1078021 | GREAT BRITAIN. England. Elizabeth I. (Queen, 1533-1603). (1600-01) ND-O AR 4 Testerns. NGC AU55. Tower (London) mint. Crowned coat-of-arms; crowned E – R to either side / Crowned portcullis. SCBC-2607B; Pridmore 2; BCW 0-1E/0-a; Unlisted in North; Mitchiner 3762, this coin.

Portcullis money. The four denominations of Eight, Four, Two and One silver Testern were an attempted trade coinage sponsored by the East India Company to be used in overseas trade mainly in the Far East. However the Spanish Eight Reales and its fractions continued to dominate and ultimately the testern coinage did not succeed, leaving the surviving coins a rarity. Illustrated in Michael Mitchiner, The World of Islam, p.445.

Ex Robert P. Puddester Collection; reportedly purchased from R.C. Senior (Glastonbury, UK) before 1984. Includes original collector's ticket.


Please use this link to verify the NGC certification number 6381364012