Charles I 1642 Pound, Oxford Mint, Chequered Exergue variety XF40

Charles I (1625-49), silver Pound of Twenty Shillings, Oxford Mint, 1642, King on horseback left, walking over arms and militaria including a cannon and halberd, chequered exergue below, Oxford plumes behind flowing scarf of King, beaded circles and legend surrounding, initial mark Oxford plumes, CAROLVS: D: G: MAGNI: BRIT: FRAN: ET: HIB: REX, rev. two line Latin motto at centre, RELIG. PROT. LEG / ANG. LIBER. PAR, three oxford plumes over value of XX above, date below, beaded circles and legend surrounding, legend commences at left, initial mark seven pellets, EXVRGAT: DEVS: DISSIPENTVR: INIMICI, weight 119.83g (Brooker 862; Morrieson D/5; North 2400; S.2941). Toned and well struck for an example of the largest hammered silver coin ever struck in the British series, some flan flaws evident both sides, though well struck and centred, has been graded and slabbed by PCGS as XF40, the rarest variety of the 1642 Oxford Pound with the chequered exergue with only a single digit figure known of examples extant and in museums, extremely rare issue of this largest of hammered coins.

PCGS Certification 504114.40/44032870 - the only example graded at PCGS.

The Latin legends translate as on the obverse "Charles, by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland." On the reverse the outer legend translates as "Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered." As Psalm from the Bible (Psalm 68.1). The motto across the centre translates as "The religion of the Protestants, the laws of England, the liberty of Parliament."

This silver Twenty Shillings or Pound was struck at the Oxford Mint where Charles I had moved his capital from London after the Battle of Edgehill, to the Royalist Universities of the City of Oxford, where he made a state entrance on 29^th October 1642. The King lived at Christ Church, with the Queen installed at Merton; the Royalist Parliament met in the Upper Schools and Great Convocation House; the Privy Council at Oriel; and the Mint worked at New Inn Hall from the 3^rd January 1642/3.

We note only five examples including this coin appear on coin archives and only one of these (Ex Rashleigh) is finer than this piece graded AU50 when last sold in 2011 in USA where it fetched $35,000 hammer.

Provenance:

Ex E. E. Yates Collection, purchased by A. H. Baldwin and Sons Ltd 1938.

Ex Henry Platt-Hall, Glendining 26^th July 1950, lot 179, portion of collection bought en bloc by Spink and Son Ltd.

Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, October 1957, item 20618 sold for £80.

Ex Mark and Lottie Salton Collection, Stacks Bowers, 24th August 2022, lot 31214.