James I Gold Coin

James I Gold Thistle Crowns (1603–1619) typically sell for between £600 and £1,600, depending on condition, with rare examples reaching over £5,000. These 22-carat hammered gold coins (
) from the second coinage are highly collectable, featuring a thistle on the reverse, often designated S.2627.

Recent Auction & Sales Data (Approximate):

£5,000: Spink Auction (Apr 2021) for a high-grade specimen.
£1,675: eBay Listing (Recent) for a Rare “I and R omitted” variety.
£1,300: London Coins Auction 184 (Mar 2024).
£600–£700: London Coins Auction 179 (Dec 2022) and Hammered Coins (Dec 2022) for “Good Fine” grade examples.

Key Considerations:

Condition: “Fine” (F) to “Very Fine” (VF) grades are common, while “Extremely Fine” (AU/XF) grades command higher prices.
Mintmarks: Common mintmarks include Rose, Lis, and Trefoil.
Design: These commemorate the union of England and Scotland, often with the inscription Henricus or Jacobus on the obverse.

The coins were minted at the Tower of London, and the specific variety, such as one with the thistle mint mark, helps define the production date, often within 1621–1625