Latest Acquisition: 1562 Elizabeth I Sixpence (Milled)

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Author	Replies: 5 / Views: 4,516
EarlyMilledCoins Valued Member United States 147 Posts	Posted 01/31/2014 4:30 pm Just got this today! Elizabeth I 1562 Sixpence (milled issue) Mint mark: 'Star' (Tower mint, 1560 - 1566) 2.93g, 26mm. Crowned bust of Elizabeth (facing left) with decorated dress and small rose. Obverse: ELIZABETH DG ANG FRA ET HIB REGINA. Reverse: Quartered Royal Arms over long cross with date (1562) POSVI DEVM ADIVTOREM MEVM. The earliest machine known for producing coins is the screw press, invented by Leonardo da Vinci in the 15th century, powered by a water mill. With the arrival of machine-driven and struck coins also came new technology and techniques for stamping the coin's edge with a reeded or milled edge or impressed with designs. The presence of reeding shows that the coin's edge has not been shaved or clipped. The new edging processes for coins impeded them from being clipped into smaller pieces as did happen when coins were hammer-struck. Hence, milled edges were originally designed and intended to show that none of the metal had been shaved off the coin. Earlier, coins were shaved or clipped to almost half of their minted weight by unscrupulous persons and it is from this phenomenon that we derive the phrase "clip artist" to mean a thief. This form of debasement in Tudor England led to the formulation of Gresham's Law, so named after Sir Thomas Gresham. The earliest milled coins produced in England date from the early 1560s, but milled coinage did not entirely replace hammered coinage until 1662. Report this Post to the Staff

thedollarman Pillar of the Community Canada 4911 Posts	Posted 01/31/2014 4:35 pm Nice coin and thanks for the history lesson. Feel free to call me Will. Report this Post to the Staff
EarlyMilledCoins Valued Member United States 147 Posts	Posted 01/31/2014 5:44 pm Thanks. I was also wondering if I got a good deal? I paid $195 Edited by EarlyMilledCoins 01/31/2014 5:53 pm Report this Post to the Staff
Badger Mint Valued Member United States 324 Posts	Posted 01/31/2014 5:59 pm Does this piece have a reeded edge? Report this Post to the Staff
philadelphian Pillar of the Community United States 3253 Posts	Posted 01/31/2014 9:22 pm Some of the earliest coin "mills" in America, notably the Vermont Mint in Rupert, and Machins Mill in Newburgh, NY, were located on streams, and I had always assumed they must have used a water-powered screw. Report this Post to the Staff
publius Pillar of the Community United States 807 Posts	Posted 01/31/2014 10:09 pm At the time of William III's great recoinage, as Ruding describes, clipping was to the point that the coins paid into the Exchequer weighed about 40% what they should, & there were in circulation "half crowns wanting seven and sixpence", that is, requiring three others like them to bring them up to the legal weight. Mind, the coins paid in taxes were probably the worst of the lot, but still it's frightening. Roller-presses operated by water were used at Segovia, & hammer presses run from a water wheel were used at Avesta in Sweden. But, although the rolling mills used for making strip were often worked by water (as at Paris, the Monnaie du Molin), working screw presses from a common source of power does not appear to have caught on until Boulton & Watt harnessed them to steam. Meanwhile, I'm on the war-path again to purchase my own screw press. Report this Post to the Staff
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