NGC Certifies High-grade Petition Crown Being Offered in Exceptional May Auction

Numismatic Guaranty Company® (NGC®) has certified one of the greatest treasures in all of English numismatics: a high-grade 1663 Petition Crown. It is one of more than 150 NGC-certified rarities from the Geoffrey Cope Collection being offered in an exceptional auction on May 8, 2024, that is presented by Numismatica Genevensis SA, Numismatica Ars Classica NAC AG and Classical Numismatic Group.

Click images to enlarge.

This example (lot 1306) is graded NGC MS 63+ and has an estimate in the auction of CHF500,000 (about $553,000). It is the finest-graded in the NGC Census.

The Petition Crown is a fascinating pattern coin because it was, in fact, a job application. Thomas Simon struck several examples of the coin with a stunning rendition of Charles II on the obverse and a cruciform coat of arms on the reverse, as well as innovative edge letters that laid out his request: THOMAS SIMON MOST HUMBLY PRAYS YOUR MAJESTY TO COMPARE THIS HIS TRYALL PIECE WITH THE DUTCH AND IF MORE TRULY DRAWN & EMBOSS’D MORE GRACEFULLY ORDER’D AND MORE ACCURATELY ENGRAVEN TO RELIEVE HIM.

The edge lettering on the Petition Crown. Click images to enlarge.

Though masterfully executed, Simon's Petition Crown failed to persuade Charles II to use Simon's work for coinage. Engravers John and Joseph Roettiers were preferred by Charles II, whose 1661 coronation revived the institution of the English monarchy following the ill-fated Commonwealth period.

The Petition Crown is the centerpiece of a magnificent collection of hundreds of British coins assembled by Cope. Other NGC-certified highlights from the Cope Collection auction include:

• a Great Britain Silver Dollar with an octagonal counterstamp struck on a US 1799 Silver Dollar graded NGC XF 45 and AU Strong for the counterstamp (lot 1413), with an estimate of CHF50,000 (about $55,000)
• an England 1664 Crown graded NGC PF 62 (lot 1308), with an estimate of CHF25,000 (about $28,000)
• a Great Britain 1831 Crown graded NGC PF 63 (lot 1450), with an estimate of CHF20,000 (about $22,000)
• an England 1665 Gold Pattern Farthing graded NGC PF 58 (lot 1319), with an estimate of CHF15,000 (about $17,000)
• a Great Britain 1689 Gold William and Mary Coronation Medal graded NGC MS 61 (lot 1331), with an estimate of CHF15,000 (about $17,000)
• an England 1705 Crown - Plumes graded NGC MS 61 (lot 1355), with an estimate of CHF15,000 (about $17,000)
• a Great Britain 1713 Gold Peace of Utrecht Medal graded NGC MS 64 (lot 1363), with an estimate of CHF15,000 (about $17,000)
• a Great Britain 1726 Half Crown - Plumes & Roses graded NGC MS 62 (lot 1372), with an estimate of CHF15,000 (about $17,000)
• an England 1692 2/INV 2 Crown - QVINTO graded NGC MS 62+ (lot 1332), with an estimate of CHF10,000 (about $11,000)
• an England 1702-dated Gold Anne Coronation Medal graded NGC MS 61 (lot 1354), with an estimate of CHF10,000 (about $11,000)
• a Great Britain 1714 Gold George I Coronation Medal graded NGC MS 62 (lot 1368), with an estimate of CHF10,000 (about $11,000)
• a Great Britain 1727-dated Gold George II Coronation Medal graded NGC MS 62 (lot 1383), with an estimate of CHF10,000 (about $11,000)

Estimates are provided by the auction house. The $ symbol represents US Dollars.