Extremely Rare Mint Mark 2 (1602) Silver Crown of Queen Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I (1558-1603), silver Crown of Five Shillings, ornate crowned bust left, holding orb and sceptre, crown breaks inner beaded circle, initial mark 2 (1602), Latin legend and beaded border surrounding, ELIZABETH: D: G: ANG: FRA: ET: HIBER: REGINA:2: rev. long cross fourchée under quartered shield of arms, Latin legend and beaded borders surrounding, :2: POSVI: DEVM: AD IVTORE M: MEVM: weight 29.94g (N.2012; S.2582A). Toned, a few light short striations in the metal around face and on cheek and a few on reverse, one weak area in strike around chin and the upper left quarter of arms on reverse, otherwise almost extremely fine and a very pleasing example of this the final and rarest mint mark for the Elizabethan Crown, at least twenty times rarer than the mint mark 1, very rare with an excellent provenance.

The silver Crowns were struck right near the end of the reign of Elizabeth I in the last issue of her coinage. They are dated by the mint marks which are 1 for 1601, or 2 for 1602 in the Julian calendar in use at that time. This is also evidenced by F. R. Cooper who studied the coinage in depth throughout the 1960s and produced his synopsis of the coinage, published through the Spink Numismatic Circular in June 1971. In his article he states that it seems only one pair of dies were used for the mint mark 2 issue, whereas he records 5 obverse dies and 6 reverses which are used in varying combinations for mint mark 1, of which a sixth obverse has since been discovered. The mint mark 2 Crowns like we have for sale here, are therefore thought to be at least twenty times rarer than the companion mint mark 1 pieces.

Provenance:
Ex Herbert Whitley, Glendining, 11th April 1956, lot 143, sold for £38.
Ex Commander Robert Gerhardt, Spink Auction 215, 4th December 2012, lot 118.
Ex A H Baldwin, Fixed Price List, Summer 2014, item BH112.

Former owner of this coin Herbert Whitley (c.1886-1955) was a renowned botanist-zoologist and the Proprietor of the Paignton Zoological and Botanical Gardens in Devon.