A gold broad of 1656 brought more than double estimate at Spink’s June sale of Ancient, British and Foreign Coins and Commemorative Medals in London.
However, the cover of 800-lot catalog featured one of the rarer coins of British numismatics, a gold broad of Oliver Cromwell dated 1656, S-3225, EF.
The coin provoked considerable attention as it mounted the block late in the afternoon session. When the dust settled it had realized a tidy £26,400 [$44,944] on a £10,000-£12,000 estimate based on current catalog values.
That realized price was head and shoulders above that of the second highest of the sale paid for a rare Elizabeth I sixth issue sovereign (1558-1603), S-2529, in VF. Its £16,800 [$28,602] was, perhaps, not unexpected. Nonetheless there were other sleepers in Spink’s catalog that made this sale a little out of the ordinary.
Third top price went to a mohur from Rewa, one of the Indian Princely States, KM-22, and struck for Vishvanath Singh. Graded gVF it soared to £10,800 [$18,391] contrasting with its estimate of £800-1,000 and Standard Catalog of World Coins value in EF of $850.
Then, at £10,200 [$17,340], came a unique silver penny from Wessex of King Eadred, c. 946-955, reportedly found about 1998 in Essex. It is unusual in having an exceptionally ornate design known for only three coins, two of which were struck for King Eadred’s successor, Eadwig. This is the only coin of Eadred known to have been produced by moneyer, Burhelm. Graded EF its price was well over double estimate.
For collectors of hammered gold one of the special rarities on offer would have been the Flemish demi-noble of Flanders struck by Philip the Bold c. 1388. It had been found in Hampshire in 2011. The Flemish noble was introduced on Oct. 1, 1388, to pay for English wool. They are moderately common in the UK but few half nobles have are ever been found. In gVF it took £6,000 [$10,200].
Full catalog details and prices realized can be found at the Spink website: https://www.spink.com/. A 20 percent commission has been added to the hammer prices and is included in the amounts cited here.
