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English Coinage of the Stuarts Post-Commonwealth

Started by Deeman, December 14, 2022, 03:07:54 PM

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Deeman

Introduction

The Stuarts were the first kings of the UK. James VI of Scotland became also James I of England, thus combining the two thrones for the first time.

The Stuart dynasty reigned in England and Scotland from 1603 to 1714, a period which saw a flourishing Court culture but also much upheaval and instability, of plague, fire and war. It was an age of intense religious debate and radical politics. Both contributed to a bloody civil war in the mid-seventeenth century between Crown and Parliament (Cavaliers and Roundheads), resulting in a parliamentary victory for Oliver Cromwell, dramatic execution of Charles I and the formation of a short-lived republic.

The Restoration of the Crown was soon followed by another 'Glorious' Revolution. William and Mary of Orange ascended the throne as joint monarchs and defenders of Protestantism, followed by Queen Anne. The prospect of end of the Stuart line, with the death of Queen Anne's only surviving child in 1700, led to the drawing up of the Act of Settlement in 1701, which provided that only Protestants could hold the throne.

The regnal terms of the Stuart dynasty are:

James I (1603-1625), son of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Charles I (1625-1649), James I's second son.

Interregnum (1649-60).

Charles II (1660-85), Charles I's eldest surviving son.
James II (1685-88), Charles I's brother.
William III and Mary II (1689-1694) William (Dutch prince) married James II's daughter, Mary.
William III (1694-1702) after Mary's death.
Anne (1702-14), James II's daughter.

The next in line according to the provisions of the Act of Settlement was George, Elector of Hanover, yet Stuart princes remained in the wings with the legacy lingering on in the form of claimants to the Crown for another century.

This topic covers the reigns post-interregnum.

A topic on pre-Commonwealth issues can be found here.

Deeman

#1
Charles II

Charles was born on 29 May 1630, the eldest surviving son of Charles I. He was 12 when the Civil War began and two years later was appointed nominal commander-in-chief in western England. With the parliamentary victory he was forced into exile on the continent. He was in the Netherlands when, in 1648/9, he learnt of his father's execution.

In 1650, Charles did a deal with the Scots and was proclaimed king. With a Scottish army he invaded England but was defeated by Cromwell at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. He again escaped into exile and it was not until 1660 that he was invited back to England to reclaim his throne. Even after the unremarkable 11-year interregnum of the Commonwealth there were many Protestants in the country who were dismayed to see the throne revert back to the Catholic Stuarts.

Although those who had signed Charles I's death warrant were punished, the new king pursued a policy of political tolerance and power-sharing. His desire for religious toleration, due in large part to his own leanings towards Catholicism, were to prove more contentious. He made a number of attempts to formalise toleration of Catholics and Non-conformists but was forced to back down in the face of a strongly hostile Parliament.

In the fifth year of his reign the Black Death came to stalk the streets of London again. The plague was no stranger to the city with the earliest, largest one of note, being in 1258. Nearly a century later Black Death consumed Europe, reaching London in Nov 1348. Subsequent outbreaks continued in the 1400 and 1500s, but all small scale. Recurrences were still to be seen in the first half of the 1600s, but then in 1665 the worst epidemic yet hit the capital. This outbreak of the plague became known as the Great Plague. Spring brought a quickening in the death rate but, as these were all in the poorer sections of London, the authorities chose to ignore it. However, as spring turned into one of the hottest summers in memory, the number of deaths began to soar and panic set in. London's hot spell peaked in September and so did the death rate. With the change of weather and the advent of the cold season, the casualty rate began dropping. While not gone, the epidemic did not have a chance to regain its momentum when the weather turned warmer, for another stroke of fate literally cleansed the city of the contagion. The Great Fire of London of 1666, while decimating the physical city, also eradicated many of the conditions and vermin that harboured the disease. The new, rebuilt London of subsequent years was more spacious and open.

