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Sold between 21 January & 25 April 2018
4 parts
Marvin Lessen
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1,310 lots found
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Hammer (High–Low)
29 January 2020
Commonwealth (1649-1660), Sixpence, 1651, mm. sun on obv. only, 3.04g/6h (ESC 179 [1484]; N 2726; S 3219). Obverse extremely fine, reverse nearly so £600-£800
Hammer Price: £1,900
25 April 2018
Southern Danelaw, Alfred, Penny, Viking imitation of Oxford type, veffred dividing orsiia+ forda, quatrefoil of pellets below, rev. berntvld mo divided by two crosses pattée, 1.39g/3h (BMC 138; Lockett 3647, same dies; N 472; S 971). Very fine and toned, rare £1,000-1,500
Mary (1553-1554), Shilling, mdliii [1553], mm. lis, reads hib regina, 6.10g/12h (S 6495; DF 224). Fine, very rare £700-£900
Carausius (286-293), Antoninianus, London, 287-8, radiate, helmeted and cuirassed bust left, holding spear, rev. adventvs avg, Emperor on horseback left, holding sceptre, captive seated at lower left, ml in exergue, 4.25g (RIC 11; cf. Sear 13551; S –). Good very fine, very rare £200-300
3 July 2019
Anglo-Scandinavian Imitations, ‘Long Cross’, Penny, ‘Ededo’ group [North], bust left, eded on oeddopi, rev. + iii odi + iipoir, 1.48g/6h (Malmer 221.1278, chain 141; SCBI Copenhagen 1548 and Norwegian II, 1390-1, same dies; SCBI Estonia 1212, same rev. die). Very fine and toned £300-£400
21 January 2021
XI: Hammered Coins of Charles II, First issue, Shilling, mm. crown on obv. only, crowned bust left, no inner circles or mark of value, carolvs ii d g mag brit fr et hib rex, rev. christo avspice regno, shield, no stop above, dies 1/1, 6.03g/93.1gr/8h (ESC 272 [1010]; N 2762; S 3308). Some double striking on obverse, otherwise good very fine, reverse better, toned £1,500-£2,000
Hammer Price: £1,800
XI: Hammered Coins of Charles II, Second issue, Shilling, mm. crown on obv. only, crowned bust left, no inner circles, with mark of value, carolvs ii d g mag bri fr et hi rex, rev. christo avspice regno, shield, stop above, dies 1/1, 6.01g/93.1gr/2h (ESC 291 [1012]; N 2763; S 3314). Good fine and toned, the variety very rare £700-£900
Henry I (1100-1135), Penny, Voided Cross and Fleurs type [BMC V], London, Wulgher, pvlgher on lvnd[–], 1.21g/9h (Allen, BNJ 2012, p.95; Conte/Archibald, SNC September 1990, p.235, pl. ii, 5, this coin; SCBI Mack 1516, same rev. die [= Ryan 902 and P. Carlyon-Britton 1445]; cf. BMC 34; N 861; S 1266). Part flat, otherwise very fine, extremely rare £1,500-£2,000
Kings of Wessex, Æthelwulf, Penny, ‘Berhtwulf’ Portrait Phase [II], Rochester, Wealhheard, edelvvlf rex around diademed and draped bust right breaking inner circle, rev. vvelhheard around cross pattée with two limbs moline, 1.13g/9h (Naismith R31a, this coin; BMC –; cf. N 600; S 1047). Edge chip, otherwise very fine and attractively toned, extremely rare; only one other coin of the type for the moneyer listed by Naismith £2,000-3,000
Kings of Wessex, Æthelwulf, Penny, First Portrait Phase [II], Canterbury, Deora, edelvvlf r · e around small diademed and draped bust right breaking inner circle, rev. diar · moneta· around cross-crosslet, 1.41g/3h (Naismith C108.1j, this coin; SCBI BM 1136, same dies; BMC 43; N 610; cf. S 1047-8). Small edge chip, otherwise very fine, rare £1,500-2,000
