Description
Scotland, Charles II (1645-1685), Silver Two-Merks, 1675, First Coinage, Type III, laureate and draped bust right in armour, F below bust, rev inverted die axis, cruciform shields, crowned interlinked Cs in angles, value at centre, date in legend, BRI type legend (SCBI 35:1572; S.5609).
Toned with a number of surface marks and striations, F below not visible, good fine and rare as final date of denomination.
ex John Scaife Collection, Spink Auction 176, 30 November 2005, lot 510; ex Harrington E Manville, Scottish Collection, Dix Noonan and Webb, 15 September 2015, lot 17;
“The Scottish Silver Coinage of Charles II” by J K R Murray published in the B.N.J. Volume 38 of 1969 reveals in the calendar year of 1675 that only 23,119 Two Merk pieces were struck, however that is not to say that some coins of this issue would not have been dated 1674 meaning the true number of 1675 dated coins is probably lower and is rare.