Between 1665 and 1667 England was at war with the Dutch (the Second Anglo-Dutch War), ending in a Dutch victory. In 1670, Charles signed a secret treaty with Louis XIV of France. He undertook to convert to Catholicism and support the French against the Dutch (Third Anglo-Dutch War 1672-1674), in return for which he would receive subsidies from France, thus enabling him some limited room for manoeuvre with Parliament.

In 1677, Charles married his niece Mary to the Protestant William of Orange, partly to re-establish his own Protestant credentials. Although Charles had a number of illegitimate children with various mistresses (the orange seller turned actress Nell Gwyn graced the royal bed), he had none with his wife, Catherine of Braganza. His Catholic brother James was thus his heir. Knowledge of his negotiations with France, together with his efforts to become an absolute ruler, brought Charles into conflict with Parliament, which he dissolved in 1681. From then until his death, he ruled alone.

Charles's reign saw the rise of colonisation and trade in India, the East Indies and America (the British captured New York from the Dutch in 1664), and the Passage of Navigation Acts that secured Britain's future as a sea power. He founded the Royal Society in 1660. Charles died on 6 Feb 1685, converting to Catholicism on his death bed.

Deeman

Charles II Coinage

Charles II ascended the throne on 29 May I660, although his regnal years are reckoned from the death of his father on 30 Jan 1648/9. By the time of the restoration, milling machines were poised to take over the minting of coins. Initially hammered coins continued in production together with some milled twopence and penny coins. By a proclamation of 7 Sep 1661, the money of the Commonwealth, nicknamed 'breeches money' from the arrangement of the shields on the reverse, was ordered not to be current after 30 Nov, later postponed till May 1662.

Of the hammered gold coinage there are two varieties of unite, double-crown and crown with and without value numerals behind the head. Of the hammered silver money there are three distinct coinages. The first and second issues comprised halfcrown, shilling, sixpence, twopence and penny. The third series had the same denominations plus fourpence and threepence pieces. The first is distinguished by having neither inner circle nor value numerals behind the head. The second has the numerals but no inner circle. The third has both numerals and inner circle. Upon these coins the king's bust is represented in profile facing left, this even applying to the half-groat and penny, which was not the case for Charles I. The only initial mark upon these gold and silver coinages is the crown. The first milled undated Maundy set issued c1664, which followed a hammered Maundy set of 1662, are the last pieces upon which initial mark appear.

From late 1662/3 onwards the production of hammered coins ceased and henceforth all coins were machine made with the king's head facing right thus following tradition of alternating profiles (Charles I faced left). In 1662/3 first the silver crown was minted, to be followed in 1663 by the gold guinea valued initially at 20/-, and two other silver coins, the halfcrown and shilling.

The gold coinage of Charles II was treated as bullion and fluctuated in value above its nominal value. Despite a weight reduction in the intervening years, the guinea reached a value of 22/- in 1680. The unofficial name guinea was applied to the £1 coin because much of the gold came from Guinea in Africa. Coins struck from such gold have an elephant provenance mark, changed to an elephant and castle (howdah) in 1674, which was the mark of the Royal African Company who imported the gold. At the outset it was regarded as a pound coin, worth 20/-, and the multiples, five and two guinea pieces, first introduced in 1668 and 1664 respectively, were officially £5 and £2. A half-guinea (10/-) was introduced in 1669. All these coins were designed by John Roettier, chief engraver at the Mint.

The dates of appearance of the other milled denominations are five guineas in 1668, two guineas in 1664, half-guinea in 1669, half-groat in 1668, the rest of the Maundy money, namely, the groat, threepence, and penny in 1670 and finally the sixpence in 1674. The Maundy money denominations were also used for currency.

The by-product of smelting the gold for coinage would have been silver alloy, which perhaps then allowed for the coinage of crowns, halfcrowns and shillings to be similarly marked. These survive in much smaller numbers than the companion gold coins. The elephant and elephant & castle marks are found respectively on the crowns, half-crowns, and shillings of 1666 and 1681. Provenance marks of plumes, identified with Welsh silver, are found on halfcrowns in 1673 and 1683, and on shillings 1671-76 and 1679-80.