Henry VI (First reign, 1422-1461), Annulet issue, Halfpenny, York, mm. cross II on obv. only, lis by neck, 0.50g/6h (Lessen dies 2/1, and BNJ 1993, pl. 8, 22, this coin; Withers A.1; Whitton 1; N 1436; S 1850). Very fine and toned, extremely rare; only 3 specimens known to Lessen, the others being in institutions £1,500-£2,000
Kings of All England, Eadgar, Penny, Circumscription Cross type [Southern Group], Southampton, Landbeorht, eadga · r rex anglorv : around small cross pattée, rev. landbrvht m¯o nant around small cross pattée, 1.51g/3h (Lessen, SNC April 2003, no. 2, this coin; CTCE –; BMC –; N 749; S 1135). Concave flan, bright appearance, very fine and of the highest rarity; perhaps the only known specimen £2,000-3,000
Richard III (1483-1485), Groat, London, type 2b, mm. boar’s head (no.1) over halved sun and rose (no.1) on obv., boar’s head (no.2) on rev., nothing below bust, 3.12g/4h (Stewartby p.434, IIa/IIb; Winstanley 5; N 1679; S 2156). Some weakness to left of bust and an associated scratch (and corresponding on reverse), otherwise very fine, dark tone £1,500-£1,800
Henry III (1216-1272), Long Cross coinage, Penny, class Ia [London], mm. crescent and star on obv., henricvs : rex, rev. anglie terci’, pelleted es and ns, 1.37g/7h (FEJ 1236, this coin; CT 1ff; N 983; S 1358). Good very fine and toned, very rare £900-£1,200
Richard III (1483-1485), Groat, London, type 1, mm. halved sun and rose (no.1) on obv., halved sun and rose (no.2) on rev., nothing below bust, barred a in civitas, 2.91g/9h (Stewartby p.434, I/III; Winstanley –; N 1679; S 2156/2157). Small flan split at 3 o’clock and a little off-centre, otherwise very fine and a very rare combination of marks £1,500-£1,800
Charles I (1625-1649), Confederate Catholics, ‘Blacksmith’s’ issue, Halfcrown, mm. cross pattée on obv., harp on rev., cross on housings, crude shield with flat-topped scrolls in upper garnishing, 15.28g/9h (Bull 26; S 6557; DF 335). Reverse die flaw in advancing stage, very fine and toned, rare £1,500-£2,000
James III (1460-1488), Light issue of 1475 [Gp III], Groat, Berwick-upon-Tweed, mm. cross pattée, crown of five tall fleurs, thin tressure of nine arcs, double saltire stops, mullets in first and fourth quarters, pellets in second and third quarters, 2.57g/3h (SCBI 35, 760, and B fig. 589, same dies; S 5276). Very fine and very rare £900-£1,200
Hammer Price: £1,700
III: Commonwealth Coins of 1651, Currency, Shilling, 1651, mm. sun on obv. only, shield of England within wreath, the commonwealth of england, no stop after the, rev. god with vs, conjoined shields of England and Ireland, mark of value above, 5.93g/91.6gr/6h (ESC 90 [984]; N 2724; S 3217). Neatly struck on a full flan, good very fine and attractively toned £600-£800
II: Civil War Medals, Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester, 1643, a cast and chased silver military reward, unsigned, armoured bust facing three-quarters left, rev. Montagu arms, coronet above, wreath border of two narrow rows of laurel leaves on both sides, 31 x 27mm, 7.87g (Platt II, p.233, type E; MI I, 309/137; E 143A var.). Good very fine, undoubtedly a contemporary original, very rare £400-£600
