Richard III AD 1483-1485 Gold Angel Mintmark Boars Head *Extremely Rare*

Richard III AD 1483-1485 Gold Angel *Extremely Rare*

Mintmark Boars Head

Obverse – St. Michael slaying Dragon right, Latin legend and beaded border surrounding on both sides, initial mark boars head 2 (1483-85) both sides, RIC struck over EDW saltire stops, RICARD’x DI’x GRA’x REX AnGL’x Z FRAnCx.

Reverse – ship sailing right, quartered shield at centre, R and rose above with cross, R struck over a rose, PER CRVSEMx TVAx SALVA nOS XPC REDEMPT.

Schneider 489; N.1676; S2151; 27mm, 5.00g

Striking crack running from edge of coin to near centre at 6 o’clock on obverse, unobtrusive and certainly does not detract from this pleasing example, coins of this monarch are extremely rare in gold.

Richard III was the younger brother of Edward IV and one of the principal Yorkists during the War of the Roses. Created Duke of Gloucester when Edward became king he was an able administrator and was responsible for governing much of northern England during the reign of his brother. When Edward died suddenly in AD 1483 Richard was nominated Lord Protector. Conflict with the Woodvilles resulted in Richard imprisoning the two sons of Edward IV in the Tower. When a bishop then declared that the princes were illegitimate Richard claimed the throne and was crowned in place of Edward V in July AD 1483.
A rebellion by the Duke of Buckingham in the autumn of AD 1483 was quickly put down however in the summer of AD 1485 Henry Tudor landed in Wales with an army raised in France. The 2 armies met at Bosworth Fields where Richard was defeated and killed. Richard’s body has recently been found beneath a car park and has now been reburied in Leicester Cathedral. Richard was the last English king to be killed in battle and is also the last of the last of the Plantagenets.