The five guineas, crowns and halfcrowns have edge inscriptions, whilst the other gold and silver denominations having a grained edge. All milled coinage is dated with the exception of the early milled Maundy denominations.
A good regal copper coinage was issued for the first time in 1672 with halfpennies struck 1672-75 and farthings 1672-79. In 1684 farthings were struck in tin with a copper plug in order to help the Cornish tin industry. These tin farthings have an edge inscription. There is also a 1685 version, but this was struck in error. Charles died on 6 Feb 1684/5 so the coin must have been struck at least six weeks after this event, for by the Julian calendar, 1685 did not commence until 25 March. This is a product of a Charles die being used for a James II edge. A corresponding error for James II exists for a farthing with an edge dated 1684.

Format

Charles II is presented in sections as follows:

Gold hammered issues 1660-62.
Silver hammered issues 1660-62.
Milled coinage short introduction.
Gold milled issues 1662-85.
Silver milled issues 1662-85.
Copper issues 1672-79.
Tin issue 1684-85.
Pattern coins - Thomas Simon.
Pattern coins - John Roettiers.
Small silver brockage examples.

Deeman

Gold Hammered Coinage 1660-62

There were two issues of hammered gold unite, double-crown and crown denominations. The first issue was without mark of value whereas the second issue had the value mark. The unite was replaced by the guinea in 1663.



Unite

The unite was 0.916 fine (22ct), 34mm diameter, with a value of 20/-. The obverse depicts a laureate draped bust of the king left, value 'XX' behind in the second issue, within a circumscription translating to 'Charles II, by the Grace of God, Great Britain, France and Ireland, King'. The reverse depicts a crowned garnished oval shield of the Royal Arms, flanked by letters 'CR', within a circumscription translating to 'Through concord, kingdoms flourish'.



1660-61 first issue unite, crown initial mark on obverse.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRIT FRAN ET HIB REX, no stops.
Reverse inscription is FLORENT CONCORDIA REGNA, pellet stops.





1661-62 second issue unite, crown initial mark on obverse.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRIT FRAN ET HIB REX, pellet stops, value 'XX' behind.
Reverse inscription is FLORENT CONCORDIA REGNA, pellet stops.

Deeman

Double-crown

The double-crown was 0.916 fine (22ct), 26mm diameter, with a value of 10/-. The obverse depicts a laureate draped bust of the king left, value 'X' behind in the second issue, within a circumscription translating to 'Charles II, by the Grace of God, Great Britain, France and Ireland, King'. The reverse depicts a crowned garnished oval shield of the Royal Arms, flanked by letters 'CR', within a circumscription translating to 'Through concord, kingdoms flourish'.





1660-61 first issue double-crown, crown initial mark on obverse.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRIT FRAN ET HIB REX, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is FLORENT CONCORDIA REGNA, pellet stops.





1661-62 second issue double-crown, crown initial mark on obverse.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRIT FRAN ET HIB REX, pellet stops, value 'X' behind.
Reverse inscription is FLORENT CONCORDIA REGNA, pellet stops.

Deeman

Crown

The crown was 0.916 fine (22ct), 18mm diameter, with a value of 5/-. The obverse depicts a laureate draped bust of the king left, value 'V' behind in the second issue, within a circumscription translating to 'Charles II, by the Grace of God, Great Britain, France and Ireland, King'. The reverse depicts a crowned garnished oval shield of the Royal Arms, flanked by letters 'CR', within a circumscription translating to 'Through concord, kingdoms flourish'.





1660-61 first issue crown, crown initial mark on obverse.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BR FR ET HI REX, colon stops.
Reverse inscription is FLORENT CONCORDIA REGNA, pellet stops.





1661-62 second issue crown, crown initial mark on obverse.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRIT FR ET HIB REX, pellet stops, value 'V' behind.
Reverse inscription is FLORENT CONCORDIA REGNA, pellet stops.

