October 2005 Coin Newsletter

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Colin Adams Collection – Introduction

This magnificent collection, the result of more than a decade of active and dedicated study, is the finest specialist collection of Halfcrowns ever to be offered at auction. Commenced in the early 1990s, its true foundation was laid in 1994 when Colin Adams was invited to view the substantial number of coins which still remained in Baldwin’s stock from the H M Lingford collection, purchased by them in 1951. He was able to acquire 79 pieces, ranging from Edward VI to George V but particularly strong in the patterns and proofs of the 19th Century. These coins had not been available to the market for nearly half a century, some are quite unpublished and have never before been offered for sale.

Over the next decade the collection benefited from a rich vein of important sales -
Beresford-Jones and H Samuel in 1995, Kaufman and the remarkable ‘Thames Find’ in 1997, the Bateman milled coins in 1998, Manville in 1999 and Ashby in 2000, as well as obtaining selected examples from the Spink Numismatic Circular and other sources. In March 2000 Colin Adams was offered the opportunity to acquire privately the cream of Philip Hunt’s collection of halfcrowns of the 17th Century, 1600 – 1701. This most attractive collection, formed with great judgement over the preceding two decades, included many desirable pieces and the 42 coins with this provenance are among the highlights of the sale.

The halfcrown was introduced in 1526, when competition from foreign ‘crown’ gold forced Henry VIII to introduce the Crown of the Double Rose of 22 ct. valued at 5s., and the matching Halfcrown valued at 2s. 6d. The denomination then faithfully traces the ups and downs of British history for almost three and a half centuries, being struck more or less continuously until it was finally lost to decimalization on February 14th 1971.

For the first 74 years of its existence the halfcrown was essentially a gold coin. In 1551 Edward VI introduced the fine issue silver crown and halfcrown but the innovation did not outlive him and it was another half century before the silver halfcrown was re-introduced in 1601. For much of James I’s reign the gold halfcrown remained in the ascendant, but his third coinage finally saw its demise and the halfcrown became a silver denomination.

The collection opens with a run of 34 gold halfcrowns, including the very first issue, of which only five examples are known to survive. Both gold and silver halfcrowns of such rarities as Elizabeth, m.m. 2, and James I, first coinage, are represented. The silver coins of James I are essentially complete, both as to type and variety, as are the Tower coins of Charles I. J G Brooker was particularly interested in the Tower silver and many of the finest and rarest halfcrowns from his collection, published in SCBI 33, are featured in this sale.

The halfcrown reached its first peak during the Civil War, when it was the denomination of choice for many of the provincial Royalist mints.

The Adams collection includes a superb series of these emotive pieces, from mainstream mints such as Oxford, Bristol and Exeter, as well as the transient Hartlebury Castle, Hereford (?) and Chester. Many of these coins are both in unusually fine condition and of considerable rarity, and several of the mint runs, such as the six coins struck at Chester, would be very difficult to replicate. Also complete is the set of Commonwealth halfcrowns, 1649 and 1651-60. Only two examples survive of the dates 1657 and 1659, and in each case the Adams collection contains the finer.

The milled series is remarkably inclusive. The collection is built around “English Silver Coinage since 1649” (ESC), and of the 374 ESC references, currency, pattern and proof, from Charles II to Victoria, 310, or over 80%, are represented in this sale. As well as having the means to acquire some of the finest known examples, Colin Adams is a true student, and the sale includes many coins which he has noticed, either varieties quite unknown to ESC or sub-varieties of numismatic interest.

Of particular importance are the pattern and proof issues, many of great rarity, which culminate in the magnificent run of coins of Victoria.

Both 1875 patterns are here, as is the lovely St. George and the dragon pattern of 1876. The highlight of the entire sale is the extraordinary series of eleven 1884 patterns for the Jubilee coinage. The specimen in the Norweb sale, lot 622, was thought to be unique and these coins, all from the Lingford collection, have never before seen the light of day.

The Colin Adams collection of halfcrowns represents a numismatic tour de force. This sale provides a new reference for the series, and an unrivalled opportunity to acquire the coins, many of which may not again become available for another generation.

Kind regards,

The Coin Department