th November 1920 Lot 636; Sir Kenyon Vaughan Morgan, Sotheby 17th June 1935 Lot 100; R C Lockett, Glendining 4th November 1958 Lot 3359; C Dabney Thompson en block by Spink 1965; The "Sylvia" Collection, through Mark Rasmussen by private treaty.
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| Realized $24,150 |
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