Hammered Coins Question- James I, Charles I, Etc

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Author	Replies: 5 / Views: 1,555
satxwd Valued Member United States 321 Posts	Posted 08/14/2011 10:35 am I'm looking through my British hammered coins collection and I'm trying to ID them. I've got my Seaby's book and my 'Coins of the British World'. Here is my question. I have a 1605 James I that has a VI to the left of his head. I also have a Charles I halfgroat that has a II to the right of his head. What are these numbers all about? What do they mean? Thanks. William Report this Post to the Staff

redwine Valued Member France 130 Posts	Posted 08/14/2011 1:12 pm James I was James VI of Scotland but I believe it's because it's 6d. Half groat was 2d. 2 old pence. Report this Post to the Staff
satxwd Valued Member United States 321 Posts	Posted 08/14/2011 1:47 pm So "VI" or 6d means six old old pence and "II" or 2d means two old pence? Report this Post to the Staff
redwine Valued Member France 130 Posts	Posted 08/14/2011 2:34 pm Yes. Report this Post to the Staff
Sap Moderator Australia 16868 Posts	Posted 08/14/2011 5:57 pm Yep. On late English hammered, Roman numerals in the field are denomination marks, in pence. Shillings have "XII", halfcrowns have "XXX", and so forth. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis Report this Post to the Staff
chris wren New Member United Kingdom 30 Posts	Posted 08/22/2011 12:37 pm For some small Scottish coins of Charles I, they will have XX (for 20 pennies) behind the bust instead of II (for 2 pennies or a halfgroat). This was because Scottish denomination equivalents for the penny were very different from English ones, even though the types and weights coincided. This also follows on through into the early milled coinages. Other Charles I English marks on small silver include I=1d, II=2d, III=3d and IIII=4d. Elizabeth I halgroats sometimes have two pellets (..) behind the bust to denote 2d. Late hammmered gold coins have the similar denominational markings, V = 5 shillings (crown), X = ten shillings, XX = 20 shillings (unite), III = Charles I triple unites, etc. For the Commonwealth period, all denominations except the halfpenny have roman numerals, the halfcrown shown as II.VI (for 2 shillings and 6d). Report this Post to the Staff
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