Second issue of Fine Gold, Sovereign of Thirty Shillings, mm. crescent (over escallop on rev.) [1 June 1587 to 31 January 1590]

ELIZABETH · D’· G’· ANG’· FRA’· ET · HIB REGINA ·
Queen seated on ornamented throne, holding orb and sceptre; back of throne adorned with fine lattice work enclosing pellets, pillars undecorated, chained portcullis below breaking ornate tressure

A · DNO’ FACTV · EST · ISTVD · ET EST · MIRAB’· IN OCVLIS · NRS’.
Royal arms in centre of Tudor rose

15.42g/238.1gr/12h

Holloway 17A-22A-004 [of 10 coins with this die combination recorded by the late owner]; Brown/Comber A22; SCBI Schneider 782, same obv. die; Comber 23, same dies; N 2003; S 2529

Skilful old repair to tiny edge crack at 8 o’clock, otherwise very fine and round with good detail and an interesting provenance £15,000-£20,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The George Holloway Collection of Fine Sovereigns of Elizabeth I.

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Collection

Provenance:
Rt Hon John Smyth, Master of the Mint 1802-4, and by descent
Col. G.J. Fitzroy-Smyth Collection, Sotheby Auction, 1-2 July 1935, lot 51
J.H. Barnes Collection, Sotheby Auction, 26 June 1974, lot 132
Partin Bank Auktion 21 (Bad Mergentheim), 6 December 1985, lot 333