Coins, Tokens and Historical Medals

Charles II, Medal or Pattern for a coin, in silver, unsigned [by G. Bower], laureate bust left with long hair, carolvs · a · carolo, rev. crowned harp, honi · soit · qvi · mal · y · pense in surrounding Garter, edge plain, 34mm, 23.13g/6h (MI I, 599/285; cf. ‘English’ Coll. I, 256; cf. M & M Deutschland 9, 1317; cf. Foley 506). A pocket piece; minor edge bruising, otherwise about fine, reverse better, superior to the Foley specimen, extremely rare £400-£500

Provenance: H.E. Manville Collection, DNW Auction 132, 15 September 2015, lot 289 [from C.J. Denton May 1983].

The status of this piece is uncertain. The portrait punch was also used on the medal of the inventor Sir Samuel Morland, believed struck to Morland’s order by George Bower in 1681. It is unlikely that a coin of this size, regardless of the metal content or weight, was being proposed for use in Ireland c. 1680, when there was no English equivalent – the halfcrowns of Charles II are somewhat smaller in diameter