Deeman

Silver Hammered Coinage 1660-62

There were three issues of hammered silver denominations. The first and second issues comprised halfcrown, shilling, sixpence, twopence and penny. The third series had the same denominations plus fourpence and threepence pieces.

The first issue had no mark value and no inner circles. The second issue have mark values and no inner circles. The third issue have mark value and inner circles.

Included within the hammered series are early machine-made twopence and penny pieces of the second issue. The two varieties of the penny issued were machine-made, as were two of the three varieties of twopences issued.

Apparently, halfpennies were also struck, but cannot be distinguished from those of the Tower Mint of Charles I.



Halfcrown

The halfcrown was 34-35mm diameter. The obverse depicts a crowned bust of the king left in armour with lace collar, value 'XXX' behind in second and third issues, within a circumscription translating to 'Charles II, by the Grace of God, Great Britain, France and Ireland, King'. The reverse depicts the Royal Arms within a square-topped shield over cross fourchée within a circumscription translating to 'I reign under the auspices of Christ'.

The bust on the halfcrown was a departure from the custom of the king's father and grandfather, who had been represented as riding a horse and holding a sword.





1660-61 first issue halfcrown, crown initial mark on obverse.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRIT FRAN ET HIB REX, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops.





1661-62 second issue halfcrown, crown initial mark on obverse.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRIT FRA ET HIB REX, colon stops, value 'XXX' behind.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops.





1661-62 third issue halfcrown, crown initial mark on both sides.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRI FRA ET HIB REX, pellet stops, value 'XXX' behind, inner circle.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops, inner circle.

Deeman

Shilling

The shilling was 31mm diameter. The obverse depicts a crowned bust of the king left in armour with lace collar, value 'XII' behind in second and third issues, within a circumscription translating to 'Charles II, by the Grace of God, Great Britain, France and Ireland, King'. The reverse depicts the Royal Arms within a square-topped shield over cross fourchée within a circumscription translating to 'I reign under the auspices of Christ'.





1660-61 first issue shilling, crown initial mark on obverse.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRIT FR ET HIB REX, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops.





1661-62 second issue shilling, crown initial mark on obverse.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRI FR ET HI REX, colon stops, value 'XII' behind.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops.





1661-62 third issue shilling, crown initial mark on both sides.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRIT FR ET HIB REX, pellet stops, value 'XII' behind, inner circle.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops, inner circle.

Deeman

Sixpence

The sixpence was 26mm diameter. The obverse depicts a crowned bust of the king left in armour with lace collar, value 'VI' behind in second and third issues, within a circumscription translating to 'Charles II, by the Grace of God, Great Britain, France and Ireland, King'. The reverse depicts the Royal Arms within a square-topped shield over cross fourchée within a circumscription translating to 'I reign under the auspices of Christ'.





1660-61 first issue sixpence, crown initial mark on obverse.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRIT FRAN ET HIB REX, no stops.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops.





1661-62 third issue sixpence, crown initial mark on both sides.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRI FRA ET HIB REX, colon stops, value 'VI' behind, inner circle.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops, inner circle.

Deeman

Fourpence

Third issue only. The obverse depicts a crowned bust of the king left in armour with lace collar, value 'IIII' behind, within a circumscription translating to 'Charles II, by the Grace of God, Great Britain, France and Ireland, King'. The reverse depicts the Royal Arms within a square-topped shield over cross fourchée within a circumscription translating to 'I reign under the auspices of Christ'.





1661-62 third issue fourpence, crown initial mark on both sides.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BR FR ET HIB REX, pellet stops, value 'IIII' behind, inner circle.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops, inner circle.

Deeman

Threepence

Third issue only. The obverse depicts a crowned bust of the king left in armour with lace collar, value 'III' behind, within a circumscription translating to 'Charles II, by the Grace of God, Great Britain, France and Ireland, King'. The reverse depicts the Royal Arms within a square-topped shield over cross fourchée within a circumscription translating to 'I reign under the auspices of Christ'.





