Charles II 1669 Five-Guineas, 1st bust, rare date NGC AU53, edge VICESIMO PRIMO

Charles II (1660-85), gold Five Guineas, 1669, 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 PRIMO, translates as "An ornament and a safeguard, in the twenty first year of the reign, weight 41.61g (Schneider -; Bull EGC 171 plate coin; King -; Holloway 4; M.C.E. 3; S.3328). Nice example of this rare second date of the series, has been slabbed and graded by NGC as AU53, this coin is the one that is actually illustrated in English Gold Coinage.

NGC certification 2113951-016 - AU53 - the only example graded at this step at both PCGS and NGC and the second finest level for a currency piece thus far graded, with only three others finer at one step above (AU55) out of 6 pieces straight graded in total.

King Survey = only 23 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 1669 = £116,588 which would have been used to produce Five Guineas, Two Guineas, Guineas and Half-Guineas.

Provenance:

Ex Eugen Merzbacher, Munzenhandlung, Munich purchased 1932.

Ex Hess Divo, Zurich, Auction 322, 26^th October 2012, lot 2315.