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(1615-16) 6PENCE Sommer Islands Sixpence, Large Portholes -- Tooled -- NGC Details. AU. Breen-3, W-11445. R.6. ...
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Sold on Jan 4, 2018 for:
$31,200.00
Bid Source: Internet bidder
Description
(1615-16) Sommer Islands Sixpence
AU Details
Large Portholes, W-11445
(1615-16) 6PENCE Sommer Islands Sixpence, Large Portholes --
Tooled -- NGC Details. AU. Breen-3, W-11445. R.6. Die
alignment: 345°. A remarkable Sommer Islands sixpence, certainly
among the finest known, boldly struck and well-preserved on a
planchet that is mercifully free of the corrosion generally
encountered on these pieces. The coin is well-centered, with both
sides entirely on-planchet, and the edges are only a little ragged
between 10 and 1 o'clock (obverse perspective). While the thin wash
of silvering that would have originally been applied to the coin is
long gone, the piece retains a pleasant and consistent medium brown
coloration that is entirely free of green or red corrosion. The
obverse legend is mostly readable, with R ILANDS being clear and
the O of SOMMER especially bold. Most notably, the hog is very
distinct. Its upper snout, eye, and ears are clearly defined, and
its body is almost entirely unblemished. To the immediate left of
the hog's face, the metal has been disturbed, affecting the lower
jaw, but this may be the result of an injury sustained in
circulation. There are, however, a number of small scratches around
the denomination indicating that this area was deliberately tooled,
with the shape of the VI slightly modified, thus earning the
designation. The reverse ship is clearly defined, with all four
portholes visible and the sails distinct. All four masts are
visible (three large ones and the small bonaventure mizzenmast at
the far right). The pennant at the top of the mizzen (second from
right) mast is visible, but those on the other two tall masts are
harder to see. The overall strike is bold, though there is an area
of weakness around 4 o'clock.The Sommer Islands coinage was produced under a right granted by James I to the "Governour and Company of the Citty of London for the Plantacioun of the Somer Ilands" (sic). The islands themselves had been named after Sir George Somers, who had run ashore there in 1609 on his way to Virginia. He found the islands densely populated with wild hogs descended from ones shipwrecked there almost a century before, thus explaining the choice of obverse device. The coinage itself was a fiat token issue, hammer struck on thin planchets not worth even close to their stated denominations. Despite this, they circulated on the islands for about eight years until they were withdrawn. Most surviving specimens are ground finds, the majority of them discovered since 1990, and bear corrosion damage. This is an exceptional piece, far above the average quality encountered. While the tooling is unfortunate, it is limited in extent and does not detract from the amount of original detail visible on this coin. A rare opportunity. Listed on page 38 of the 2018 Guide Book.
Auction Info
2018 January 3 - 8 FUN US Coins Signature Auction - Tampa #1271 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
January, 2018
3rd-8th
Wednesday-Monday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 14
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 2,389
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
20% of the successful bid per lot.
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