Edward VI Half-Sovereign Southwark mint, mm E, EDWARD 6 legend, XF45

Edward VI (1547-53), gold Half-Sovereign, Southwark Mint, facing crowned robed figure of young boy King on ornate throne, holding orb and sceptre, rose below, legend with Roman lettering and beaded border surrounding, pierced lozenge stops, initial mark E both sides, probably struck over arrow on obverse, EDWARD: 6: D; G; AGL; FRAN; Z. HIB: REX.:, rev. crowned quartered shield of arms, with lion and dragon supporters, E below, lis topped HR banner below, legend with Roman lettering and beaded border surrounding, IHS; AVTE; TRANSIE; PER: MEDI; ILLOR; IBAT', weight 6.04g (Schneider 665; N.1893; S.2430). Fully round though a little double struck in parts with some weaknesses, has been slabbed and graded by NGC as XF45, top of their population, and very rare with the Edward 6 legend.

NGC Certification 2124442-015 - as of August 2023 this is the finest graded by NGC.

The abbreviated Latin legends translate as on the obverse "Edward the 6th 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.

The mint mark of E is the first one from Southwark into the new reign of Edward directly following on from Henry and this is the earliest Half-Sovereign actually in his name and was part of a much larger issue of some £175,000 between 1^st October 1547 and 30^th September 1548 that included mint marks arrow and grapple from Tower mints I and II. Interestingly a Tower I mint mark arrow die must have been transferred for use at Southwark as the E mint mark looks to be over an arrow just like Schneider 665. Schneider 644 is an example of the Tower 1 die in unaltered state.

Provenance:

Ex Dr Rolf Baumhauer, British gold Collection, Sincona Auction 75, 16^th May 2022, Lot 66.