The North Yorkshire Moors Collection of British Coins

IV: Coins of Oliver Cromwell, Pattern Broad or Fifty Shillings, 1656, by T. Simon, in gold, laureate bust left, olivar d g r p ang sco et hib &c pro, rev. pax qværitvr bello, crowned shield, edge protector literis litteræ nummis corona et salvs, 22.66g/350.2gr/6h (Lessen, BNJ 1996, A1; WR 38; N 2743; S 3224). Some minor marks and hairlines, otherwise better than extremely fine, extremely rare; about 12 specimens believed known £100,000-£150,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The North Yorkshire Moors Collection of British Coins.

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Provenance: V.M. Brand Collection; A Small Group of Early English and Scottish Milled Gold Coins, Glendining Auction, 18-19 November 1970, lot 16.

From the same dies as the broad (see next two Lots). The purpose of the thick lettered edge version of the coin is not known. However, the edge legend was specified in the legal warrant for the broad, which proved too thin for it, and thus was grained instead. It is believed that these lettered edge coins could have been presentation pieces intended to show what Simon and Blondeau could produce, so long as the Mint supplied the bullion and some wealthy individual paid for them.

The precise provenance of this coin prior to its acquisition by Virgil Brand remains uncertain