Oliver Cromwell gold Proof Pattern Broad of 20 Shillings 1656 PR62+ PCGS, KM-Pn25, S-3225, N-2744, W&R-39 (R2), Schneider-367, EGC-75. Reeded edge. By Thomas Simon. A classic and always contested rarity of the British series, not only as one of the earlier examples of milled gold coinage but as a testament to Oliver Cromwell's stint as Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England at the conclusion of the English Civil War. Simply captivating as the result of attention to detail and care put into the coin's production at the oversight of Thomas Simon and Pierre Blondeau, and a clear deviation in terms of quality from earlier hammered issues. Featuring needle-sharp clarity relaying characteristic stippling, perfectly centered on pondlike, ambered fields beneath, becoming one of the most visually engaging within this very sale which will surely excite even the most advanced collectors of this popular series. After the English Civil War terminated in 1649 with the execution of King Charles I, Oliver Cromwell, the leader of the anti-monarchist Parliamentarians, became Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England. Seven years later, through the combination Thomas Simon's masterful engraving and the engineering know-how of Pierre Blondeau, the Cromwell portrait series was created. A step towards hypocritically representing Cromwell as King, this milled coinage featured the Lord Protector wearing a laureate wreath and the reverse shield featuring a crown, its overall quality a significant improvement over previous issues. Produced entirely in Blondeau's own private Drury House (as the Tower Mint moneyers loathed Blondeau and refused to let him work alongside them), the coinage was designed as a statement of Cromwell's power and to serve as an example of the dramatic improvements in coin production under the Commonwealth.

HID09801242017

© 2022 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

To the auctioneer's website