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My new most-expensive coin (King James Version)

I just agreed to a swap which will acquire me this ca. 1623-24 British gold Laurel of King James I.

King James is of course famous for commissioning the English translation of the Bible which bears his name to this day.

With about $4,350 in trade goods on my end of the deal, this coin is to date my most expensive acquisition, though I do have one US coin (an MS66 Saint-Gaudens double-eagle) which is worth a tiny bit more on paper.

I swapped a 2003 USA 1-ounce gold Eagle, PCGS MS70 (essentially boring modern bullion) and an 1895 Puerto Rico peso, PCGS MS61 (a very nice coin which I liked but didn't absolutely love). No cash out of my pocket, which was nice.

All told I had $4,350 in the pair. Atlas Numismatics was originally asking $4,695 for the Laurel.

Prior to this, the most I had ever paid for a coin was about $3,800 (for my 1799 Bust dollar).

I find hammered gold exciting, and to have a piece of big hammered gold, all the more so.

Here is the Atlas description on the Laurel:

1082030 | GREAT BRITAIN. England. James I. (King, 1603-25). (1623-24)-(lis) AV Laurel. NGC AU53. London. 9.05gm. Laureate and armored fourth bust, left; XX (mark of value) behind / Crowned square-topped quartered shield of arms over long cross fourchee. SCBC-2638B; Fr.-242; North 2114.

Third coinage.

Please use this link to verify the NGC certification number 6676567012


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Comments

  • TwoKopeikiTwoKopeiki Posts: 9,860 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Awesome addition! Congrats

  • SametsSamets Posts: 206 ✭✭✭

    Sounds like everyone wins. You get a great coin and they get stuff they can move easier.

  • lermishlermish Posts: 3,752 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nice!!!

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  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,691 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'd much rather have that coin than what you traded for it.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • marmacmarmac Posts: 1,505 ✭✭✭

    Sounds like a great trade, and much more interesting coin than what you swapped it for. Congrats, I like it!

  • pcgsregistrycollectorpcgsregistrycollector Posts: 1,471 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nice coin!

    God comes first in everything I do. I’m dedicated to serving Him with my whole life. Coin collecting is just a hobby—but even in that, I seek to honor Him. ✝️

  • coinkatcoinkat Posts: 23,843 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Congrats…looks nice for the type

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  • Morgan WhiteMorgan White Posts: 8,924 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Very cool!

  • deepblue30deepblue30 Posts: 76 ✭✭✭

    Excellent coin great detail

  • taropatch99taropatch99 Posts: 213 ✭✭✭

    Nice! I like it. Congratulations on an astute barter.

    Formerly known as deadmunny
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  • NapNap Posts: 1,755 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nice coin, good details.

    It’s interesting that the Brits have so many different names for their 20 shilling denomination. I can think of at least 6:

    -Sovereign
    -Pound
    -Unite
    -Laurel
    -Broad
    -Guinea

  • SmEagle1795SmEagle1795 Posts: 2,199 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Congrats on your trade / upgrade, LM!

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  • TomBTomB Posts: 22,080 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Atlas handles some great coins. Congratulations!

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  • CucumborCucumbor Posts: 135 ✭✭✭

    Great trade for a great acquisition in the end. Well done

  • Congrats, LM!

    @Nap said:
    Nice coin, good details.

    It’s interesting that the Brits have so many different names for their 20 shilling denomination. I can think of at least 6:

    -Sovereign
    -Pound
    -Unite
    -Laurel
    -Broad
    -Guinea

    I could be wrong on this, but I thought a Guinea was 21 shillings.

  • AbueloAbuelo Posts: 1,894 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Well done @lordmarcovan

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,736 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @shirohniichan2 said:
    Congrats, LM!

    @Nap said:
    Nice coin, good details.

    It’s interesting that the Brits have so many different names for their 20 shilling denomination. I can think of at least 6:

    -Sovereign
    -Pound
    -Unite
    -Laurel
    -Broad
    -Guinea

    I could be wrong on this, but I thought a Guinea was 21 shillings.

    Correct. And there were Guinea coins struck worth 21 Shillings.

    And One0Third Guinea coins worth 7 Shillings!

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • WillieBoyd2WillieBoyd2 Posts: 5,270 ✭✭✭✭✭

    For a long time "guinea" was a British slang term for a gold sovereign or one pound coin.

    :)

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  • jmski52jmski52 Posts: 23,261 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Pretty cool! Nice coin.

    Q: Are You Printing Money? Bernanke: Not Literally

    I knew it would happen.
  • Namvet69Namvet69 Posts: 9,266 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Excellent swap. Really nice Brit gold. Congrats. Peace Roy

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  • TypekatTypekat Posts: 539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    What could be better than owning a coin of Biblical importance?

    30+ years coin shop experience (ret.) Coins, bullion, currency, scrap & interesting folks. Loved every minute!

  • MEJ7070MEJ7070 Posts: 55 ✭✭✭

    Congrats on the new purchase! Hope you truly enjoy it.

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