An “excessively rare” 1645 Charles I half-crown, minted during the English Civil War, could fetch £10,000 at auction. The coin captures the conflict and Royalist loyalty in its unusual design, featuring a rare lion and unicorn.
A spokesperson for Harwich-based Timeline Auctions said: “The striking design of this remarkable coin has no parallel in the provincial coinage, indeed the use of lion and unicorn supporters is previously unknown on the English coinage. Lion and dragon supporters are found, but only on some gold sovereigns and half-sovereigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI.”
This piece has journeyed through notable collections and auctions, including Baldwin’s and Bonhams New York, where it sold for $41,000 (£31,000) in 2012, earning its title as the “Finest Example Known”.
Aaron Hammond, of Timeline Auctions, said: “This rare coin is a perfect example of the importance and enduring legacy of England’s Civil War period. The interest in the coin is in part due to the mystery of its designer, possibly a Dutch engraver, Rude the Coyner.”
A reference to coins struck at Hereford mint in the Civil War mention a ‘Rude the Coyner’. As Prince Rupert came from Holland to support Charles I, it is possible that he brought a Dutch mint worker with him. The Timeline Auctions sale begins November 16.