Charles I Briot's first coinage gold Half-Unite AU58, ex Raynes and Property of a Gentleman

Charles I (1625-1649), gold Double crown or Half-unite of Ten Shillings, Nicholas Briot's first milled coinage, (1631-32), crowned draped bust left with jewelled crown, value .X. behind, all within inner beaded circle, initial mark daisy with B to left, pellet stops in Latin legend and outer toothed border surrounding, CAROLVS. D:G. MAG. BRITAN. FRAN. ET. HIB. REX, rev. inverted die axis, crowned garnished quartered shield, crowned C and lozenge to left, crowned R and lozenge to right, inner beaded circle surrounding, lozenge stops in Latin legend and outer toothed border surrounding, initial mark .B. to left of crown, CVLTORES. SVI. DEVS. PROTEGIT, weight 4.50g (Schneider 279; Brooker 710; N.2295; S.2720). Slight adjustment marks in places both sides, light red pleasant tone, has been graded and slabbed by NGC as AU58, rare.

NGC Certification 5880656-023.

We note that currently this coin is top of the graded population of Briot Double Crowns S.2720 across both services.

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

Nicholas Briot the Engraver general to the mints of France, introduced his mechanised mill press to the Tower Mint in 1631, and produced at the 22 carat standard two small issues of gold coins in 1631 and 1638, concurrent with the regular hammered issues. The milled issues were engraved to a very fine quality by Briot, like the coin offered here. Briot had gained the King's favour in 1626 after having moved to England in 1625, the King wanting to improve the artistic merit of the nation's coinage, which led to Briot's official appointment as mint engraver in 1634.

Provenance:
Ex William Laud Raynes, Glendining, 15^th February 1950, lot 261.

Ex Spink Coin Auction 215, 4-5^th December 2012, lot 47.

Ex Property of a gentleman, Mark Rasmussen Numismatist, Summer 2015, fixed price list 27, item C96.