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Commonwealth 1650 Double Crown of Ten Shillings, initial mark sun with stops
Commonwealth (1649-60), gold Half-Unite or Double Crown of Ten Shillings, 1650, with stops by mint mark, English shield within laurel and palm branch, legends in English language, initial mark sun, .THE. COMMONWEALTH. OF. ENGLAND., rev. English and Irish shields, value .X. above, beaded circle and legend surrounding, date at top, .GOD. WITH. VS., weight 4.53g (Schneider 349; Bull EGC 34 R3; N.2717; S.3210). Tiny dig to left of obverse shield, otherwise well centred, toned, good very fine.
This is the mid-denomination gold coin of the Commonwealth, with all hammered coins of this period being the first British coins to have legends in plain English. It is interesting that at the start of the Commonwealth a new indenture had to be drawn up as Sir Robert Harley the master-worker refused to be involved with this coinage. A pyx trial was held at Harley's expense and a new indenture drawn up with Dr Aaron Guerdain MD which also allowed for fine gold denominations from the Sovereign down, as well as the 22 carat crown gold like we see with the Unites, Double Crowns and Crowns like we have offered herewith. It is thought that fine gold denominations were never struck! The total gold output from 16th May 1649 until 25th December 1651 was £34,505 which would have covered coins dated from 1649-51 with no further breakdown available.
Provenance:
Purchased from a Mr Sugden, 14th September 1940.
Ex Glenister Collection part II, Spink Auction 223, 26th March 2014, lot 1619.