Goldberg Coins & Collectibles Auctions    
       

       

                             



Sale 31: The Pre-Long Beach Auction May 30 - June 1, 2005
             

             
            Lot 2163Great Britain. Halfcrown, ND. Charles I, 1st milled issue, 
            by Nicholas Briot. S-2853. First issue, with flower and "BB" initial 
            marks, the king equestrian facing the left. Nicholas Briot produced 
            two issues, this the first in 1631-32, and another with anchor and 
            single "B" initial mark a few years later, in 1638-39. Sutherland 
            comments that King Charles, who had a strong personal interest in 
            art, found himself repulsed by the coinage portraits produced for 
            his father by the mint's chief engraver, Edward Greene, and in 
            consequence summoned Abraham Vanderdort of Holland to attempt a 
            better engraving of himself. Vanderdort was skilled in wax-modeling, 
            and was also advisor to the Crown on objets d'art. He quickly 
            produced some portraits of "slender elegance and dignity," but 
            Charles wanted even more, for "Vanderdort's designs were still at 
            the mercy of the technical shortcomings of the mint engravers." 
            Charles found what he needed in the person of Nicholas Briot, 
            engraver-general at the Paris mint who had also developed a new 
            machinery for producing coins. He came to England in 1625 and 
            fashioned a series of portraits for the king ranging from medals to 
            many denominations of coins made by hammer. He also engraved the new 
            Great Seal of England. In 1629 the king granted him authority to set 
            up his machinery, and the result was the splendid coinage 
            represented by the exquisite coin in this lot (as well as the 
            magnificent Tower gold Unites of the same period). He fell into one 
            of the most embroiled moments in English history, the Civil War of 
            the 1640s, clandestinely worked for the king on the run, and 
            "controlled the artistic scene" of his era. Despite the fact that he 
            engraved at the same time as another master, Thomas Rawlins, he 
            remains at the top of the list of most-skilled engravers who 
            produced coins in England through many centuries. Add to this list 
            Thomas Simon, who worked a few years later on, and it must be clear 
            that the 1640s and 1650s in England were a time of outstanding 
            numismatic artistry. Previously graded MS62 by PCGS, now given the 
            "Cheshire" registry as well by NGC, this coin is virtually as made 
            and graced by a lovely, ages-set medium gray and blue toning, with 
            hints of golden iridescence. It enjoys "perfect" original 
            eye-appeal. A few tiny spots are not fully struck, but overall the 
            details are extraordinarily well impressed by the roller-dies. The 
            Cheshire collector notes that this coin is the finest he ever saw, 
            which is why he bought it from the Terner sale (for $8,912). Dr 
            Terner owned the coin for years, and previously it had been 
            purchased from Richard Lobel about 1980. NGC graded MS-62. 
            Estimated Value $7,500-9,000. 

            Provenance: The Cheshire Collection.
             Realized $5,250
             


          








Courtesy Ira & Larry Goldberg Auctioneers, Beverly Hills, CA. www.goldbergcoins.com