A rare Henry VII Gold Sovereign sold for £372,000 (inc. premium) in Spink and Son second December coin sale on 17th and 18th December 2014. It is held over two days with ancient Greek, Roman, Islamic and modern world coins on the first day, and Anglo-Saxon, Medieval, Tudor and Stuart English coins as well as a few Scottish and Irish coins, and modern British coins and medals on the second day.
The gold Sovereign still issued every year by the Royal Mint was introduced by Henry VII from 1489 so called as the design showed the King in all his majesty - worth one pound as it still is nominally.
Victor of the Battle of Bosworth, Henry VII, 1485-1509, issued the auction highlight (Lot 540). This type III sovereign, a masterpiece of renaissance art, the coin estimate is between £120,000-160,000.
Henry VII (1485-1509), Sovereign, 15.37g, Tower mint, type III, m.m. dragon, king seated on high-backed embellished throne, greyhound and dragon on side pillars, fleur-de-lis dispersed in field, rev. shield on Tudor rose surrounded by alternating lis and leopards, all within pelleted and solid line tressure (SCBI 23 Ashmolean, No.78, Pl. VI; Schneider 549, Pl. 51 - same dies; Stewartby type C, p.421; N.1691; S.2174.
Another highlight is the 'fat face' sovereign of Henry VIII's third coinage (Lot. 541), sold for £360,000 (inc. premium) far exceed it estimate £120,000-150,000. This piece boasts a remarkable provenance first being recorded in the 1854 Cuff sale and passing through eminent hands such as Lord Hastings, Bernard Roth, and finally the Ryan collection. Indeed this is the first time at auction since the Ryan sale, a gap of 64 years.
Henry VIII (1509-47), third coinage 1544-47, Sovereign, 12.87g, Tower mint, type I large module flan at 198.58 grains, m.m large lis, king with larger face seated on straight sided throne, Tudor rose below, rev. crowned shield with lion and dragon supporters, hr monogram in cartouche below (Schneider 607, pl. 56; Stewartby p.519; Whitton dies A/a, Pl. III; N.1823; S.2289).
Catalogues can be accessed through the Spink website (www.spink.com) or via the Spink App for iPhone and iPad.
