Coin (Obverse), half merk piece, from reign of Charles II

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This is the obverse of a silver half merk piece minted in Edinburgh in 1671, during the reign of Charles II. The coin was worth six shillings and eight pence Scots.

The obverse bears a laureate portrait of the king with a thistle below. The Latin inscription translates as: 'Charles II, by the Grace of God '.

Charles was proclaimed King of Scots shortly after his father's execution in 1649, and was crowned on 1st January 1651. No coins were struck until his restoration to the English throne in 1660, and no gold coins appeared during his reign at all.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-054-252-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  H.C3800
• Date: 1671
  
• Material: Silver; generally moderate wear. Inscription: Obv. CAROLVS . II . DEI . GRA .; laureate bust to right; thistle below / Rev. MAG BRI . FRA ET . HIB REX . 1671 .; cross of 4 shields, with crowned linked Cs in angles; VI / 8 in centre
  Coin Type: 1st coinage
  Coin, half merk
  
• Dimensions: 22.50 x 22.00 mm D / Die Axis: 9.5
  
• What: Coin Type: 1st coinage
  Coin, half merk
  
• Subject: Queen Street Coin Collection
  
• Who: Charles II
  
• Where: Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh
  
• Event:
• Description: Charles II silver half-merk, Edinburgh, 1671
  
• References:
  • 'Currency' [multimedia CD-ROM] Edinburgh: NMS, 1995 
  • Stewart, I.H. 'The Scottish Coinage'. Second Edition. London: Spink & Son, 1967 
• Translations:
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