World Gold - 1664 English 2 Guinea Gold Piece, 'Elephant' variety, NGC XF45
SOLD
SKU
4460456174
The first year of issue for the Elephant Hallmark.
The obverse features the laureated bust facing to the right, with legends around and a symbolic elephant below. The reverse features the crowned shields of England, France, Ireland, and Scotland crosswise, with the legends and date around. This coin was struck in gold from the Royal African Company. It displays a tomato-red rich medium gold with deeper highlights surrounding the devices, a few scattered marks around the king's portrait, reverse rim nick above REX and 16 in date. This coin is slightly inferior to the Eliasberg XF example sold at public auction nearly eight years ago.
DESIGN
The elephant below the bust signified the Royal African Company and their source of gold -- Guinea, on the west coast of Africa, after which the popular and long-standing gold denomination was named. The Royal African Company mined and imported the gold ore, which was coined at the Tower Mint. The elephant hallmark was initially introduced in 1664 (the date of the present example) as the company's badge, but later the more distinctive elephant with castle was used as it seemed more regal.
DESIGN
The elephant below the bust signified the Royal African Company and their source of gold -- Guinea, on the west coast of Africa, after which the popular and long-standing gold denomination was named. The Royal African Company mined and imported the gold ore, which was coined at the Tower Mint. The elephant hallmark was initially introduced in 1664 (the date of the present example) as the company's badge, but later the more distinctive elephant with castle was used as it seemed more regal.
The two Guinea valuation represented several months of a laborer's time, and in fact few commoners ever saw a coin such as this, which was normally the property of the nobility and of bankers. The mere fact that such a coin has survived for so long is a testament as to how much the English valued such coins, those lucky enough to collect and preserve them for future generations to come.
NGC Census: 4 in this grade; 8 finer.
Weight: 16.63 grams
Dimension: 30.40 mm.
Denomination Definition
The guinea was a coin of approximately one-quarter ounce of gold that was minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, where much of the gold used to make the coins originated. It was the first English machine-struck gold coin, originally worth one pound sterling, equal to twenty shillings, but rises in the price of gold relative to silver caused the value of the guinea to increase, at times to as high as thirty shillings. From 1717 to 1816, its value was officially fixed at twenty-one shillings.
| PCGS # | 618079 |
|---|---|
| Grading Service | NONE |
| Year of Issue | NONE |
| Grade | NONE |
| Denom Type | N/A |
| Numeric Denomination | 2 Guineas |
| Mint Location | NONE |
| Designation | NONE |
| Circ/UnCirc | Not Specified |
| Strike Type | N/A |
| Holder Variety | ELEPHANT |
| Grade Add On | NONE |
| Holder Type | N/A |
