$49,680.00 USD
The 1716 (struck circa 1828) Gold Guinea of King James VIII, graded NGC MS66, is a rare and exquisitely preserved pattern restrike issued by the famous London numismatist and dealer Matthew Young, utilizing original early 18th-century dies. Struck from dies engraved by Norbert Roettier, this piece reflects the unrealized ambitions of James Francis Edward Stuart—the Old Pretender—as the de jure James VIII of Scotland and James III of England. Though never reigning, his supporters continued to produce symbolic currency and medals asserting his claim to the British throne.
Obverse: Features a laureate and cuirassed bust of James VIII facing right, with highly detailed engraving in Roettier's refined style. The Latin legend reads:
IACOBVS. VIII. DEI. GRATIA. — James VIII, by the Grace of God.
Reverse: Shows a crowned cruciform shield arrangement mimicking the English guineas of the era. Four quartered arms of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland are arranged around a central thistle, flanked by scepters (in incorrect heraldic order). The legend reads:
SCO AN. FRA ET HIB REX 1716 — King of Scotland, England, France, and Ireland.
This piece was struck in gold from original or reworked dies around 1828, over a century after the original date. It was part of a small series of Jacobite numismatic relics issued for collectors and royalist sympathizers, intended more as commemorative or ideological statements than as currency. The plain edge and highly reflective, prooflike surfaces confirm its presentation nature.
