Description
Commonwealth (1649-60), Unite of Twenty Shillings, 1651, mintmark sun on obverse, English shield within laurel and palm branch, legends in English language as opposed to Latin, reads THE COMMONWEALTH OF ENGLAND, some of the letters overstruck, very common for type. Rev, conjoined English and Irish shields, value XX above for twenty shillings, all within inner linear beaded circle, legend surrounding, GOD WITH VS, date above, (S.3208; N.2715; Schneider 339). Encapsulated and graded by NGC as Mint State 61 plus [MS 61+] with an impressive pedigree, scarce. [NGC code : 5879301-001].
Ex. Dr Paul Broughton, Spink Auction 235, 22 March 2016, lot 467.
Purchased Spink, 14th February 2007
The Gold Unite of twenty shillings had been struck from 1649 until 1660, the first nine years of the type carried the mintmark Sun. The 1658 and 1660 issues were embossed with the anchor mintmark, during the protectorship of Richard Cromwell. Anchor mintmark, irrespective of denomination or type are far rarer, and have always had significantly higher price tags attached to them. They all were struck in 22ct Gold, with only one type and were the largest denomination Gold coin available throughout the Commonwealth period.
