Undated (1659) Maryland Lord Baltimore Sixpence. W-1060, Breen-68, Hodder 2-C. Rarity-5. AU-50 (PCGS).37.3 grains. A high grade example from the only famous hoard of this coinage. Profoundly well struck for the issue, with a particularly bold portrait of Calvert and a fully realized shield on the reverse. The obverse is aligned to just below 3 oclock, with a raised rim and die edge visible outside of the complete denticles at the left side. The reverse is a bit better centered but still aligned rightward, with denticles present from 4 to 1 oclock. A significant clash mark is visible at the upper obverse periphery, echoing the reverse inscription opposite. No bad marks are seen, just trivial scattered hairlines and some old ruddy encrustation among the design elements and lettering around the reverse. The visual appeal is superb, particularly for a piece from this cache.<p><p>In 2002, a remarkable hoard of Lord Baltimore sixpence appeared. No other denominations were included in the group, nor coins of any other kind. The Morton and Eden catalog offering the group of 19 pieces noted that they were "recently discovered at Fulbeck Hall, Linconshire, the seat of the Fane family" and had been there for several generations. All 19 coins were housed in a purpose made silver cylinder that could have held up to 40 of them. Such tubes were frequently used to house game counters (for card games like whist), and while groups of coins or tokens housed in a tube of this vintage arent terribly unusual, a group of rare Maryland colonial coins certainly is! [For the original tube, see the next lot.] Its unknown what the connection was between Fulbeck Hall and Calverts colony and coinage, but clearly the coins had been together since their useful lives. The tube itself was dated by Morton and Eden to ca. 1680.<p><p>The coins were generally in American EF condition, most a bit wiped or cleaned, many quite softly struck. This piece was assigned the highest grade of all those present by the Morton and Eden catalogers ("good very fine") by virtue of its sharpness and strike.PCGS# 33.From the Sydney F. Martin Collection. Earlier "discovered at Fulbeck Hall, Linconshire, the seat of the Fane family;" Mary Fry estate; Morton and Edens sale of November 2002, lot 775; Lawrence R. Stack Collection, November 2006.
