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Elizabeth I, 1558-1603

Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I, the daughter of Henry VII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, succeeded to the throne following the death of her half sister, Mary. From the beginning, Elizabeth possessed both a scholar's mind and a sharp instinct for politics. Her reign has been described as "the most colorful and splendid in English history." It saw the foundation of the British Empire; the power of Spain challenged on the seas and finally broken by the defeat of the Armada; the flowering of the Renaissance and the work of Shakespeare; and the transition from the medieval twilight to a more progressive age.

Elizabeth continued to strike some gold coins of beautiful design in the fineness standard established by Henry VII and Mary. But in other instances, she reverted to the debasement practiced by Henry VIII, lowering the gold content to 22kts.


The Gold Coins of Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I

ImageHalf Crown value 2 shillings 6 pence, wt. 1.40 grams
Milled Issue (1561-1570), London Mint, EF+
An exceedingly rare Elizabethan milled half crown. The public disliked such a small coin with such a high value, so very few pieces were struck.

Quarter Angel value 2 shillings 6 pence, wt. 1.31 grams
3rd Issue (1587-1589), London Mint, EF
The quarter angel was the smallest Elizabethan hammered coin.

Crown value 4 shillings 8 pence, wt. 3.76 grams
Milled Issue (1561-1570), London Mint, EF
An equally rare Elizabethan milled crown.

Half Pound value 10 shillings, wt. 5.55 grams
1st-3rd Issue (1559-1578), London Mint, VF+

Half Pound value 10 shillings, wt. 5.43 grams
1st-3rd Issue (1559-1578), London Mint, VF+

Half Pound value 10 shillings, wt. 5.46 grams
Milled Issue (1603), London Mint, AEF

Ryal value 15 shillings, wt. 7.59 grams
5th Issue (1584-1589), London Mint, AEF
Considered to be the last medieval coin.

Pound value 20 shillings, wt. 11.24 grams
6th Issue (1594-1598), London Mint, EF

Pound value 20 shillings, wt. 11.12 grams
6th Issue (1594-1598), London Mint, VF

Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I

ImageFine Sovereign value 30 shillings, wt. 15.16 grams
5th Issue (1584-1587), London Mint, EF

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