The Michael Gietzelt Collection of British and Irish Coins (1625-1660)

Charles I (1625-1649), Tower mint, Halfcrown, Gp I, type 1b, lightweight issue [struck between 14 August and 7 September 1626], mm. cross Calvary (over lis on obv.), housings decorated, no ground line, plume above square-topped shield, 12.97g/8h (Bull 38L/5; SCBI Brooker 289; N 2203; S 2767). Good fine or better, extremely rare £2,000-£2,600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Michael Gietzelt Collection of British and Irish Coins (1625-1660).

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Collection

Provenance: V.J.E. Ryan Collection, Part II, Glendining Auction, 22-4 January 1952, lot 1085 (part); R. Carlyon-Britton Collection; A.E. Bray Collection, Glendining Auction, 1 May 1985, lot 116; C. Adams Collection, Spink Auction 177, 1 December 2005, lot 78; ‘Welsh Marches’ Collection, DNW Auction 154, 3 December 2018, lot 288 [from Spink].

On 14 August 1626 the Mint was instructed to reduce the standard weight of the coins (SCBI Brooker p.xxv). The light coinage was discontinued on 8 November 1626 and, until comparatively recently, only shillings were believed to have been struck. However, a few lightweight halfcrowns are also known (Spink Standard Catalogue, p.267), of which this specimen is one. Among others, Bull lists two in the British Museum, four in the Adams collection (Spink 2005) and four in the collection of the late Dr Hulett, offered in these rooms over the last five years