Lot

116

BRITISH COINS, Edward VI, Silver Pattern Testoon or Shilling, 1547, 27.2mm, Tower mint, possibly

In Baldwin's Auction 93 and 94

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BRITISH COINS, Edward VI, Silver Pattern Testoon or Shilling, 1547, 27.2mm, Tower mint, possibly
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BRITISH COINS, Edward VI, Silver Pattern Testoon or Shilling, 1547, 27.2mm, Tower mint, possibly by A Levens, crowned and robed bust right, frosted caul to crown, linear circle and legend with lozenge stops surrounding, EDWARD’ ? VI ? REX ? ANGL ? FRANC ? HIBER ? Z C, initial mark rose both sides, rev oval quartered arms of England and France on frame, the French arms and frame frosted, E to left, R to right, linear circle and legend with slipped trefoil stops surrounding, date in legend in Roman numerals, TIMOR + DOMINI + FONS + VITÆ + M + D + XLVII, 5.63g (Bispham plate 2, no.1; North 1953; Norweb 1394). Some weakness in parts, good fine and toned, extremely rare, one of the most spectacular pieces of engraving art of the time. ex W N Clarkson of Whitby collection, Sotheby, 16-20 April 1901, lot 41 ex The Huth Collection, first portion, Sotheby, 4-7 April 1927, lot 325, sold for £11 ex T B Clarke Thornhill collection, Glendining, 24 May 1937, lot 432, sold for £9/10/- bought by A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd, ticket priced at £12/10/- For an extremely fine example, see Baldwin’s Fixed Price List Winter 2013, item BH096 of slightly smaller diameter but heavier and thicker. For further reading see British Numismatic Journal, volume 55, 1985, article by Joe Bispham on “The Base Silver Shillings of Edward VI” pages 134-143. A highly important piece of numismatic art, this Pattern Shilling is one of four known to be in private hands. In his article Bispham shows that this portrait piece is linked with the Durham House Mint Shillings, meaning that this was an early prototype piece for coinage of this denomination and may well have been produced for presentation. This piece was produced at a time when the young boy King’s name was not upon his coinage but still in the name of his father, King Henry VIII, due to the poor debased state the coinage had been left in for the silver and gold denominations. A fine silver pattern of such intricate engraving detail must have been produced to show that the new King, though of a young age, was powerful and also the new Head of the Church of England. Bispham conjectures (page 140) that this piece was probably engraved by the Frenchman Anthony Levens who commenced employment at the mint in 1547 and was also responsible for portraits and designs for silver Groats and Half-Groats. The scant surviving records from the Mint for the period 1544-1547 reveal the Chief Engraver of the Tower Mint was Henry Basse, Goldsmith of London. The Under Engraver at the Tower I Mint, where these patterns were produced was Robert Pitt, Goldsmith of London (later promoted to Chief Engraver from 1550) whose work this could possibly be because similar gold Half Sovereign size patterns were likely his work (see Baldwin’s Fixed Price List Winter 2014, item BH025, for a gold pattern dated 1547), but without further original documentary evidence these patterns cannot be linked to an individual with any certainty.
BRITISH COINS, Edward VI, Silver Pattern Testoon or Shilling, 1547, 27.2mm, Tower mint, possibly by A Levens, crowned and robed bust right, frosted caul to crown, linear circle and legend with lozenge stops surrounding, EDWARD’ ? VI ? REX ? ANGL ? FRANC ? HIBER ? Z C, initial mark rose both sides, rev oval quartered arms of England and France on frame, the French arms and frame frosted, E to left, R to right, linear circle and legend with slipped trefoil stops surrounding, date in legend in Roman numerals, TIMOR + DOMINI + FONS + VITÆ + M + D + XLVII, 5.63g (Bispham plate 2, no.1; North 1953; Norweb 1394). Some weakness in parts, good fine and toned, extremely rare, one of the most spectacular pieces of engraving art of the time. ex W N Clarkson of Whitby collection, Sotheby, 16-20 April 1901, lot 41 ex The Huth Collection, first portion, Sotheby, 4-7 April 1927, lot 325, sold for £11 ex T B Clarke Thornhill collection, Glendining, 24 May 1937, lot 432, sold for £9/10/- bought by A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd, ticket priced at £12/10/- For an extremely fine example, see Baldwin’s Fixed Price List Winter 2013, item BH096 of slightly smaller diameter but heavier and thicker. For further reading see British Numismatic Journal, volume 55, 1985, article by Joe Bispham on “The Base Silver Shillings of Edward VI” pages 134-143. A highly important piece of numismatic art, this Pattern Shilling is one of four known to be in private hands. In his article Bispham shows that this portrait piece is linked with the Durham House Mint Shillings, meaning that this was an early prototype piece for coinage of this denomination and may well have been produced for presentation. This piece was produced at a time when the young boy King’s name was not upon his coinage but still in the name of his father, King Henry VIII, due to the poor debased state the coinage had been left in for the silver and gold denominations. A fine silver pattern of such intricate engraving detail must have been produced to show that the new King, though of a young age, was powerful and also the new Head of the Church of England. Bispham conjectures (page 140) that this piece was probably engraved by the Frenchman Anthony Levens who commenced employment at the mint in 1547 and was also responsible for portraits and designs for silver Groats and Half-Groats. The scant surviving records from the Mint for the period 1544-1547 reveal the Chief Engraver of the Tower Mint was Henry Basse, Goldsmith of London. The Under Engraver at the Tower I Mint, where these patterns were produced was Robert Pitt, Goldsmith of London (later promoted to Chief Engraver from 1550) whose work this could possibly be because similar gold Half Sovereign size patterns were likely his work (see Baldwin’s Fixed Price List Winter 2014, item BH025, for a gold pattern dated 1547), but without further original documentary evidence these patterns cannot be linked to an individual with any certainty.

