Magnificent Fine Work Shilling Pedigreed to 1847

Triton XX, Lot: 1584. Estimate $15000. Sold for $14000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

COMMONWEALTH. 1649-1660. AR Shilling (32mm, 6.09 g, 9h). ‘Fine work’ issue. Tower (London) mint; im: sun/-. Dated 1651. Commonwealth coat-of-arms within crossed palm frond and laurel branch / · GOD · WITH · VS · I65I, conjoined coats-of-arms of Commonwealth and Ireland; · XII · (mark of value) above. ESC 983; North 2724; SCBC 3214. Superb EF, richly toned. Carefully struck with a proof-like quality. A very rare and impressive piece.

From the Dr. Patrick H. C. Tan Collection, Ex Clearwater Collection (Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 312, 9 October 2013), lot 39; Classical Numismatic Group Inventory 868734 (April 2010); Martin Hughes Collection (Spink 139, 16 November 1999), lot 192; Seaby (23 April 1986), lot 170; M. A. Brigg Collection (Glendining, 23 May 1939), lot 406; C. A. Watters Collection (Glendining, 21 May 1917), lot 441; J. G. Murdoch Collection (Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, 8 June 1903), lot 404; H. Montagu Collection (Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, 8 November 1896), lot 690; W. Brice Collection (purchased en bloc by Hyram Montagu, 1887); J. B. Bergne Collection (Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, 20 May 1873), lot 861; W. Durrant Collection (Sotheby & Wilkinson, 19 April 1847), lot 731.

Coins of ‘fine work’ were produced on two occasions during the Commonwealth, in 1651 and 1656. One theory for their issue is that Pierre Blondeau’s new milled pattern issues of these dates presented a threat to the hammered coin workers, inspiring them to create the best pieces possible.