Scotland, James VI 1580 gold Ducat with Renaissance style portrait

Scotland, James VI (1567-1625), gold Ducat with a nominal value of Eighty Scottish Shillings, 1580, Third coinage, cuirassed bust in ruff left, legend and toothed border surrounding both sides, initial mark crown onobverseonly, reads .IACOBVS. 6. D.EI. GRA. REX. SCOTORVM., note extra stop after D of DEI,rev.crowned Scottish arms, date either side, EXVERGAT. DE9, ET, DISSIP. INIMICI. EIVS., weight 5.91g (SCBI 35, 1237-8, sameobv.die; SCBI 58, 1142, sameobv.die; Burns 1, fig. 948; S.5452).Some edge imperfections possibly ex ring mount, some surface and contact marks seen often on these types. A bold fine, extremely rare, with some impressive detail and depth to the Renaissance style portrait.

The Latin legends translate as on obverse "James the Sixth by the grace of God, King of Scotland" and on the reverse "Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered."

These Scottish ducats were authorized by the Act of Privy Council of April 28th, 1580, a one year only type and a genuine rarity, being issued only until December of that year when a surviving account gives the full weight coined which equates to some 3,445 pieces. A handful of surviving examples have been put forward for auction in the past ten to fifteen years, when looking at these examples offered up for sale in the past it is quickly visible that these coins invariably always display (with the exception of the Marquis of Bute example, Sotheby, 11 June 1951, lot 189 - about extremely fine, this coin later found itself in the Hird Collection of 1974 and then to Spink, firstly via a circular in September 1983, lot 5590 and lastly to their auction room in March of 2006) significant surface markings, wear, softness in definition or hail from a past within jewellery.

Provenance:

Ex Elsen, Auction 113,16^th June 2012, lot 1286.

Ex St James's, Auction 22, 1^st October 2012, lot 776.

Ex Dix Noonan & Webb, Auction 181, 16^th September 2020, lot 71