Baldwin's Auction 93 and 94

Sale Date(s)
Lots: 1-662
Lots: 1001-1828
Venue Address
The Auction Room
399 Strand
London
WC2R 0LX
United Kingdom

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FREE LIVE BIDDING is available at this sale

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Viewing: Viewing will take place in the preceding week at A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd, 399 Strand, London WC2R 0LX from 10am - 4pm by appointment only.


Shipping: Baldwin`s offer clients the service of having their lots shipped to them. They provide this service themselves. They add a specific shipping fee to all invoices sent out. Any cabinets must be collected.

Order of Sale: 

British Coins

Hammered Lots 1 -159

Milled Lots 160 - 235

Scotland and Gibraltar Lots 236 - 238

 

British Tokens

18th Century: England, Wales and Scotland Lots 239 - 411

19th Century Lots 412 - 419

Checks Lots 420 - 441

 

Commorative Medals

British Historical Medals  Lots 442 - 511

World Medals Lots 512 - 642

Medals by Subject Lots 643 – 662

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Armenia / Australia / Ausrtia / Bolivia / Brazil / British East Africa Lots 1001 - 1011

British Guiana / British Virgin Islands / Bulgaria / Burma Lots 1012 - 1015

Cambodia / Canada / Columbia / Costa Rica Lots 1016 - 1020

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Romania / Russia / Seychelles / Sierra Leone / South Africa Lots 1205 - 1236

Spain / Sri Lanka / St Lucia / Sweden / Switzerland / Thailand Lots 1237 - 1257

USA / Uruguay / Miscellaneous Lots 1258 - 1301 

Indian Coins

Kushan / Gupta / Post-Gupta & Mediæval / Sultanates Lots 1302 - 1377

Mughal / Princely States / EIC / British / Republic / Miscellaneous Lots 1378 - 1489

Islamic Coins

Sasanian / Umayyad / Abbasid / Idrisid / Aghlabid / Zirid Lots 1490 - 1621

Almoravid / Muwahhidum / Castille / Hafsid / Ziyanid / Marinid Lots 1622 - 1636

Tulunid / Ikhshidid / Fatimid / Hamdanid / Ayyubid / Burji Mamluk Lots 1637 - 1685

 Bahri Mamluk / Rassid / Ziyadid / Sulayhid / Mukramid / Ottoman Lots 1686 - 1735

 Dulafid / Saffarid / Samanid / Buwayhid / Seljuq / Great Mongols Lots 1736 - 1771

 Golden Horde / Ilkhan / Safavid / Afsharid / Qajar / Turkey / Saudi Lots 1772 - 1828

 

Terms & Conditions

CONDITIONS OF SALE

 

1. The highest bidder for each lot shall be the buyer thereof. In the event of any dispute the auctioneer shall have absolute discretion to determine the dispute and the disputed lot may well be re-offered for sale.

 

2. The auctioneer will have absolute discretion to divide any lot, to combine any two or more lots, or to withdraw any lots from the sale without giving any reason.  The bidding shall be regulated at the absolute discretion of the auctioneer. The auctioneer has the right to refuse any bid or bids.

