British Milled - William III - Shilling - 1697 - Transposed Shields > Lot No. 281

Description:
Dated 1697. First draped bust. Rev: with crowned cruciform shields having the arms of Scotland and Ireland transposed from their normal position. Extremely rare (ESC gives this variety an R4 rating - estimated as being '11 to 20' known specimens). In addition, the G of GVLIELMVS is punched over a letter I (see enlarged image) and is apparently unpublished as such.

Measurements:
6.01 grams.

Condition:
A bold fine and better, a little weakly struck, with some slight scuffing to surfaces (from being a topsoil find). Some irridescence. Pleasing.

References:
S. 3497 (variant); ESC 1091A (R4).

Provenance:
A recent detector find.

Comments notes:
A rarely seen variant coin; we have not been able to find another example offered in recent years and the 'G over I' seems to be unrecorded.

Export licence:
No

Estimate: £800 - 1,000 (EUR 960 - 1,190; USD 1,270 - 1,580)

Auction date: Friday 19th March 2010 at The Swedenborg Hall 20-21 Bloomsbury Way
London WC1A 2TH

Sold for: £520