LOT #25041 |
Current Bid: $1,050
Great Britain: Charles I Octagonal Pontefract Siege Shilling 1648 VF35 PCGS,...
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Description
Pontefract Siege Shilling
Charles I Octagonal Pontefract Siege Shilling 1648 VF35
PCGS, KM381, S-3148. Incredible relic from the English Civil
War and a type that we see all too rarely, last in this octagonal
shape in 2007. The obverse and reverse testify to King Charles'
desperate situation before his capture, trial, and execution in
January 1649. Here, the obverse reads DVM SPIRO SPERO ("Whilst I
live, I hope"), while the reverse shows a crude depiction of his
safehouse Pontefract Castle with "OBS" for "besieged" vertically to
the left. Perhaps the most historically significant piece in this
auction.Pontefract Castle holds a special place in English history as a strategic site during the War of the Roses and as the scene of imprisonment and probable murder of Richard II. Royalist forces trapped inside the castle during the English Civil War cast hand-made dies in order to strike coinage for the king's troops. Usually crude, these coins were struck in irregular shapes and sizes, including lozenge and octagonal. In 1649, after driving out the Royalists, Oliver Cromwell ordered the Castle to be demolished.
Metal: Silver
More information about Great Britain Coins. See also: Great Britain World Coin Nationality.
Auction Info
2025 December 8 Spotlight: Great Britain World Coins Showcase Auction #61575 (go to Auction Home page)
Proxy Bidding Ends
December
8th
Monday
6:50 pm CT
Auction Dates
December
8th
Monday
Proxy Bidding Time Remaining
3 Days
18m 27s
Internet/Mail Bids: 17
Lot Tracking Activity: 49
Page Views: 365
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
20% of the successful bid (minimum $29) per lot.
This lot is in: 1 -
World & Ancient Coins Session
(Lots 25001-25250) - 7:00 PM Central Time, Monday, December 8, 2025.
[Proxy bidding ends ten minutes prior to the session start time. Live Proxy bidding on Heritage Live now starts within 2 hours of when the auction opens for proxy bidding and continues through the live session.]
Additional Location Info:
Heritage Auctions
2801 W. Airport Freeway
Dallas, TX 75261
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