Richard II gold Half-Noble, type 3b with vertical lion on rudder, London, ex Lockett and King

Richard II (1377-99), gold Half-Noble of three shillings and four pence, London, type IIIB with lion on rudder, armoured king standing facing in ship, holding upright sword and quartered shield, ships rigging, three ropes to left one to right, lion vertically on rudder usually a feature on the Calais issues, legend surrounds with French title resumed, RICΛRDx DxG REX ΛNGLx Z xFRΛNCx Dx hyDx Λq, rev.R at centre of ornate cross with lis terminals, crown over lion in each angle, all within a tressure of eight arcs, fleurs in spandrels, Latin legend and beaded border surrounding, initial double annulet on reverse only, legend reads DOMINEx NE INx FVROREx TVOx ΛRGΛSxM, weight 3.81g (N.1311; S.1667; Schneider 173 - same obverse die; Webb Ware dies 3B). Toned, small dent in obverse field with slight lamination, struck a little off centre otherwise a pleasing very fine with some impressive overall detail, one of roughly four known with the lion on rudder, and as such excessively rare.

The abbreviated Latin legends translate as on the obverse "Richard by the Grace of God, King of England and France, Lord of Ireland and Aquitaine" and on the reverse "Lord do not rebuke me in your anger."

Provenance:

Ex R. C Lockett, Glendining, 11^th October 1956, lot 1336

Ex Glendining, 30^th May 1961, lot 612

Ex Christie's, 26^th February 1991, lot 547

Ex Samuel King, Spink Auction 173, 5^th May 2005, lot 7.

Ex Stacks, 24^th April 2008, lot 8

Ex Spink Auction 14006, 22^nd September 2014, lot 245.