Edward III Quarter Noble, Transitional Treaty Period MS63

Edward III (1327-1377), gold Quarter-Noble of one shilling and eight pence, fourth coinage, Transitional Treaty period (1361-63), quartered shield of arms in tressure of eight arcs, trefoils on cusps, pellets in spandrels, Latin legend and beaded borders surrounding, EDWAR; DEIx GRAC'x REXx AnGLx D, rev. pellet in centre of ornate cross potent with lis terminals, annulet in each inner angle, lion in each outer angle, all within beaded and linear tressure of eight arcs, Latin legend and beaded border surrounding, initial mark cross pattée, EXALTABITVRxx Inxx GLORA, note absence of I in last word, weight 1.90g (Schneider 70/-; N.1224; S.1501).Toned, has been slabbed and graded by NGC as MS63 and a very rare transitional variety, no example of the GLORA spelling on reverse in Schneider.

NGC Certification 2844147-002.

As of June 2022 this coin is the joint highest graded with one other example at NGC out of fourteen pieces. There are three other examples of the S.1501 label graded finer at PCGS but they are unlikely to be the same variety as this piece with the most unusual reverse spelling.

The abbreviated Latin legends translate as on the obverse "Edward by the Grace of God, King of England," and on the reverse "He shall be exalted in glory," a Psalm from the Bible.

The fourth coinage of Edward III gradually changes in its titling through the period 1351-77 and can be basically divided into the time before the signing of the Treaty of Bretigny 1351-1360 where the claim to the French throne appears boldly in the legend; the Treaty period which was signed at Calais in October 1360 when Edward surrendered the claim to the French throne and the title was removed from the coinage and the Lord of Aquitaine title inserted in its place. This is followed by the Post-Treaty period from 1369-1377 when the claim to the French throne is resumed after war broke out between England and France and the end of the Treaty.

The pre-Treaty period is classified by seven classes of coins from A to G with the last sub-divided into eight sub-classes. The Treaty period divides into two classes, the earlier of which the coin offered herewith belongs as the Transitional Treaty period, and the true Treaty period, followed by the Post Treaty thereafter. According to surviving accounts the Transitional Treaty period produced some £375,000 worth of gold coinage form late 1360 to early 1363 when the true Treaty coins are thought to begin with the opening of an additional British mint at Calais on the French mainland from 20^th February 1363.

Provenance:

Ex Spink Coin Auction, 24^th March 2020, lot 19.