Imposing Rawlins Oxford Pound of 1642
Exceptional Pedigree

312, Lot: 34. Estimate $50000. Sold for $72000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

STUART. Charles I. 1625-1649. AR Pound (50mm, 120.09 g, 12h). Attributed to Thomas Rawlins. Declaration type. Oxford mint; im: plume (with bands). Dated 1642. (plume) : CAROLVS : D : G : MAG : BRIT : FRA : ET : HIBER : REX :, Charles, holding reins with left hand and sword in right, on horseback left, trampling arms below; Oxford plume to right / EXVRGAT : DEVS : DISSIPENTVR : INIMICI (group of five pellets), RELIG : PROT : LEG/ANGL : LIBER : PAR in two lines between parallel lines; three Shrewsbury plumes and XX (mark of value) above, 1642 below. Morrieson, Oxford, dies A/1; Brooker 859 (this coin); North 2396; SCBC 2937 (this coin illustrated in 41st edition [2006]). Near EF, attractively toned, a few minor marks. A superb example. Very rare.

From the Clearwater Collection. Ex Davissons 28 (17 December 2009), lot 396; Michael S. Tallent Collection (Stack’s, 24 April 2008), lot 98; Edward D. J. Van Roekel Collection (Spink, 15 November 2001), lot 53; Paul W. Karon Collection (Spink 129, 17 November 1998), lot 92; H. Selig Collection (Spink 70, 31 May 1989), lot 153; John G. Brooker Collection, no. 859; Henry Platt Hall Collection (Glendining's, 26 July 1950), lot 167 (purchased en bloc by Spink); C.A. Watters Collection (Glendining's, 21 May 1917), lot 399; J.G. Murdoch Collection (Sotheby's, 8 June 1903), lot 73.

The wonderful equestrian portrait of Charles I on this coin and the following (lot 35) has long been attributed to Thomas Rawlins on account of the similarities in style with smaller denominations signed by him including the famous city view Oxford crown. Rawlins’ rendering of the musculature of the horse is reminiscent of Anthony Van Dyck’s monumental equestrian portrait of Charles I of 1637 that now hangs in the National Gallery, London. On the 1642 Pound the finely engraved obverse die was coupled with a reverse die that had previously been used at Shrewsbury and was brought to Oxford by Thomas Bushell in the train of the army of Charles I in January 1642 O.S. (1643 N.S.), following the King’s command to set up a mint in the new capital.