Richard III silver groat to beat $1,579 estimate at coin auction?

A Richard III-period silver groat coin is coming to auction in the UK in March armed with a £1,000 ($1,579) estimate, reports the East Anglian Daily Times newspaper.

The auctioneer will be hoping that the recent fervour surrounding the discovery of the king's bones under a Leicester, UK car park will bring increased interest, and value, to the sale.

Battle of Bosworth Richard III coin
This gold Richard III coin, found near the site of the Battle of Bosworth, sold for £36,000 in December

The coin's rarity will also play a factor. Richard III was king for just 26 months, from June 1483 until his death at the Battle of Bosworth in August 1485, meaning very few examples of coinage were minted.

"This would have been made at the Tower of London Mint between 1484 to 1485," coin expert Chris Elmy told the publication.

A gold Richard III-era coin, found near the site of his last battle, sold for £36,000 ($57,999) in December.

The brief period of his reign and subsequent scarcity of his artefacts has had a similar impact on prices for other Richard III collectibles at auction, with a document signed by the king selling for £109,250 ($168,900) in June.

View our selection of rare coins for sale here.

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