Rare 17th century penny from Carrickfergus sells for 拢6,200

Image source, Dix Noonan Webb

A rare 17th century penny struck in County Antrim has broken an auction record after selling for 拢6,200.

The penny from Carrickfergus had been expected to fetch 拢240 to 拢300, but the price rocketed.

The coin sold for more than 20 times its estimate in a live online auction of historical medals.

International coins, medals, banknotes and jewellery specialist Dix Noonan Webb (DNW) said it had set a worldwide auction record.

The buyer was a collector from the United States.

The auctioneers said the Carrickfergus coin was a "very fine and very rare penny".

They said it set a new world record for the sale of a 17th century British trade token.

Half crown and sixpence

DNW is based in Mayfair, London, but under Covid-19 restrictions, auctions are online.

The auctioneer stands in an empty room - in stark contract to the packed room filled with keen bidders - and people bid online or leave a commission bid.

However, a spokesperson said business remains brisk.

Elsewhere at the auction on Tuesday, a 19th century copper half crown dating from 1812, which was struck in Sheffield, sold for 拢8,680 to a private collector and a 19th century sixpence dating from 1813, from a workhouse in Birmingham, sold for 拢4,464.

The sale also included a collection of 18th and 19th century horseracing tickets and passes.

The highest price was achieved for an extremely rare copper-gilt pass from Richmond Racecourse in North Yorkshire, stamped Lord Dundas, which sold for 拢1,240 against an estimate of 拢200-拢300.

Peter Preston-Morley, specialist and associate director at DNW, said: "The market for quality was very strong in this sale and all the horseracing material was keenly bid on, mostly acquired by private individuals in the UK."

DNW is donating 5% of buyers' premiums to NHS Charities Together.

A total of 拢24,879 has been donated since the lockdown started.