William and Mary 1693 Guinea Elephant below, VF25 finest graded Ext Rare

William and Mary (1688-94), gold Guinea, 1693, elephant below conjoined busts right, legend surrounding, GVLIELMVS. ET. MARIA. DEI. GRATIA, with stops in legend, toothed border around rim both sides, rev. crowned quartered shield of arms, Lion of Nassau as an escutcheon at centre, date either side of crown, .MAG. BR. FR. ET. HIB. REX. ET. REGINA. (Schneider -; Farey 0353 ER; cf.Bull EGC 373; MCE 153; S.3427). Toned with some wear both sides, surface marks, has been slabbed and graded by NGC as VF25, extremely rare, the date not present in the Schneider Collection and the variety in Bull has no obverse stops differing from this coin.

NGC certification 2130713-033 - currently the finest graded as it is rare.

In the appendices of the Guide to the Guinea by Roderick Farey, he reproduces a table published by Thomas Snelling in 1763 taken from the Gazetteer and London Advertiser of 23^rd January 1755, listing a year by year account of the number of guineas coins from gold imported by the Royal African company. The total for 1693 being only 7,506 guineas and issued at the time it was known as the Royal African Company of England.

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 total output of gold coinage in the calendar year of 1693 was a mere £55,968 which was the second lowest of the reign.

Provenance:

Ex Dr Rolf Baumhauer, British gold Collection, Sincona Auction 79, 24^th October 2022, lot 1196.