GREAT BRITAIN. 5 Guineas, 1668. London Mint. Charles II. PCGS AU-53. S-3329; Fr-282; KM-430.2. Elephant (Royal Africa Company) issue. An ever-popular and difficult issue relating to Englands colonial prospecting forays, this exceptional survivor is largely without handling and maintains a wondrous originality. Some orangish notes accentuate the devices, and a subtle brilliance emanating from the protected areas increases its flair that much more. The first year of the type for this monarch, and one that is exceeded in the PCGS census by just three others.<p><em>The interesting mark of an elephant below the bust of the sovereign indicated the source of the gold used in the striking of the coin. Issues with the elephant (and later, elephant & castle) were produced with gold mined in Western Africa along what was known as the "Gold Coast." The Royal African Company was issued a monopoly by the British crown to extract, </em>among other things<em>, gold for the production of coinage domestically within the kingdom. The name for the denomination--</em>along with its multiples<em>--eventually came from this very region--Guinea. The issues are rather difficult to encounter now, as many were melted over the centuries for the purpose of recoining.</em> From the Lucius S. Ruder Collection.