Edward IV (Second reign, 1471-1483), Angel, type XXI, mm. heraldic cinquefoil, reads redempt’, 5.09g/3h (B & W XXI, 1; SCBI Schneider 467-8; N 1626; S 2091). Slightly creased, otherwise very fine, reverse better, obverse struck from a rusty die £1,500-£2,000
XV: Dutch and French Medals, Death of Oliver Cromwell, 1658, a small struck silver medal, late 17th century (?), unsigned (of Dutch origin), after T. Simon, from the same dies as previous, edge grained, 29mm, 9.16g (Lessen, BNJ 1982, dies 1/1; Henfrey pl. v, 4; Platt II, p.26, type B; MI I, 434/84; v. Loon II, 420; E 201). Good extremely fine, attractively toned, rare £700-£900
XI: Hammered Coins of Charles II, Third issue, Halfcrown, mm. crown, crowned bust left, with inner circles and mark of value, carolvs ii d g mag bri fra et hib rex, rev. christo avspice regno, shield, 14.91g/230.5gr/6h (ESC 298 [453]; N 2761; S 3321). About very fine, dark tone £500-£600
Stephen (1135-1154), ‘PERERIC’ variants, Penny, Cross Moline type [BMC I], reading pereric m, Lincoln, Siward, s[ipa]r[d : on : nico], from the same dies as previous, 1.38g/3h (Allen, BNJ 2012, p.112; Mack 46; Mossop 13-14, and pl. lxxxvii, SCBI Lincoln 950 and Williams 716, same dies; BMC –; N 928; S 1279). Legends mostly flat, otherwise very fine with grey tone, very rare £1,200-£1,500
Danes of York, St Peter coinage, Penny, Phase I, Heavy issue, scie trn in two lines separated by two crosses pattée and a central pellet, rev. eborac around cross pattée, 1.19g/4h (cf. SCBI Merseyside 421; N 551; S 1006). Very fine, toned £700-900
Richard III (1483-1485), Groat, London, type 2a, mm. boar’s head (no.1) over halved sun and rose (no.1) on obv., halved sun and rose (no.1) on rev., from the same obv. die as Lot 800, reads edward, no pellet below bust, unbarred as on obv., 2.96g/6h (Webb Ware 19 [obv. 11a/rev. 93], this coin; Lessen BNJ 1983, p.180, this coin, and p.182, this coin listed; Stewartby p.434, XXII; N 1672; S 2155). Small edge split, otherwise about very fine, toned £1,200-£1,500
X: Personal Medals by the Simon Brothers, John Campbell, Earl of Loudoun, 1645, a cast silver medal by A. Simon, bust left wearing skull-cap, signed a s on truncation, no legend, rev. iohan com lovdovn svmmvs scotiæ cancellarivs in five lines, 36mm, 13.08g (Platt II, p.63, type A; MI I, 321/157; E 148a, and pl. 17, this piece illustrated). Surface crack by front of skull-cap, otherwise very fine and very rare £800-£1,000
I: Briot, Warin and Rawlins, England, Restoration of the Monarchy, 1660, a silver medal, unsigned [by T. Rawlins], Moses watches the Israelites making bricks while being beaten by their Egyptian taskmasters, cvm dvplicatvr onvs redit moyses, rev. in æter memor caroli ii ma br franc et hibern clementissimi regis reds 29 maii 1660 in eight lines within oak wreath, 31mm, 9.62g (MI I, 462/56; v. Loon II, 464; E 217). Very fine and dark-toned, very rare £400-£500
XV: Dutch and French Medals, Death of Admiral Martin Tromp, 1653, a cast hollow silver medal or plaquettepenning by O. (Wouter) Müller, three-quarter bust of Tromp turned slightly to right, wearing badge of the Order of St. Michael, below mijn hert en handt was voor het landt on ribbon, all within a wide ornate border, rev. view of the naval engagement at Scheveningen, obÿt omitted from legend, 71mm, 58.43g (MI I, 404/35; v. Loon II, 364; E 186b). An attractive and impressive medal in high...