1661-62 third issue threepence, crown initial mark on both sides.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G M BR FR ET HI REX, pellet stops, value 'III' behind, inner circle.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops, inner circle.

Deeman

Twopence

The obverse depicts a crowned bust of the king left in armour with lace collar, value 'II' behind in second and third issues, within a circumscription translating to 'Charles II, by the Grace of God, Great Britain, France and Ireland, King'. The reverse depicts the Royal Arms within a square-topped shield over cross fourchée within a circumscription translating to 'I reign under the auspices of Christ'.





1660-61 first issue twopence, crown initial mark on obverse.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRIT FR ET HIB REX, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops.





1661-62 second issue twopence, crown initial mark on obverse.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG B FR ET H REX, pellet & colon stops, value 'II' behind.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, billet stops.





1661-62 second issue twopence, crown initial mark on both sides, machine made.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG B FR ET H REX, colon stops, value 'II' behind.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops.





1661-62 second issue twopence, crown initial mark on reverse, machine made.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRI FR & HI REX, starts at 7 o'clock, pellet stops, value 'II' behind, bust to edge of coin, single-arched crown.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops.





1661-62 third issue twopence, crown initial mark on both sides.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRIT FRA ET HIB REX, colon stops, value 'II' behind, inner circle.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops, inner circle.

Deeman

Penny

The obverse depicts a crowned bust of the king left in armour with lace collar, value 'I' behind in second and third issues, within a circumscription translating to 'Charles II, by the Grace of God, Great Britain, France and Ireland, King'. The reverse depicts the Royal Arms within a square-topped shield over cross fourchée within a circumscription translating to 'I reign under the auspices of Christ'.





1660-61 first issue penny, crown initial mark on obverse.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G MAG BRIT FR ET HIB REX, pellet stops.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops.





1660-61 first issue penny, no initial mark.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G M B F ET H REX, colon stops.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops.





1661-62 second issue penny, crown initial mark on both sides, machine made.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G M B F ET H REX, colon stops, value 'I' behind.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops.





1661-62 second issue penny, crown initial mark on reverse, machine made.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G M B F & H REX, starts at 7 o'clock, pellet stops, value 'I' behind, bust to edge of coin, single-arched crown.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops.





1661-62 third issue penny, crown initial mark on both sides.
Obverse inscription is CAROLVS II D G M B FA ET HIB REX, colon stops, value 'I' behind, inner circle.
Reverse inscription is CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO, pellet stops, inner circle.

Deeman

Hammered Maundy set



1662 undated first silver Maundy set from the third and last hammered issue with value marks behind bust. These coins were also currency coins.

An undated milled set was issued c1664. It was not until 1670 that a dated set of all four coins appeared. Maundy Money has remained much the same since 1670, the coins used for the Maundy ceremony traditionally being struck in sterling silver. It is thought that from 1752 the 1d to 4d coins were minted solely for Maundy use. Prior to this ordinary circulating currency coins were used.

Deeman

Milled Coinage Introduction

Pierre Blondeau was responsible for the final conversion of English coin production from traditional hammered technology to a mechanised process under Charles II. He was invited to London in 1649 to demonstrate his new mechanised coining process. Unfortunately, the English moneyers guild succeeded in blocking his efforts, claiming that coining using the traditional hand-hammered method was not only cheaper, but faster than Blondeau's machinery. In 1651 the Commonwealth invited Blondeau to produce trials for the new coinage. It was not until Oliver Cromwell, as Lord Protector, ordered the minting of coins bearing his portrait (from designs by Thomas Simon) that Blondeau's machines were grudgingly accepted at the mint. The resulting experimental coins were outstanding for their quality and regularity. In 1657, Blondeau was commissioned to produce a full series of Cromwell's portrait coins, which was abruptly halted in 1658 upon Cromwell's death. Blondeau then went back to France. Soon after the Restoration he returned to England, and, in 1662, was appointed engineer to the mint in charge of converting the Royal Mint into a fully mechanised facility. Milled coinage was issued by the London mint in earnest in late 1662/3.