Pre-Long Beach Auction #91

Great Britain. Halfcrown, 1658 NGC AU58. S.3227A; ESC-447. Oliver Cromwell. Obverse, laureate and draped bust left: OLIVAR D G P ANG SCO ET HIB & PRO. Reverse, crowned quartered shield of arms of the Protectorate, PAX QVAERITVR BELLO (Peace is sought by War). Edge inscribed in raised letters. Crisply produced and with a notable absence of marks, spots or other blemishes. Nearly mint state with an attractive pastel blue tone. NGC graded AU-58.
*After the execution of Charles I in early 1649 there followed 'The Commonwealth of England'. Eventually, in December 1653, Oliver Cromwell established the 'Protectorate', and in 1655 work on the production of coins featuring Cromwell's portrait was authorised. It is often said that these coins were patterns or prototypes, but we have no reason to believe that these pieces were not intended for circulation. The coins were made by machines, of a high quality, and produced by Thomas Simon's dies, in the coining presses of Pierre Blondeau.
Cromwell died in September 1658 and was succeeded (as Lord Protector) by his son Richard Cromwell. Richard was ill-suited to the task of governing England and soon disappeared from public life. There were no coins struck for Richard, and relatively few for his father. The Cromwellian portrait coins are among the most avidly collected items in the British numismatic series. Estimated Value $7,000 - 7,500