Bristol mint, Halfcrown, 1643, mm. Oxford plume on obv. only, Oxford horseman, no groundline, Oxford plume behind, rev. Declaration, three Oxford plumes above, date below, four pellets at start of legend, 13.21g/12h (cf. Bull 597-16; Morr. A-16 var; SCBI Brooker 885ff; N 2413; S 2954). Obverse nearly fine, reverse good fine, extremely rare £500-700

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Coins of Charles I From the Lyall Collection.

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Provenance: P. Hunt Collection; C. Adams Collection, Spink Auction 177, 1 December 2005, lot 177.

The obverse of this coin is struck from one of two Oxford dies transferred to Bristol in 1643. The reverse die, which does not seem to match exactly any listed by Morrieson or Bull, is of crude style and execution, suggesting that this might well be among the first coins to be issued from the new mint at Bristol (see D. Holt and R. Lyall, ‘The First Silver Coins Struck at the Bristol Mint during the English Civil War in 1643’, SNC December 2008)