Richard II (1377-1399) gold Noble ND MS65 NGC, London mint, S-1658, N-1304. 7.74gm. Cross pattée mm. Type IVb. Crowned king with sword and shield standing facing in ship, crescent on rudder / Floriate cross with R in central quadrilobe, trefoils in spandrels. Incredibly preserved at the gem grade level over 600 years after it was struck, and the single-highest graded example of this type by either NGC or PCGS. Struck slightly off-center, its dies relatively fresh with only some minor areas of weakness; the central features are very bold and well-rendered, the crescent defining the variety prominent on the ship's rudder. An extremely rare type almost non-existent in any grade level let alone in this superior preservation; the majority of type IVs which appear on the market are IVa with an escallop on rudder as opposed to the crescent found here, and indeed we can only find one other IVb specimen to have sold in the last 20 years. An exceptional piece, and one which will certainly not escape the notice of selective collectors of hammered gold.

HID99912102018