Extremely Rare Philip and Mary Gold Angel

Philip and Mary (1554-58), fine gold Angel of Ten Shillings, class IV, St Michael slaying dragon right, smaller wing variety, inner linear circle surrounding, legend and beaded border surrounding on both sides, initial mark lis (August 1557-58) both sides, pellet stops, .PHILIP; Z: MARIA: D; G; REX. Z. REGINA. A', rev. flat decked ship sailing right, large quartered shield at centre, P and M above with cross, legend surrounding, A'. DNO. FACTVM: EST: ISTVD: Z. EST. MIRABILE, weight 5.05g (Schneider 727; N.1965; S.2496). Toned, lightly creased otherwise very fine and rare, highly desirable.

Gold Angels of Philip and Mary represent the largest gold coin that can be obtained of this joint reign and are very rare today. It seems that still less than 50 examples of these gold coins exist as a denomination and it is not known what the output level of this and the exceedingly rare gold Half-Angel were in the first place as records do not survive. The example offered here has the linear inner circle coupled with the flat decked ship on the reverse of which perhaps half of the known examples are of this variety.

Provenance:
Ex Glendining, 13th March 1975, lot 58.
Ex St James Auction 10, 6th November 2008, lot 682.