CNG 90, Lot: 2510. Estimate $200. Sold for $240. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

PLANTAGENET. Edward I. 1272-1307. AR Penny (20mm, 1.39 g, 3h). New Coinage, class 3 variety. London mint. Struck 1280-1281. + ЄDW R’ ANGL’ DNS hУB, crowned facing bust / CIVITAS LONDON (pellet-barred Ns), long cross pattée; three pellets in each quarter. Unpublished in the standard references. VF, toned. Apparently unique.

From the Marshall Faintich Collection (purchased from Andy Singer, 17 March 2001). Ex Spink Numismatic Circular CIX.1 (February 2001), no. HS0192. Lot includes an old Seaby ticket in the hand of P.F. Purvey (cf. Eaglen pl. 33, D22C–2), and a ticket from a collector who purchased the coin from Seaby on 20 January 1958.

This penny has elements of a variety of class 3 subgroups. The crown has the pearl ornaments of classes 3a and 3b, while the drapery at the neck is typical of class 3c. The North sylloge (SCBI 39) has a coin with these elements (no. 80), but it does not have the feature found on the reverse of this coin: pellet-barred Ns, which are only known on classes 3e-3g. At the same time, the portrait here, with its short and broad features, is unusual for all these classes. The most plausible scenario is that this is a mule, struck from an early class 3 obverse paired with a late class 3 reverse.