Add to albumThis is the reverse of a gold Britain crown minted at Edinburgh in 1637-8, during the reign of Charles I. The coin was worth £3 Scots or five shillings English.
The reverse has a crowned shield of arms between a crowned 'C' (for Carolus [Charles]) and a crowned 'R' (for Rex [King]), each with a lozenge below. The Latin inscription translates as: 'These united we guard'.
During Charles's reign the mill and screw coin press was introduced to Scotland by a Frenchman, Nicolas Briot, who was Master of the Mint for a time. The press lent Charles's coins a level of technical excellence previously unknown.
Record details
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- Online ID: 000-190-000-512-C
- Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
- Project:
National Museums Scotland
Project description View all records in project
- Ref: National Museums Scotland H.C228
- Date: 1637 - 1638
1637-8
- Material: Gold; slight wear. Inscription: Obv. CAR . D : G . MAG . BRIT . FR . ET . HIB . REX; crowned bust to left; small B below shoulder / Rev. . VNITA . TVEMVR .; stops are lozenges; crowned shield of arms; C to left and R to right, each with crown above and lo
Coin Type: 3rd coinage, Briot's issue
Coin, quarter unit / Britain crown
- Dimensions: 21.00 mm D / Die Axis: 6.5
- What: Coin Type: 3rd coinage, Briot's issue
Coin, quarter unit / Britain crown
- Subject: Queen Street Coin Collection
- Who: Charles I
Sutherland Collection? (RBKS annotation on ticket in tray)
- Where: Scotland, Midlothian, Edinburgh
- Event:
- Description: Charles I gold quarter-unit or Britain crown, Edinburgh, 1637 - 1638
- References:
- 'Currency' multimedia programme NMS 1995
- Richardson (1901), 105
- Stewart, I.H. 'The Scottish Coinage'. Second Edition. London: Spink & Son, 1967
- Translations:
- Related Records: