Charles Three pound Trial piece

[rpeddie 119]

Just been reading over the BNJ articles and there is a reference to a 3 pound Charles trial piece.

Just wondering if there are any good pictures kicking about of this coin?

was described as a high relief and was interested to see what a high relief hammered looked like

thanks in advance

[Rob 3,002]

which reference were you looking at

[rpeddie 119]

firstly was reading

"The Oxford Mint and the Triple Unites of Charles I" from '52-'54

which mentioned to the coin being shown to the society in 1941.

In '41 it led me here

[Rob 3,002]

Baldwins 48 lot 5023 (26/9/2006). It is scratched now as it was stolen and subsequently recovered.

[Nicholas 51]

Ok check out this very cool video of Stephen Hill handling one:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LUpc9Xc7ZMA

[rpeddie 119]

you guys are ace, obviously need to crack up on my researching skills

[rpeddie 119]

while i am pestering you guys, there is mentions of proof 'gun money' coins struck in gold and silver.

Ive seen the silver one sold by heritage i think, but not the gold one, any idea where to start?

[Rob 3,002]

If uncertain, always start with Montagu assuming it is in the time period. Part IV lots 282 and 283 were large and small shillings struck in gold, but I have no idea where they went or even if they are still outside a museum. They weren't illustrated.

[Nicholas 51]

Gun money was supposedly made from melted guns during James 2. However I didn't know they made guns out of gold...!

My guess is that the silver and gold issues were Specimens.

[Rob 3,002]

I should have said that if you don't have any joy in Montagu, then move onto Murdoch. Part IV had both the Montagu shillings plus a crown and halfcrown. Unfortunately all were bought by dealers (Spink and Whelan). Lots 62 - 65 refer.

[Rob 3,002]

And the illustrations.

[rpeddie 119]

thanks for that rob ill keep looking

in SCBC there is a gold 'extremely rare': halfcrown 1690 april, gold small size HC 1690, 4 different shillings and 3 sixpence in gold.

also continuing there are apparently a 'finer' gun money crown done in gold too.

[Rob 3,002]

Best bet is Ryan, Lockett, Mitchell, Waite Sanderson, Whetmore, Norweb, and any of the large gold collections in the past 30 years. Sorry, I don't follow gun money.

[rpeddie 119]

yea no problem was a shot in the dark anyway.

Got much further than i expected saw the silver one a while back and browsing through the books and was curious

[azda 973]

Gun money was supposedly made from melted guns during James 2. However I didn't know they made guns out of gold...!

My guess is that the silver and gold issues were Specimens.

They were

Edited May 25, 2015 by azda

[rpeddie 119]

it appears that none have sold for 10-20 years at least (gold ones), there anywhere at all (quite a few of the reference books i am yet to aquire still) as to how many were struck?

checked ESC but doesn't look like it falls into that books catagory(for the silver proofs anyway)

[Rob 3,002]

No. Gun money is only listed in the Irish references. Numbers you can probably count on one hand, 1 or 2 gold, maybe a few more for the silver.

[scott 129]

well Bond got his golden gun somewhere

[Nicholas 51]

Didnt know Bond was around in the time of James2..☺️

[DaveG38 385]

well Bond got his golden gun somewhere

It was Scaramanga's gun that was gold.

[azda 973]

The man with the golden gun

[Nicholas 51]

and 3 nipples?

[azda 973]

and 3 nipples?

Aye, thats the bugger.

[VickySilver 775]

I guess its a pet peeve of mine (obviously NOT a collector of these bits) that all these Charlie and even Cromwell Broads and Unites and their multiples are supposedly rare and yet show up with alarming frequency. Rarity is trumpeted about much as with the Bun pennies and the hypervarietals....

[Rob 3,002]

I guess its a pet peeve of mine (obviously NOT a collector of these bits) that all these Charlie and even Cromwell Broads and Unites and their multiples are supposedly rare and yet show up with alarming frequency. Rarity is trumpeted about much as with the Bun pennies and the hypervarietals....

Some are, some aren't. The original post was about a unique piece. Charles I unites and triples are not rare, nor are the Cromwell broads particularly so. The crowns et infra are common, but obviously desirable. The pricing on these is too high in my opinion, but as long as the number of collectors holds up there is not likely to be a drop in the foreseeable future. Cromwell 50/- pieces are a bit more exclusive as there are only 15(?) known, one of which is horrible and repaired, but the other 14 are ok.