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HM30412

Charles II 1682 Five-Guineas, second head

Charles II (1660-85), gold Five Guineas, 1682, second laureate head right, legend and toothed border surrounding, CAROLVS. II. DEI. GRATIA, rev. crowned cruciform shields, sceptres in angles, four interlinked Cs at centre, date either side of top crown, legend and toothed border surrounding, .MAG. BR. FRA. ET. HIB REX., edge inscribed in raised letters, +.DECVS. ET. TVTAMEN. ANNO. REGNI. TRICESIMO. QVARTO+., weight 41.65g (Schneider -; Holloway 33; Bull EGC 195; Holloway 33; MCE 25; S.3331). Toned with light handing marks, digs and hairlines, rim knock and edge bruising perhaps with some light correction, otherwise almost very fine.

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 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 5th May 2005 co-written by the present cataloguer. The analysis showed that over a 45-year period preceding 2005, since 1960 that 50 examples of the Five Guineas dated 1682 plain below bust had been bought or sold in numismatic commerce, which put it in 5th place amongst the Charles II dates most frequently traded. This demonstrates some degree of good survival from that period when the King Analysis figures are compared to gold outputs of the reign of Charles II as there was only £183,535 worth of gold struck in the calendar year 1682 which is the 8th largest output of the reign. Though of course we do not know how the output would be broken down between the gold denominations nor how long a date on a coin die would have lasted into a following calendar year.

Provenance:

Ex Giessener Munzhandlung, Munich, Auction 24, March 1983, lot 558.

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