The North Yorkshire Moors Collection of British Coins

III: Commonwealth Coins of 1651, Patterns, Pattern Halfcrown, 1651, by T. Simon and P. Blondeau, in silver, mm. sun on obv. only, shield within wreath of oak and palm, the commonwealth of england, rev. god with vs, conjoined shields, mark of value above, edge in · the · third · yeare · of · freedome · by · gods · blessing · restored · 1651 ·, 15.07g/232.8gr/6h (ESC 62 [443]; Nathanson p.17; N 2731; cf. DNW 75, 331). Very fine, old cabinet toning over lightly reflective fields, very rare £3,000-£4,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The North Yorkshire Moors Collection of British Coins.

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Provenance: With G. Hearn 1974; W. Lothian Collection, Spink Auction 62, 19 November 1987, lot 35 [from J. Corbitt]; bt W. Lothian January 1989.

Pierre Blondeau came from Paris to England in September 1649, highly recommended for both his honesty and his ingenuity. The most innovative device he had to offer was an edge-marking process which consisted of two metal strips or bars, one fixed to a bench and the second, parallel to it, moved by a wheel. Blondeau’s device offered the prospect of a major improvement in the art of coining in England because its adoption would make possible for the very first time the relatively rapid and uniform edge-marking of mass-produced coins. Wisely, Blondeau kept his method of working secret and sought to give his cause the maximum exposure by publishing, in June 1650, his proposals to Parliament of how he would like to proceed. In 1651 fortune seemed to smile on him for the Mint committee reported in his favour, but the Mint interest, which Blondeau himself claimed included master-worker Aaron Guerdain as well as the moneyers, fought back and the upshot was a competition between the two parties. Since the dozen pieces produced by David Ramage on behalf of the moneyers proved nothing, either in quantity or quality, compared to the 300 specimens edge-marked by Blondeau, there can be no doubt as to the victor in this competition was. Nonetheless, Blondeau could claim no real victory: while the Commonwealth lasted, he remained without formal employment at the Mint (cf. Challis, 1992, pp.329-30)