Charles II 1681 Five-Guineas, 2nd bust, edge year TRICESIMO TERTIO

Charles II (1660-85), gold Five Guineas, 1681, second 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 TRICESIMO TERTIO, translates as "An ornament and a safeguard, in the thirty third year of the reign, weight 41.64g (Schneider -; Bull EGC 194 plate coin; King -; Holloway 31; M.C.E. 23; S. 3331). Some wear to high points with surface marks and test cut on edge negating a straight third party grade, less than 20 examples known in commerce and the plate coin from English Gold Coinage.

NGC certification 2113951-032 - XF details test cut - a total of eight examples are straight graded.

"The Rarity of Five Guinea Pieces - An Analysis" appeared in the preface of the Samuel King Collection of Highly Important English Gold Coins sold at Spink on 5^th May 2005 co-written by the present cataloguer. The analysis showed that over a 45-year period preceding 2005, since 1960 that only 17 examples of the Five Guineas dated 1681 plain below bust had been bought or sold in numismatic commerce, one of the smallest amounts for this bust type.

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."

The total gold output for the calendar year 1681 amounted to £299,119 worth of Five Guineas, Two Guineas, Guineas and Half-Guineas.

We note that the total calendar year output of gold for 1681 = £299,119 which would have been used to produce Five Guineas, Two Guineas, Guineas and Half-Guineas.

Provenance:

Ex F. R. Kunker, Germany, Auction 23, 30^th September 1992, lot 1538.

Ex Stefan Sonntag, Germany, Auction 7, 6^th April 2009, lot 170.