Edward VI gold Half-Sovereign, 3rd issue, frosted crown reverse, NGC XF40

Edward VI (1547-53), gold Half Sovereign of Ten Shillings, third period (1550-53), Tower Mint, half-length armoured figure of King right, holding orb and sword, Latin legend and beaded borders surrounding both sides, initial mark tun, lozenge stops, EDWARD'. VI: D'. G'. AGL': FRAnCI'. Z. hIB': REX:,rev. crowned shield of quartered arms, frosted interior to crown, E to left of shield, R to right, his'. AVTEm: TRANSIE'. PER mEDI'. ILLOR'. IBAT., note use of Roman N on reverse, weight 5.48g (Schneider 696; Hill H178; N.1928; S.2451).With nice red hue, a couple of tiny nicks and hairlines, some wear to high points, has been slabbed and graded by NGC as XF40, with a good older provenance.

NGC Certification 8537543-001

The abbreviated Latin legends translate as on the obverse "Edward the Sixth, by the Grace of God, King of England, France and Ireland"; and on the reverse "But Jesus, passing through the midst of them, went His way" taken from the Bible.

With the closure of the Southwark Mint in August 1551, Sir John York became the Under-Treasurer at the main Tower I Mint and again used his surname initial as the mint mark during the Third Period (18th December 1550-6th July 1553), the first coinage in this period being the ostrich head mint mark coins. The second coinage, an example of the crown gold Half-Sovereign herewith, was commissioned at the two Tower Mints on 5th October 1551 and were struck until July 1553.

Provenance:

Ex F. O. Arnold Collection, Spink Numismatic Circular, January 1953, item 13342 at £21/10/-

Ex Thos H Law Collection, Stacks Bowers auction 176, Chicago, 13^th August 2013, lot 20086.