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SOVEREIGN RARITIES: HIGHCLIFF PART IIIn their Auction 18 on June 11, Sovereign Rarities will be selling The Highcliff Collection, Part II. Select items are discussed below. -Garrett There have been some wonderful opportunities for historical medal enthusiasts over the past few weeks. NAC in association with David Guest Numismatic's Traveller Collection followed by Sincona's British Collection Auction 96 have offered spectacular medals in a field where collectors are all too often thwarted by the lack of supply. Underbidders and discerning collectors alike will therefore want to know that Sovereign Rarities will offer Part II of the outstanding Highcliff Collection on June 11 in Auction 18. Featuring earlier medals than Highcliff Part I, the medals are once again of the very highest quality available and with some impressive provenances too. Auction 18 is available online on the Sovereign Rarities website as well as number of auction platforms. Some highlights from the Highcliff Collection are listed below and highlights from the coins in Auction 18 will be discussed in a separate advertorial to follow. 
Lot 411: Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 1588, struck silver Medal by Gerhard van Bijlaer, Philip II of Spain, and the heads of the Catholic Church and state, blindfolded, seated in discussion, their feet on a spiked floor, O. COECAS. HOMINVM. MENTES. O. PECTORA. COECA. [Oh the blind minds of men, oh the blind hearts], DVRVM. EST. CONTRA. STIMVLOS. CALCITRARE [It is hard to kick against goads], rev., the Spanish fleet, some foundering on rocks, TV. DEVS. MAGNVS. ET. MAGNA. FACIS TV. SOLVS. DEVS, VENI. VIDE. VIVE. 1588 [You God are great and do great things, You God alone. Come. See. Live. 1588], 51mm, 45.77g (Eimer 56a; MI i 144/111; Van Loon I, p. 384, i.). Insignificant light rubbing/tooling in fields, trace of old mount at 12 o'clock on reverse, otherwise toned and extremely fine, very rare. Ex: Nomos, Auction 13, 7 October 2016, lot 15; Bought Sovereign Rarities, July 2018
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Lot 414: Queen Anne, 1603, silver Medal by C Anthony (?), draped and jewelled bust three-quarters left, ANNA. D'. G'. REGINA. MAG', BRIT'. FR'. ET. HIB'. FILIA & SOROR REGV. DANIÆ:, rev. crowned armourial shield, ASTVTIA. FALLAX; TVTIOR. INNOCENTIA., 29mm, 7.46g (Eimer 81; MI i 192/12). Good extremely fine. Ex: Peter Earthy Collection, Baldwin's of St. James's 21, 26 September 2018, lot 511. Therein stated to have been bought from A. H. Baldwin, 1978
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Lot 417: Charles I, Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, Military Reward, undated (c. 1642), armoured bust of Essex almost facing, wearing plain collar and scarf, EARL OF ESSEX, rev. Essex shield; with integral suspension rings, 31.5 x 22mm, 5.62g (cf. M.I. I/298/117; Platt vol. II, p. 84, G7, this piece). Toned extremely fine and apparently the only known example with this obverse inscription. Ex: Platt & Platt G7, this piece; Ex Morton & Eden, 26 April 2024, lot 191; Morton and Eden, 9 June 2009, lot 333; Spink Auction 140, 16 November 1999, lot 693
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Lot 419: Prince Rupert, 1645, silver-gilt medal or Military Reward, unsigned [by T. Rawlins (?)], half-length bust three-quarters left, holding a baton and wearing a Royalist badge on sash, lace collar over armour, his hair long and tied with a ribbon, rev. arms of the Prince on three shields, with lion supporters, crested helm and decorative scrolls above, between RP [Rupertus Princeps], 42 x 30mm, 19.93g (Platt II, pp.268-9, type B [B1, this piece]; MI I, 323/159; MH 30). Very fine and rare. Ex: Platt & Platt B1, this piece; Bought Dr. Jerome J Platt Collection, Noonan's Auction 265, 23 November 2022, lot 74; Baldwin Auction 28, 9 October 2001, lot 1917; Daniel Fearon, Spink Auction 8, 27 February 1980, lot 381; Lt-Col. Sir G. Dalrymple White, Glendining's, 24-26 July 1946, lot 1; Brigadier-General G. Ll. Palmer, Glendining's, 18-20 June 1919, lot 2; J.E. Hodgkin, Sotheby's, 22-23 April 1914, lot 27; H. Montagu, Sotheby's, 24-29 May 1897, lot 160
