James I Unite, 2nd coinage, 4th bust, mm. grapes, ex Chipping Norton Hoard

James I (1603-25), gold Unite of Twenty Shillings, second Coinage (1604-19), fourth crowned half-length armoured figure right, holding orb and sceptre, surrounded by beaded circles and legend, initial mark grapes both sides (1607), +.IACOBVS; D;G; MAG; BRIT; FRAN; ET. HIB; REX., rev. crowned quartered shield of arms, I to left, R to right, +.FACIAM. EOS. IN. GENTEM. VNAM., weight 9.89g (Schneider 25; N.2084; S.2619). With a hoard tone and provenance, some black tinged colour, wear to fine detail both sides, some hairlines, otherwise good fine to almost very fine, rare mint mark which also relates to the year of the founding of Jamestown in the USA.

The abbreviated Latin legends translate as on the obverse "James by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland" and on the reverse as "I will make them one Nation," a legend that is exclusive to this reign.

We note the output of the "crown" 22 carat gold for this grapes mint mark totalled £136,819, which was issued all from 1^st July 1607 until 11^th November 1607 and was reported in the accounts covering the whole year from 1^st April 1607 until 31^st March 1608.

Provenance,
Chipping Norton Hoard, c.1980,

Ex Morton & Eden, sale 37, 9^th June 2009, lot 49.

The Chipping Norton Hoard was discovered within building excavations at a site near Chipping Norton circa 1980. The ground being excavated gave way to reveal a forgotten cellar which when further dismantled revealed a hoard of gold coins hidden behind one of the stones in the wall.
The hoard consisted of a total of 54 English and 5 Scottish gold Unite coins and was not declared properly as treasure trove until 2005. After the valuation process two of the Unites were retained for the National Collection (mint marks book and cinquefoil), and the rest of the hoard eventually went for auction with Morton and Eden in June 2009 which was very keenly fought over.

The mint marks of the coins offered in the auction were as follows: Lis (1), rose 2^nd bust (1), rose 4^th bust (1), escallop (4), grapes (2), coronet (1), tower (6), trefoil (8), cinquefoil 4^th bust (1), cinquefoil 5^th bust (4), tun (12), book (3), crescent (1), cross (7) and the Scottish were first type S.5463 (1) and second type S.5464 (4). This range dates the coins hoarded through the entire second coinage of James I from 1604-19 with only mint marks key, bell, mullet (1609-12) and saltire cross (1619) absent.