William and Mary 1691 Five Guineas, AU58, ex King and Paramount

William and Mary (1688-94), gold Five Guineas, 1691, conjoined busts right, legend surrounding, GVLIELMVS. ET. MARIA. DEI. GRATIA, toothed border around rim both sides, rev. crowned quartered shield of arms with scalloped frame, Lion of Nassau as an escutcheon at centre, date either side of crown, MAG. BR. FR. ET. HIB . REX. ET. REGINA., edge inscribed in raised letters, inverted orientation to obverse, +DECVS. ET. TVTAMEN. ANNO. REGNI. TERTIO. +. (Schneider -; Bull EGC 344; MCE 136; S.3422). Attractive red tone, has been slabbed and graded by NGC as AU58.

NGC certification 6066350-008 with Paramount Collection exclusive label.

We note as of September 2021, of the 27 pieces graded of this date and variety at both services, that only one piece is graded finer and this coin ties for the second highest level of grade.

The Latin legends translate to on obverse "William and Mary by the Grace of God" continuing on the reverse as "King and Queen of Great Britain, France and Ireland."

"The Rarity of Five Guinea Pieces - An Analysis" appeared in the preface of the Samuel King Collection of Highly Important English Gold Coins sold at Spink on 5^th May 2005 co-written by the present cataloguer. The analysis showed that over a 45-year period preceding 2005, since 1960 that only 111 examples of the Five Guineas dated 1691 had been bought or sold in numismatic commerce, which make this the most often encountered five guinea piece of this joint reign. Paradoxically £54,497 worth of gold for calendar year 1691 which is the lowest for gold production in the six years of dates in this reign.

Provenance:

Ex Samuel King Collection of Highly Important Gold Coins, Spink Coin Auction 173, 5^th May 2005, lot 125.

Ex Paramount Collection, Heritage, 25-27^th March 2021, lot 30301.