Charles II 1670 Five-Guineas, 1st bust, AU58, edge VICESIMO SECVNDO

Charles II (1660-85), gold Five Guineas, 1670, 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 SECVNDO, translates as "An ornament and a safeguard, in the twenty second year of the reign, weight 41.71g (Schneider -; Bull EGC 172 plate coin; King 94 this coin; Holloway 6; M.C.E. 5; S. 3328). Some red tone and surface marks, the third date of the series, has been slabbed and graded by NGC as AU58, this is the plate coin in English Gold Coinage.

NGC certification 2113951-017 - AU58 - the equal of four others at both PCGS and NGC and the second finest level for a currency piece thus far graded, with only two others finer at one step above (MS60) out of 17 pieces straight graded in total.

King Survey = 60 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 1670 = £121,833 which would have been used to produce Five Guineas, Guineas and Half-Guineas.

Provenance:

Ex Sotheby 7th October 1993, lot 126.

Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, February 1994, item 122.

Ex Samuel King, Spink Coin Auction 173, 5th May 2005, lot 94.

Ex Dr Patrick Tan, Heritage Long Beach, 18th September 2008, lot 21150.