1645 Charles I Tower Mint under Parliament mm eye Unite

Charles I (1625-1649), Tower Mint under Parliament (1642-49) Unite, Group G, Class I, crowned crude bust 8 left, wearing falling lace collar, XX behind,  (m.m.) • CAROLVS • D .' G .' MAG .' BRI .' FRA .' ET • HIB .' REX • rev.  • third double-arched-plain-and-jewelled crowned oval-garnished shield 5, dividing crowned C-R, FLORENT • CONCORDIA • REGNA • (m.m. to left)  m.m. eye (1645) (S.2696; N.2156; Brooker 120; Schneider 169; PAS: YORYM-18E848 = BM 2019 T668/73 this coin) weight 8.98 grams

One of if not the rarest mintmark issued in Gold for Charles I reign. Struck under parliamentary control at the Tower Mint we are just aware of 6 examples, 2 of which have just been discovered in the Ellerby Hoard. A few scattered and superficial hairlines in obverse field otherwise retaining much original brilliance. Quality control of issues at the Tower mint during this period weren't paramount thus for issue this is a very pleasing VF and extremely rare. below we have listed the other known examples of this extraordinarily rare coin

KNOWN SPECIMENS 

(1) British Museums - Ex Clarke Thornhill Collection 

(2) Schnieder Collection no. 169 - Ex R C Lockett Collection

(3) J G Brooker Collection no. 120 - ex Glendinings 20/05/1969

(4) Ex Alan Morris Collection - recently sold as a part of the British Collection at Sincona 

(5) Ellerby Hoard, Spink lot 75