Charles II 1673 Five-Guineas, 1st laureate bust, NGC AU55+, edge V. QVINTO

Charles II (1660-85), gold Five Guineas, 1673, first laureate bust right, Latin legend with pellet stops surrounding, CAROLVS. II. DEI. GRATIA. translates as "Charles II by the Grace of God" toothed border surrounding, rev. crowned cruciform emblematic shields, emblematic sceptres in angles, four interlinked C's at centre, date either side of top crown, abbreviated Latin legend, .MAG. BR. FRA. ET.HIB. REX. translates as "King of Great Britain, France and Ireland" toothed border surrounding, edge inscribed in raised letters DECVS ET TVTAMEN ANNO REGNI VICESIMO QVINTO, translates as "An ornament and a safeguard, in the twenty fifth year of the reign, weight 41.66g (Schneider -; Bull EGC 176 plate coin; King 96; Holloway 10; M.C.E. 8; S. 3328). Some surface marks, nicks and digs, less than 20 pieces in commerce of this date, has been slabbed and graded by NGC as AU55+, the plate coin from English Gold Coinage.

NGC certification 2113951-020 - AU55+ - the only example graded at this step at both PCGS and NGC with only three others finer at 58, 60 and 62 levels out of 12 pieces straight graded in total.

King Survey = only 19 examples in commerce over the period 1960-2005.

The Latin legends translate as on the obverse "Charles the second by the Grace of God," and abbreviated on the reverse as "King of Great Britain, France and Ireland."

We note that the total calendar year output of gold for 1673 = £119,852 which would have been used to produce Five Guineas, Two Guineas, Guineas and Half-Guineas.

Provenance:

Ex Dix, Noonan and Webb, Auction 102, 18^th September 2012, lot 2501.