Elizabeth I Bust 3A - anyone?

[Coinery]

Well done, Rob!

I was searching the net for Elizabeth shillings bearing bust 3A this evening, just to see what's out there, as it's a very rare bust type, and I found about 5, all available by well-known dealer names. However, only one single coin of the 5 was correctly attributed, and indeed the rare bust 3A!

If anyone knows of a good example image of that bust, that I'd be able to use for the website, please let me know?

Has anyone seen any good examples sell? Rob's is the first I've seen!

Sadly, I can't afford one just yet!

Edit: what WAS I thinking! http://www.rpcoins.co.uk/c2%20pics/03329.jpg

http://www.rpcoins.co.uk/c2.html

Edited November 16, 2014 by Coinery

[TomGoodheart]

Sorry Stuart. Elizabethan busts are still an arcane science where I'm concerned.


But good luck anyway!

.

[Rob]

I paid nearly £100 for it 10 years ago and didn't see another to even give me the option of upgrading in the next four years. It's a rare type, though not as hard as the 3J (3 known?)

[Coinery]

If I could be bothered I'd write 4 emails but, as it happens, I can't! I console myself, knowing that anyone who actually wants an example of 3A, would actually know what one was...presumably...you never know, of course?

Can I pinch your bust in the interim?

[Coinery]

Enter Peter!

[Rob]

If I could be bothered I'd write 4 emails but, as it happens, I can't! I console myself, knowing that anyone who actually wants an example of 3A, would actually know what one was...presumably...you never know, of course?

Can I pinch your bust in the interim?

Don't bank on it. The number of people asking if they paid too much for a purchase doesn't point to due diligence.

Course you can.

[Coinery]

I thank you!

[Rob]

A cursory look around didn't bring too many examples to the fore. Neither Norweb nor Martin Hughes had one. Shuttlewood's was comparable to mine. The problem is one of recognition. Until the basic research has been done, all rarity guides are only rough guesstimates, so would only be illustrated if worthy of being a single coin lot, i.e.typically gVF or better in an old catalogue. Apart from that the norm was a bulk lot of coins in mixed grades with no concern for rarity unless indicated elsewhere. It is one of those rarities that might creep under the radar. It's is unquestionably rarer than the 1st issue shillings and probably rarer than a VF example of these. B, C or W should be able to help with the stats, and probably point you to a good image (from their cabinets)

People are both lazy and greedy, relying on the research of others to find out what is 'officially rare', and then falling over each other in the quest to either acquire or already possess an example.

We aren't exactly over-run by 2nd issue 3B shillings either, though they're not as rare as the 3A

Edited November 18, 2014 by Rob

[Coinery]

I was reading the 1955 BNJ article by I D Brown this morning, and all I could glean from that was that the three punches 3C, 3A, and 3B (6,7,and 8 in the article), came into service after the New Year, with 3A and 3B being discontinued before April.

Of course 3B made an appearance many years later, so one can only guess that 3A was disposed of at the queen's request, or maybe the broken crown got worse? She certainly didn't like her Lis busts, hence the production of the 3-series, of which 3C was undoubtably her favourite, having such a long run, and seeing out the end of the shillings of the first period, notwithstanding the fact it was the bust of choice on the early gold coinage too.

Bust 3A? I guess, if she had a favourite in bust 3C, then it probably follows that she had a least favourite, with poor old 3A the likely runt?

I'll email Chris C and see what his thoughts are on it, and also take a look the early 3B coins. As you say, it could be that the 3A (and 3J) are the true rarities in the shilling series, with all the lis types being relatively searchable?

[Coinery]

If you have the original images to hand, Rob, I'd really appreciate them. I could certainly do a better job of the cut-out then?

Will the price go up? I'll be keeping an eye on it!

[Rob]

I can try to take new pictures. The relief is better than the image, but that's because I'm crap at taking photos.