52) Elizabeth I Coins

(Elizabeth I, Source: 2 pictures from Wikipedia)

Shilling

Elizabeth I (1558-1603), Shilling, n.d (1594-1596), 5th issue. Obv. Legend: ELIZAB DG ANG FR ET HIB REGI (Elizabeth by the grace of God Queen of England France and Ireland). Rev. Legend: POSUI DEU ADIVTOREM MEU (I have made God my helper). This specimen is double struck especially on reverse. Most milled shillings appear to have been weakly struck, particularly obverse portrait, due to the striking techniques and the thickness of the silver. Specimens with VF to EF condition are quite rare and desirable.

Although a large quantity of shillings were produced under Elizabeth, there was a twenty year break in production between 1562 and 1582, probably because originally sufficient numbers were in circulation from Edward VI, Philip and Mary and the Great Re-coinage of 1560-1562. Nevertheless, several varieties of hammed shilling were struck during the early part of the reign while milled shillings were also produced in the 1560s. All issues show a bust of the queen on the obverse and the royal shield over a cross on the reverse; they are undated and have no mark of value. However, they cannot be confused with other issues, because no other denomination is at all like the shilling in style and, most importantly, size. All issues have a mintmark on the obverse and reverse, found at the top of the coin at the beginning of the legends. And, since mintmarks were a form of quality control linking coins with dies, all Elizabeth I shillings can be dated very accurately with the help of the mints’ records and historical data.

Six Pence

Elizabeth I (1558-1603), hammered coinage 6 Pence, 1582, sword mint mark, fourth issue. Obv. bust of Queen with rose behind. Rev. Cross over royal shield. 6 Pence of Elizabeth I are fairly common, especially in VG to aF condition. However, VF and EF examples are scarcer, i.e. desirable and obtainable. 6 Pence are sometimes clipped, creased or holed. Clear date, mintmark and portrait of 6 Pence are very desirable.

The sixpence became an important and well-established denomination under Elizabeth I and although none was produced in the short period of her first two issues, large quantities were struck in the third issue. The sixpence is easily identified as a denomination since, with one extremely rare exception, all issues are dated and, again with one extremely rare exception, all have rose behind the queen’s bust. Also, all sixpences have mintmarks at the beginning of the obverse and reverse legend. Moreover, some dates, in particular 1568/1567, are overdates, i.e. a die has been altered from one year to another so as to avoid the expense of a new die. In rare cases the date is not complete on the coin, usually with the last number missing. With huge quantities of coins being produced from numerous dies, variation in style exists and there are particularly many styles of bust in the third coinage. Finally, milled sixpences were also produced under Elizabeth and are very different style from the hammered issue.

Reference:

Lobel, Richard et al., 1995, Coincraft's Standard Cataloque of English & UK coins 1066 to Date, Krause Publications, pp.204-205 (for shilling), p.222 (for 6 Pence).