GREAT BRITAIN. Commonwealth. Unite (20 Shillings) 1649. London Mint; mm: Sun/-. PCGS AU-58. S-3208; Fr-269; KM-395.1; N-2715. Obverse: St. Georges shield within wreath composed of laurel branch and palm frond; Reverse: Two shield bearing St. Georges cross (England) and harp (Ireland). The first year of issue for the brief interlude of the English Commonwealth, this transfixing hammered specimen presents about as much beauty and elegance as one can hope to encounter for the series--a series that is often plagued by poor manufacture. A rather bold and crisp strike is observed upon each side, especially noticeable within the legends, with the sunface mintmark even possessing eyes and a nose--aspects commonly washed out on other examples due to inferior strikes. The color is a vibrant golden-yellow, with an orange peel nature taking hold among the outer regions. The level of rub across the high points or breaks in luster are at an immense minimum, leading to the opinion of this cataloger that it far surpasses other examples technically higher graded by third parties with respect to its overall bewitching eye appeal.
