The Petition Crown sold for SFr775,000 (£660,000) as part of the Cope collection.
Image copyright: Stephen Wakeham
The highest independently graded Petition Crown sold for SFr775,000 (£660,000) as part of the Cope collection on May 8. The sale was conducted by a collaboration of three firms: Numismatica Ars Classica, Classical Numismatic Group and Numismatica Genevensis.
A significant number of the coins in the collection assembled over 50 years by the clothes retailer and numismatist Geoffrey Cope are the finest of their type. His 1663 Petition Crown, estimated SFr500,000 (around £440,000), is considered the best of the 16 surviving examples. The price including 22.5% buyer’s premium was SFr949,375 (£815,800).
Remarkably, the price breaks a record set at Heritage Auctions in January this year by the third highest graded example. It sold for $800,000 (£631,000) or $960,000 (£755,000) including buyer’s premium.
The Petition Crown sold for SFr775,000 (£660,000) as part of the Cope collection.
Image copyright: Stephen Wakeham
The 40mm ‘Petition’ Crown is renowned for its artistry and craftsmanship and its story. The coin was masterfully engraved by Thomas Simon (c.1623-65), one of the most celebrated medallists and engravers of the 17th century. Bitter at being side-lined after the Restoration, it represented Simon’s ‘petition’ to become Charles II’s chief engraver, the position he held under the Commonwealth.
He used Pierre Blondeau’s newly introduced mill and screw press to showcase his skills and create the coin with its extraordinary double-line edge inscription. It reads: Thomas Simon Most Hvmbly Prays Your Majesty to Compare This His Tryall With The Dvtch And If More Trvly Drawn & Emboss’d More Grace Fvlly Order’d Grace Fvlly Order’d And More Accvrately Engraven To Relieve Him.
This petition was ultimately unsuccessful, as the king preferred the work of the Roettier brothers (the aforementioned ‘Dvtch’) who had assisted Charles while he was exiled in Holland.
Charles I ‘Oxford’ coin
Oxford ‘city view’ Crown struck in 1644 for Charles I by Thomas Rawlins, SFr360,000 (£309,300) as part of the Cope collection.
Image copyright: Stephen Wakeham
Several records were broken during this, the first tranche of the Cope sale. A new high for a Charles I coin was set by one of only three specimens in private hands of the famous Oxford ‘city view’ Crown struck in 1644 for Charles I by Thomas Rawlins. Estimated at SFr150,000, it took SFr360,000 (£309,300).
Most notable of 170 ancient Roman bronze coins was the sestertius of Hadrian celebrating his legions stationed in Britain. On display for several years at the British Museum, the coin presents on one side an accomplished portrait of Hadrian and, on its reverse, the emperor addressing his army.
Roman bronze sestertius of Hadrian celebrating his legions stationed in Britain, SFr600,000 (£515,600) as part of the Cope collection.
Image copyright: Stephen Wakeham
It may mark the completion of Hadrian’s Wall in 130AD. It doubled estimate bringing SFr600,000 (£515,600).