Hammer Price: £1,600
Henry IV or Henry V, Light coinage: Primary series/Secondary series mule, Halfgroat, type III/class B, mm. cross pattée on obv. only, 9-arc tressure, annulet to left and pellet to right of crown, slipped trefoil on breast, saltire before dev, 1.77g/6h (DIG 2/5, and p.58, this coin illustrated; Stewartby P III/B; N 1361/1390; S 1770). Small edge crack and a few light marks on face, otherwise about very fine, extremely rare £1,500-£2,000
V: Original Medals by Simon, Scottish Rebellion Extinguished, undated [1639], a struck silver medal by T. Simon, King on horseback left, trampling arms, no date, signed s (or t over s) on cuirass on ground, carolvs d g mag brit fran et hib rex, rev. qvos devs, hand issuing from clouds holding cord linking a rose and a thistle, 28mm, 5.76g (Platt I, p.151, type D; MI I, 283/93; E 134b). Very fine and toned, rare £600-£800
Henry VIII (1509-1547), First coinage, Groat, Tournai, mm. crowned cursive T, reads aglie, civitas tornacen’, 2.67g/11h (Hoc 214, same rev. die; Hewlett 2; Laker B; N –; S 2317). Edge chipped at 12 and 6 o’clock (perhaps removed from an old mount at some time), otherwise very fine and with a good portrait, rare £1,000-£1,500
V: Original Medals by Simon, The Trial and Acquittal of John Lilburne, London, 1649, an oval struck silver-gilt medal, unsigned [by D. Ramage after T. Simon], draped bust left, iohn lilborne, rev. october 26 1649, family arms in shield, 25 x 22mm, 5.19g (Platt II, p.202, type B; MI I, 386/4; E 178). Gilding lightly worn, otherwise about very fine, reverse better, rare; with traces of suspension loop £300-£400
William II (1087-1100), Penny, Cross in Quatrefoil type [BMC II], Wilton, Sæwine, sepine on piltii, 1.39g/9h (Allen, BNJ 2012, p.83; SCBI Stockholm 214 and BMC 167, same dies; N 852; S 1259). On a full round flan, portrait partially weak, otherwise very fine and lightly toned, rare £1,200-£1,500
XV: Dutch and French Medals, Death of Oliver Cromwell, 1658, a large struck silver medal, late 17th century (?), unsigned (of Dutch origin), after T. Simon, armoured bust left, olivar d g rp ang sco hiberniæ protector, rev. non defitient oliva sep 3 1658, shepherd with his flock under an olive tree, landscape in background, 48mm, 42.82g (Lessen, BNJ 1982, dies 1/1; Henfrey pl. v, 5; Platt II, p.26, type C; MI I, 435/85; v. Loon II, 420; E 200). Extremely fine and very rare £1,000-£1,500
XIV: Seals by Simon, Parliament’s Seal, 22 January 1650/1, a uniface steel electrotype copy of the Seal (obverse), conjoined shields of England and Ireland within ornate scrolled border, the seale of the parliament of the commonwealth of england, 62mm, 41.50g (Henfrey p.221, and pl. vii, 2). Extremely fine £200-£300
XIV: Seals by Simon, Oliver Cromwell’s Private Seal No. V, 1648-54, a uniface oval steel electrotype copy, similar, 24 x 21mm, 6.63g (Henfrey p.182, and pl. vi, 6); Oliver Cromwell’s Official Signet for Military Passes, Commissions etc., 1650-8, a uniface steel electrotype copy, ornate arms surmounted by helmet and lion, no legend, 35mm, 14.65g (Henfrey p.184, and pl. vi, 9) [2]. Very fine £150-£200
II: Civil War Medals, Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, 1642, a cast and chased silver-gilt military reward, unsigned, half-length armoured figure three-quarters left, holding sword, sx above, should hear both houses of parliament for true religion and subiects fredom stand, inner legend, pro religione lege rege et parliamento, rev. view of both Houses of Parliament, 35 x 26mm, 6.96g (Platt II, pp.79-80, type A; MI I, 295/113; E 140). About very fine, rare; with integral loops for...
Kings of East Anglia, Æthelstan I (c. 827-45), Penny, Late Phase, Tuduwine, aedelstan re around cross pattée, rev. tvdpine mo around cross pattée, 1.32g/6h (Naismith E47.5a, this coin; Pagan, BNJ 1982, p.64, I, 1, this coin; N 446; S 951). A little surface discolouration, otherwise very fine and very rare £1,500-2,000
Kings of Wessex, Alfred the Great, Penny, Phase III, Two Line type, Canterbury style, Deorweald, elfred rex doro around cross pattée, rev. diarvald mo divided by three central pellets, additional single pellet above and below, 1.53g/12h (SCBI Norweb 144, same rev. die; BMC 10; N 635; S 1069). About very fine £800-1,000
I: Briot, Warin and Rawlins, France, Louis XIII, Louis d’or à la mèche longue, 1641a, Paris, by J. Warin, laureate bust right, lvd xiii d g fr et nav rex, rev. chrs regn vinc imp, eight crowned Ls cruciform, lis in angles, 6.71g/103.7gr/6h (Duplessy 1298; Ciani 1613; VG 58; KM. 136.1; F 410). Surfaces hairlined, otherwise about extremely fine, very rare £900-£1,200
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