James I (1603-25), third coinage, Halfcrown, king crowned and in armour holding sword, on horseback walking right, no groundline below, rev. square garnished shield, m.m. rose, 14.89g. (N.2122; S.2666A). Tiny piercing through Q of QVAE, otherwise an exceptionally well struck, full round coin, good very fine, extremely rare.
Ex. – E C Carter, collection purchased en bloc by Baldwin, 1950.
Ex. – Seaby’s Coin & Medal Bulletin, May 1970, no. DC59.
Ex. – P Hunt, portion of collection purchased by Colin Adams, March 2000.
Ex. – Colin Adams Collection, Spink Lot 52, December 2005.
Only one other example of this type, mintmark rose without groundline, has appeared at auction in the last fifty years, cf. Baldwin’s Auctions no.30, lot 604. The unusually high quality suggests that this may well be a prototype or fine-work piece.
