Exceptional Ormond Crown

CNG 108, Lot: 1233. Estimate $2000. Sold for $5500. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

IRELAND, The Great Rebellion. Issues of the Lords Justices. 1642-1649. AR Crown (40.5mm, 29.54 g, 11h). “Ormond Money” issue. Struck 1643-1644. Large C R; crown above; all within linear and beaded border / Large V; S above; all within linear and beaded border. SCBI 22 (Copenhagen) 418; D&F 288; SCBC 6544. EF, lovely deep cabinet tone, a few minor die flaws. Well centered and struck. An exceptional example.

From the Jonathan K. Kern Collection. Ex Dix Noonan Webb 85 (17 March 2010), lot 763; W. B. Thorpe Collection; Spink Numismatic Circular LXXXIX.5 (May 1981), no. 4105; S. A. H. Whetmore Collection (Glendining, 14 July 1961), lot 45 (purchased from Spink, 1952).

Following the increase in racial and religious discrimination against the native Irish population during the first third of the seventeenth century, an open rebellion exploded in October 1641, when two Protestant members of the Lord Justices of Ireland prevented the Irish Parliament from passing a bill to alleviate Catholic grievances. While the rebels failed to seize Dublin Castle, which was one of their initial objectives, they quickly found success in Ulster province, from where the rebellion spread to the countryside. Following the outbreak of civil war between Charles I and the English Parliament the next year in 1642, the Irish Catholic rebels gave their support to the King, further placing them at odds with the English Protestants.

Several emergency issues of coinage were struck during the early years of this rebellion. Among them was this crown, part of an issue commonly known as "Ormond" money, because it was erroneously believed to have been struck by James Butler, Marquis of Ormond, who led the Royalist forces in Ireland and was appointed Lord Lieutenant by Charles in November 1643. More accurately, this issue (like the so-called "Inchiquin Money") was struck by the Lord Justices, who served as the royal executive in Ireland.