Lot 2004

Description

Charles II, crown, 1662, first bust with rose below, by Roettier (29.68g), obverse CAROLVS . II. DEI. GRA, laureate bust of Charles II to right, reverse 16 62 MAG. BR. FRA. ET. HIB. REX., arms with interlocking CC in angles, edge DECVS . ET. TVTAMEN. (S.3350, ESC 10, D.3774, KM.417.2). Grey with blue and red patina, good very fine/nearly extremely fine and rare as such.

Ex Noble Numismatics Sale 103 (lot 1879) and previously from the Alan Jordan Collection and purchased from Noble Numismatics Sale 63 (lot 868) and previously from the Bridgewater House Collection sold at Sotheby & Co, 15th June 1972 (lot 337 and illustrated).

The rose under the King's head signifies that the silver was English. 'In May 1661 [Charles] ordered that all coinage should be struck by machines, with edges either lettered or grained [and] demonetisation of the Commonwealth coinage was proclaimed as from 30 November. And Simon himself was sent to France to bring back the engineer Blondeau, to whom œ1,000 was later to be paid for his mechanical equipment. While this was being installed [a] competition for the commissioning of the new dies was held between Simon and John Roettier, whom Charles had sent for from Flanders, not unmindful of the monetary help the family had given him in exile [and] Roettier was to have the work'. (C H V Sutherland, English coinage, 600-1900, London).