James I Unite of 20 Shillings, fifth bust, mm saltire cross, very rare final issue

James I (1603-25), gold Unite of Twenty Shillings, second coinage (1604-19), fifth crowned half-length armoured figure right, holding orb and sceptre, surrounded by beaded circles and legend, initial mark saltire cross both sides (1619), .IACOBVS. D;G; MAG; BRI; FRA; ET. HI; REX. rev. crowned quartered shield of arms, I to left, R to right, .FACIAM. EOS. IN. GENTEM. VNAM., weight 9.90g (Schneider 30; N.2085; S.2620). Toned with slight bend in the flan, weak in parts some deposit on reverse otherwise almost very fine and better struck than an AU55 example that sold at Heritage in 2022 for over $8,000 hammer which was the Lingford coin, an extremely rare mint mark of which we can only trace three in private hands of which this is the best preserved.

The abbreviated legends translate as on the obverse "James by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland" and on the reverse as "Henry united the Roses, James the Kingdoms," a legend that is exclusive to this reign.

The saltire cross mint mark is the final one of this coinage and seems to have been very short lived as there are scant few survivors. The mint mark was issued only from 10^th June 1619 until the 19^th August of that year, less than three months. The record of accounting that survives covers the 1^st April 1619 until the 19^th August so there are two months of output under the previous plain cross mint mark. The output of crown gold for this period is the smallest of the reign with a mere £25,877 worth struck and perhaps just over half of this was the saltire mark. We can only trace four survivors in commerce.

Provenance:

Ex Baldwin vault stock, Baldwin Auction 44, 2^nd May 2006, lot 779.