Henry VIII Groat, posthumous issue, Bristol, im TC on reverse only, ex Shuttlewood

Henry VIII, posthumous coinage issued in reign of Edward VI, 1547-51, silver Groat, Bristol Mint (December 1548 - Oct 1549), facing crowned, bearded bust, bust 2, initial mark ligatured TC on reverse only for Thomas Chamberlain, legend with pellet stops, beaded circles both sides, hEnRIC'. 8 D'. G'. AnG'. FRA'. Z: HIB'. REX, rev. long cross fourchée over quartered shield, trefoils in forks, TC CIVI TAS* +BRIS TOLIE, rosette and trefoil at halfway point of legend, weight 2.61g (Laker B; N.1874; S.2407; Whitton 2; Stewartby 4, p.528). Toned, slightly soft in strike and uneven in shape, about very fine for issue and very rare with the trefoil in legend after rosette.

The abbreviated Latin legends translate as on the obverse "Henry VIII by the grace of God, King of England, France and Ireland" and on the reverse "City of Bristol."

The ligatured TC for Sir Thomas Chamberlain (c.1504-1580), of Churchdown and Prestbury in Gloucestershire and of Cripplegate, London, was a Tudor Ambassador to Portugal in 1542 and Denmark and Sweden in 1549-50, to the Queen of Hungary - regent of the Netherlands 1550-53 and to Spain from 1560-62. He had also served as Groom of the Chamber in 1542, the King's Commissary and Agent in Flanders from 1544-48 as well as being Under-Treasurer of the Bristol Mint until its closure in late 1549.

Provenance:

Ex Roger A. Shuttlewood Collection, Spink Coin Auction 151, 15^th March 2001, lot 200

A principal metals analysis breakdown has been determined for this coin at a surface depth of up to 10 microns using a Niton DXL machine and shows this coin at its testing level to be approximately:

72.4% silver.

22.6% copper.

3.0% Iron

0.9% Iridium.

1.1% other trace elements.