James I gold Angel, 2nd coinage, rarest initial mark book, ex Lingford

James I (1603-25), fine gold Angel, of eleven shillings, second coinage (1604-19), St Michael slaying dragon right, Latin legend and beaded border surrounding on both sides, initial mark book (1616-17) both sides, pellet stops, .IACOBVS. D; G; MAG; BRIT; FRA; ET. HI; REX., rev. flat decked ship sailing, no bowsprit, large quartered shield at centre, I to left of mast, cinquefoil to right, beaded circles and legend surrounding, .A. DNO. FACTVM. EST. ISTVD., weight 4.58g (Schneider -; N.2081; S.2615). Toned, with some traces of creasing and associated weakness, some smoothing on tunic of saint where some scratches have been obscured, otherwise a bold very fine and a very rare mint mark, especially rare in unpierced state, and note that there is no example of this mint mark present in the Schneider Collection for this denomination, we know of only one other book mint mark in unpierced state in private hands.

The abbreviated Latin legend translates as on obverse "James by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland," and on the reverse "This is the Lord's doing in our eyes," a Psalm from the Bible.

The output of fine gold for this period was a mere £988, which covered two mint marks and four denominations from the impressive large gold Ryal to the small Half Angel. This accounting period unusually also covered the more often seen mint mark crescent as well as book, with crescent being certainly the more numerous.

Therefore, the mint mark book fine gold is of extreme rarity, the gold Rose Ryal for instance is represented by only one piece in commerce. This gold Angel is perhaps one of only a very small number in private hands indeed probably less than five pieces.

Provenance:

Ex H. M. Lingford collection, part II, (James VI / James I), Glendining, 20^th June 1951, lot 907, sold for £54.