Half angel of Elizabeth I
The finder of this Elizabethan hammered gold coin wished to remain anonymous. It was unearthed on the 2nd of October and I was asked how rare it is, what grade I would put on it and what my valuation figure would be?
Firstly, the coin measures 20mm in diameter and weighs 2.63 grams so it is a half angel of Elizabeth I. It’s a product of the fifth issue (1578-82) and the mint mark on both sides is a sword. In the Standard Catalogue it is listed as number 2526.
Valuation
After doing some research I managed to trace only two coins that match this one so it is obviously very rare. The edge is slightly ragged in places and the flan is a little uneven but the coin is otherwise in VF condition. Therefore, after being in the soil for hundreds of years the coin has survived quite well.
This is the sort of coin that might lead to a bidding battle between specialist collectors. If I was cataloguing it for sale at auction then I would set the pre-sale estimate at £3,200 but would expect it to sell for more. Quite how much more would depend on how fierce the bidding was in the saleroom.
Valuation Service
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