Edward IV Second Reign Half-Angel, initial issue with transposed error legends

Edward IV, second reign (1471-83), gold Half Angel of three shillings and four pence, error transposed legend variety, St Michael slaying dragon right, Latin legend and beaded border surrounding both sides, initial mark pierced short cross fitchée on obverse only (1471), trefoil stops, O CRVX. AVE. SPES. V.nICA., rev. ship sailing right, quartered shield upon hull, cross above, E to left, rose to right, EDWARD' DI GRA REX AnGL. Z. FRA, weight 2.45g (Schneider 470; N.1628; S.2094). Toned with deep vertical scratch in left field of obverse, lightly cracked at centre across top of reverse shield, otherwise very fine to good very fine and an extremely rare one mint mark only variety with its own Spink catalogue number.

The abbreviated transposed legends translate as on the obverse "Hail! O Cross, our only hope" and on the reverse as depicted "Edward by the Grace of God, King of England and France."

The short cross fitchee mint mark was used only at the beginning of the second reign on the gold Angels and Half-Angel and this extremely rare variety with the transposed legends is thought to have been the first Half-Angel produced with the error then subsequently being corrected. The accounting period dates specifically of this mint mark are not accurately known but the first five months of the reign in which this mint mark falls equated to 880 pounds in weight of gold being coined at a face value of £19,807 from 1^st May 1471 until 29^th September of that year.

Provenance:

Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, December 1986, item 8236.

Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, June 1988, item 3559.

Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, November 1988, item 6975.