 

3. All lots are offered for sale subject to any reserve price that may be imposed by the seller.

 

4. All lots are subject to a "BUYER'S PREMIUM" of 20.00% plus V.A.T. where applicable

 

                (a)          The symbol ‘G’ appearing next to a lot in this catalogue denotes the item is ‘Investment Gold’ and, therefore, a VAT-registered trader can submit a claim to H M Revenue and Customs to recover the VAT element of the Buyers’ Premium

 

5. Bidding commissions for anyone unable to attend the auction in person will be carried out by A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd without any additional charge. Bids must be in writing and be received at least 24 hours before the sale. "Buy" commissions will not be accepted. A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd shall not be liable for errors or omissions in executing any bidding commissions. We cannot guarantee to execute written bids received less than 24 hours before the commencement of the sale.  If two absentee bidders bid identical sums for the same lot, the first bid received shall take precedence.

 

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                (a)          provide bank/or other credit references;

 

                (b)          pay the full purchase price, or a fractional deposit as may be determined at the discretion of the auctioneer.

 

7. (a)      Lots are sold as shown with all faults, imperfections and errors of description and lack of authenticity. Neither A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd nor the vendor shall give any warranty to any buyer in respect of any lot or be liable for any fault or error of description or lack of genuineness or authenticity of any lot. All statements as to items sold, whether made in catalogues, during the course of the auction or otherwise, are statements of opinion only and are not and shall not be taken to be statements or representations of fact. A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd reserve the right in forming their opinion to consult and rely upon any expert or authority considered by them to be reliable.

 

                (b)          Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any lot, other than a miscellaneous item not individually described in the catalogue, should be proved by the buyer to be not genuine or authentic, or to have been wrongly described in any material respect, the buyer may reject the same provided that he shall have given notice of his intention so to do and shall have returned the same to A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd within seven days from, and in the same condition as at, the date of sale. The onus of proving a lot to be not genuine or authentic or to have been so wrongly described shall lie with the buyer.  Proof of the inability of any recognised expert or authority to express a definite opinion shall not dis-charge such onus. If the buyer shall discharge such onus, the auctioneers shall rescind the sale and repay to the buyer the price paid by him. Save as provided herein, A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd shall not under any circumstances whatsoever be liable for any costs, expenses or damages (whether direct, indirect, special or consequential) incurred by the buyer in respect of any lot, whether or not as a result of any fault, imperfection, error or description or lack of genuineness or authenticity, including but not limited to loss of any kind of profit whatsoever.

 

                (c)           The Auctioneer does not accept the opinions of commercial third-party grading services.  Refusal of such a service to grade a coin, or a difference of opinion on the grade of a coin, is not acceptable grounds for the return of a lot.  Statements and opinions formed by third-party grading services based on their own independent research do not affect the auctioneers rights and conditions.

 

8. All lots are reserved at 80% of the lower estimate, with auctioneer’s discretion.

9. Save as provided in the preceding paragraph of these conditions buyers must satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of their purchases at the time of delivery. A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd cannot be held responsible for any discrepancy which might be discovered after the lots have been removed from either the auction room or the auctioneers' premises.

10. A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd act solely as agents and shall not be responsible for any default by either the buyer or seller or for any action or claim which may arise in respect of any lot.

 

11. Each lot shall be held at the buyer's risk from the fall of the hammer. The lot or lots shall be removed by the buyer within seven working days after the date of the sale. A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd reserve the right to charge storage and to resell by auction or privately, without notice to the buyer, any lots not so removed.

 

12. Any part of the purchase price left outstanding after the auction pursuant to Condition 5 shall be paid in full within thirty days of the date of the auction. Without prejudice to any other rights, A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd reserve the right to charge interest on any overdue payment at the rate of three per cent per month. Seven working days' notice must be allowed for clearance of personal cheques before delivery can be made unless prior arrangements have been made with A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd A 3% surcharge will be applied to credit card payments.

 

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16. If any buyer fails to comply with any of these Conditions, the lot or lots in respect of which the failure is made may at the discretion of A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd be put up again and resold. The damages recoverable from the defaulting buyer shall include, but not be limited to, the auctioneers' expenses and commission in respect of the resale and the amount (if any) by which the price obtained on the resale is exceeded by that obtained on the first sale.

 

17. A variation of these Conditions shall only be binding on A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd and the vendor if it is made in writing and signed by a duly authorised representative of A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd.

 

18. These Conditions shall take effect and be construed in accordance with the provisions of English law.

 

Methods of Payment

 

•             Sterling transfer to A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd,

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