Extremely Rare First Type of Gold Half Angel of King Henry VII

Henry VII (1485-1509), gold Half Angel of Three Shillings and Four Pence, class I, St Michael slaying dragon right, legend and beaded border surrounding both sides, initial mark lis upon sun and rose both sides, King's name struck over Ricard, hEnRICx DIx GRAx REXx AnGL, rev. ship sailing right, quartered shield upon hull, cross above, h to left, rose to right, xxOxx CRVXxx AVExx SPESxx VnICA, weight 2.53g (Schneider 506; N.1699; S.2189). Well struck, just a little short of flan around perimeter, otherwise good very fine and extremely rare, six to eight examples only thought to be extant.

The first indenture of the reign of Henry VII was dated 4th November 1485 with Edward IV's last Master Sir Giles Daubeney as Robert Brackenbury had died at Bosworth Field. The initial issue to which this coin dates was issued only to the Summer of 1487 and the mintages were only small with perhaps some 500-600 pound weight of gold issued, perhaps c.£14,000 worth across all gold denominations. When this coin was last transacted just after it was found in the ground in 1999, it was the sixth piece known, perhaps one more has emerged for sale since then, it is an extremely rare issue.