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STACK'S MARKETPLACE: GREAT BRITAINStack's Marketplace will be selling the following four British coins and medals as part of this week's featured items. -Garrett 
GREAT BRITAIN. Defeat of the Spanish Armada Silver Medal, 1596. Elizabeth I. NGC MS-62. Eimer-67; MI-163-148; Van Loon-I-1476. Diameter: 52mm. Weight: 45.20 gms. By Gerard van Bijlaer. Struck rather than cast. Obverse: The Spanish Armada in distress, ship in forefront heavily damaged and sinking, "Jehovah" in Hebrew at top flanked by date, QVID ME PERSEQVERIS around; Reverse: Hand issuing from heaven holds cord connecting shields of arms of the allied England, France, and United Provinces, the latter in the shape of a heart, RVMPITVR HAVD FACILE around. An evocative medal struck in commemoration of the disastrous losses suffered by the Second Spanish Armada as part of the Eighty Years' War and the concurrent Anglo-Spanish War. In July 1596, English and Dutch troops captured and sacked the city of Cádiz, resulting in heavy economic losses for Spain and contributing to the bankruptcy of the royal treasury in that year. In retaliation, Spain set forth to attack the English coast in October. However, heavy storms in the Bay of Biscay devastated the fleet, resulting in its retreat before even coming into contact with English forces. This event is evidently mocked on this medal with the text "QUID ME PERSEQUERIS" ("Why pursue me?), while the reverse "RUMPITUR HAUD FACILE" ("Breaking is not easy") emphasizes the combined strength of the allied forces.
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GREAT BRITAIN. Battle of Turnhout Silver Medal, 1597. Elizabeth I. NGC MS-61. MI-169/452; Van Loon-I-pp.475-77, xi. Diameter: 51mm. Weight: 45.40 gms. By Gerard van Bijlaer. Struck rather than cast. Obverse: Trophy of arms mounted on spear, map of conquered territory between the Ems, Rhine and Meuse rivers in background, with names of towns taken; Reverse: Nine lines of text. Commemorating the Battle of Turnhout, won by the allied forces of the Dutch Republic and the Kingdom of England against those of the Spanish Empire as part of the Eighty Years' War and the concurrent Anglo-Spanish War.
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GREAT BRITAIN. Peace of Breda Silver Medal, 1667. NGC MS-61. MI-534/164; Eimer-242; van Loon-II, p. 583, 4. Diameter: 44mm. By C. Adolfszoon. Obverse: Pair of Dutch and English ships sailing side by side; Reverse: Shields of arms of England and Dutch Republic suspended from laurel wreath, crossed palm frond and laurel branch below, "BRITAIN:BATAV:PAX" on ribbon below, date at bottom.
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GREAT BRITAIN. Silver Uniface Reverse Crown Pattern, ND (1817). London Mint. George III. PCGS PROOF-63. L&S-168; ESC-Unlisted. Mintage: 2. Weight: 36.62 gms. Edge: Plain. By Benedetto Pistrucci. Obverse: Blank; Reverse: St. George slaying the dragon within wide garter with large buckle, the garter ruled with horizontal lines. An EXTREMELY RARE and highly important trial striking of the first Pattern for what would become the first "modern" Crown. The reverse die of this issue is the same as that used upon the famed 1817 Pattern Crown (L&S-163), of which four examples are known bearing two distinct obverse dies. The patterns and the present trial are all recorded to have been struck out of collar on broad, thick silver planchets that are approximately 20% overweight relative to the circulating denomination; this indicates that these pieces were struck concurrently. This Pattern is considered the first to bear Pistrucci's iconic and highly original conception of St. George and the dragon; two other such Patterns would be issued in that year (L&S-166 and L&S-167), but which exhibit designs closer to the final circulating issue and which were struck on planchets of normal size and weight. In the Ferrari ("Nobleman") auction of the present example, it is noted: "In mint state and of the very greatest rarity as only two were struck thus". The Lingford sale (Glendining & Co. - 10/1950) of the second known example similarly notes that "only two specimens were struck". No additional examples have arisen since. As such, this is one of a mere six known examples in silver of this historic first "St. George and the dragon" design (there is one additional known example of a reverse trial in lead). The present example exhibits a great degree of originality, the surfaces deeply toned and lustrous, with satiny shine pervading the entirety of the reverse fields. The design is fully struck, with extraordinary detail visible upon the heads and upper bodies of the St. George and his horse. An EXTREMELY RARE opportunity for connoisseurs of British numismatics.
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