Elizabeth I fine gold Angel, mintmark hand over crescent

Elizabeth I (1558-1603), fine gold Angel of ten shillings, sixth issue (1582-1600), St Michael slaying dragon right, inner and outer beaded circle, initial mark hand (1590-92) both sides, struck over crescent, Latin legend surrounding with beaded inner and outer circles, ELIZABETH D'.G'.ANG FR ET HI REGINA., rev. ship sailing right, large quartered shield upon hull, cross above, E to left, rose to right, crows nest of ship beyond inner beaded circle, Latin legend and outer beaded border surrounding, A. DNO FACTVM: EST ISTVD: ET EST: MIRABI, weight 5.20g (Schneider 790; N.2005; S.2531). Toned, well struck, a bold very fine and rare.

The abbreviated Latin legends translate as on the obverse "Elizabeth by the Grace of God, Queen of England, France and Ireland"; and on the reverse "This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes." A Psalm from the Bible.

The usage of mint mark hand for fine gold is known from the surviving pyx trial records to have started production around the 1^st February 1590 and lasted until circa the 1^st February 1591/2. It is known that some £40,778 worth of fine gold coins were struck for this mark in this issue which includes the gold Sovereign and the Angel's fractions. As this piece was struck from a reused crescent mint mark pair of dies it was perhaps struck in the first period of activity for mint mark hand which totalled £12,653 of the grand total.

Provenance:

Purchased from A H Baldwin, Spring 2007.