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Lot 423: Charles I, gold Royalist Badge, oval, by T. Rawlins, crowned bust right, draped and wearing a lace collar, CAROLVS D.G. MAG. BRI. FR. ET. HIB. RX., rev. Royal arms within garter, 45 x 36mm, 20.50g (Platt I, p.160, type A [A1, this piece]; MI I, 360/232 and pl. xxxii, 9 [only recorded in silver and silver-gilt]; Farquhar, BNJ 1905, p.261; Eimer 168). Extremely fine and of the highest rarity. Ex: Bought Noonan's Auction 265, 23 November 2022, lot 89, Dr. Jerome J Platt Collection; DNW Auction 47, 8 September 2000, lot 667; Mrs Greta Heckett, Sotheby's Auction, 25 May 1977, lot 214
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Lot 429: Peace with Holland, 1667, silver Medal by John Roettier, laureate bust of Charles II right, * CAROLVS. SECVNDVS. DEI. GRATIA. MAG. BRI. FRAN. ET. HIB. REX, rev. Britannia seated left at the base of a rock contemplating her navies, FAVENTE DEO, in exergue, BRITANNIA, edge CAROLVS * SECVNDVS * PACIS * ET * IMPERII * RESTITVTOR * AVGVSTVS, 53mm, 74.09g (Eimer 241; MI i 535/185; vL II 544). About as struck, with russet tone. Ex: Bought A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd., June 2013; Marquess of Bute Collection, Sotheby's, 2 July 1951, lot 90
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Lot 434: James II and Mary of Modena, complimentary silver-gilt Medal, 1685, by George Bower, conjoined busts right, his laureate and with mantle draped over plain armour, hers draped, rev. the Sun in Majesty, FORTES. RADII. SED. BENIGNI 1685, 52mm, 53.60g (Eimer -; MI i 610/16). Nearly extremely fine and extremely rare. Ex: Bought A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd., June 2013; Marquess of Bute, Sotheby's, 2 July 1951, lot 103
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Lot 435: James II, Accession and the Throne Protected, 1685, silver Medal by George Bower, laureate bust of the King right, hair long falling over mantle, IACOBVS II DG MAG BRI FRAN ET HI REX, rev. an angel protects the Crown which is placed on a chair of State, TUTAMEN AB ALTO, 43.5mm, 29.85g (MI i 611/18; Eimer -). Good extremely fine. Ex: Bought Peter Earthy, Baldwin's of St. James's, Auction 21, 26 September 2018, lot 550; Therein stated to be Ex Spink Auction 8, 27 February 1980, lot 467 [Hugh Jessop]
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Lot 440: Peace of Ryswick, 1697, silver Medal by Robert Arondeaux, European rulers including Leopold I, Louis XIV, William III and Carl XII, closing the doors of the Temple of Janus, CAESA FIRMABANT FOEDERA PORCA , rev. Coats-of-Arms around view of Ryswick Palace within border, RYSWYK GUILELMI III D G M BRITAN ETC R PALAT , MDCXCVII in exergue, plain edge, 49mm, 46.85g (Eimer -; MI ii, 169/453; van Loon IV, 273; Harding 32). Practically as struck. Ex: Harding 32, this medal; Bought Sovereign Rarities Ltd., February 2023; Harding Collection, Spink Auction 283, 18 October 2022, lot 762
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Lot 452: Floods in the Netherlands, 1741, silver Medal by Nicholas van Swinderen, a river god surveys a flooded land whose inhabitants attempt to stay above water, in the distance, unaffected, a church, in a cartouche, O DEVS A MVLTIS AQVIS NOS REDDE SECVROS, rev. legend in eight lines, 48mm, 43.33g (Brettauer 1828). Beautifully toned, good extremely fine. Ex: Bought A H Baldwin & Sons Ltd., March 2016; Marquess of Bute Collection, Sotheby's, 2 July 1951, lot 274 (part)
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Lot 453: Gustav II Adolph, 1629, cast silver-gilt and enamelled complimentary Medal, unsigned, bust of Gustav facing slightly to right, GVSTAVVS ADOLP D:G: SVEC: GOTH: WAND: Q: REX, rev. beneath the name ????, JAHWEH in Hebrew, DEVM COLE / AVRVM CONTEMNE / VIRTVTEM SECTARE / ARGENTVM SPERNE / PATRIAM DEFENDE / 1629, all within partially enamelled wreathed border, 61mm, 38.09g (Hildebrand I, S. 140, 73). An original cast, partially enamelled, very rare thus, and very fine. Ex: Bought Christopher Eimer, January 2014; Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG, Auction 141, 19 June 2008, lot 4547
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