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Charles II 1671 Two-Guineas, first bust, one of rarest dates NGC AU55 finest
Charles II (1660-85),gold Two Guineas, 1671, first laureate head right, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, CAROLVS. II. DEI. GRATIA,rev.crowned cruciform shields, emblematic sceptres in angles, four interlinked Cs at centre, date either side of top crown, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, .MAG. BR. FRA. ET. HIB. REX., weight 16.69g (Schneider 431; Bull EGC 208 R5; MCE 35; S.3333).With an attractive red tone, light surface marks, has been slabbed and graded by NGC as AU55, the finest graded as an extremely rare date, the cataloguer has only seen two others in over 30 years of dealing.
NGC Certification 2130739-045.
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 the output of gold for the calendar year of 1671 amounted to £171,502 which does not help explain the rarity of this date of the Two Guinea which has a low survival rate. Of course the gold output would have been shared between gold Five Guineas, Guineas and Half-Guineas as well and perhaps the Two Guinea had the lowest mintage.
Provenance:
Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, December 2001, item MG0508 and also on front cover (coin used to have 1950s tickets with it at this time of sale, but now alas lost).