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Charles II (1660-85), silver Pattern “Reddite” crown, 1663. Engraved and signed by Thomas Simon, struck
from the same dies as the famed “Petition” crown (in previous lot), “fine work” laureate and draped bust
right, Simon italic below, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding, CAROLVS II. DEI. GRA Rev.
struck en medaille, crowned cruciform emblematic shields, interlinked Cs in angles, St. George and dragon
in ruled Garter in centre, French inscription in garter, HONI. SOIT. QVI. MAL. Y. PENSE, date either
side of top crown, Latin legend and toothed border surrounding. MAG BRI. FR ET. HIB REX. edge
inscribed in raised letters, last two words half size font, REDDITE. QVÆ. CÆSARIS. CÆSARI & CT.
POST, followed by depiction of the sun appearing out of a cloud, weight 31.39g (L&S 7; Bull 431 R5;
ESC 73 R5; S 3354B; KM PnD33). Peppered with light surface marks, some nicks both sides, short scratch
from eyebrow along junction with hair, toned, more attractive on reverse, in PCGS holder graded SP 35
and
extremely rare
.
$95,000
Ex Sir John Evans Collection, portion sold to J P Morgan
Ex J P Morgan Collection portion sold privately with first offer to British Museum and secondly R C Lockett 1915.
Ex Richard Cyril Lockett, Sotheby, 28 May 1927, lot 55.
Ex T.B. Clarke-Thornhill, Glendining, 27 May 1937, lot 605.
Ex H.E.G. Paget, Glendining, 25 September, 1947, lot 230.
Ex G.R. Blake, Seaby Coin and Medal Bulletin, June 1957. Transacted privately by Spink to Norweb family, USA July 1962.
Ex Mrs E.M. Norweb, Spink Coin Auction 48, 13 November 1985, lot 442.
Ex Spink Numismatic Circular, March 1990, no. 1107.
Ex Dr. D. Rees-Jones, Spink Coin Auction 117, 19 November 1996, lot 118. Transacted privately by Noble Numismatics of
Australia to Mr Rowley Butters. Ex Rowley Butters, St James Auction 9, 18th June 2008, lot 334.
PCGS certification 34313450. This is the actual coin illustrated in the 1974 edition of ‘English Silver Coinage’. The Latin leg-
ends translate as on the obverse “Charles the second by the grace of God” and on the reverse “King of Great Britain, France
and Ireland. The Latin inscription on the edge is what gives this pattern its name and translates as “Render to Caesar, the things
which are Caesar’s,” with the smaller font abbreviation for “POST NUBILA PHOEBUS” meaning “After the storm, the sun
shines” alluding to the Restoration of the monarchy after the Commonwealth period. The French words on the garter translate
as “Evil to him who evil thinks.” Celebrated Victorian numismatist J. B. Bergne published the whereabouts of ten examples
of the Reddite crown in silver his 1854 article in the Numismatic Chronicle, three of which were institutionalised and seven in
theory still privately held if they all survive till today. Four examples of these seven have appeared in the last forty years for sale
whether privately or through auction. The other three have either not surfaced since Victorian times, or may have been last of-
fered over 90 years ago and are all examples that are apparently in lower grade. The choices of Reddite Crowns available to the
market are few and far between, and the finest one from the Glenister collection, hammered at auction for £330,000 in March
2014, representing a total price including premium and UK tax on the premium of £409,200. These “Reddite” Crowns are
much rarer than the companion “Petition” crown with only ten examples known as of 1854 and fewer than that known today.