Coin (reverse), Britain crown or quarter unit, from reign of Charles I

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This 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: