Coins, Crown & Conflict

An Exploration of Cromwell’s England

Coins, Crown & Conflict: An Exploration of Cromwell’s England explores the period from the reign of Charles I and the English Civil Wars to the first years of the restored British monarchy under Charles II, through the coins, medals, people and objects associated with Oliver Cromwell. 

Oliver Cromwell has been the subject of speculation and research over the 350 years since his death.  Some have praised him as a great reformer and supporter of religious freedom while others have reviled him as a tyrannical dictator.  One thing we know is true – during his life (1599 – 1658) there was great change in England in religious, economic and political terms.  Cromwell’s own actions and the events of his lifetime form one of the pivotal points in the history of Great Britain and her colonies. 

The event that most effected Cromwell’s life and career was the conflict between King Charles I and the English Parliament over the power of taxation and freedom of religion. The end result was a series of conflicts known as the English Civil Wars, during which Cromwell rose to distinction as a Member of Parliament, a cavalry commander, a general, and eventually as the “Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland.”  Cromwell’s place in history was assured by his role in the execution of Charles I and his rise to power as “Lord Protector” during the Commonwealth.

Numismatically, this period of English history saw the conversion of English coinage from traditional hand made “hammered” coins to mechanized “milled” coins.  The conversion process was not smooth and evolved in fits and starts over a period of 25 years involving several talented mint engineers and engravers: Nicholas Briot, Thomas Simon, Peter Blondeau and John Roettiers.  The traditional mint authorities resisted this change to the utmost of their powers, but were finally forced to accept modernization by Charles II in 1662.

One of the exhibit’s extremely rare and valuable coins is The Petition Crown, produced by Thomas Simon, the chief engraver at the Royal Mint during Cromwell’s rule. Created in 1663 to convince Charles II to change his mind about the selection of a Dutch minter’s coin design, Simon engraved his petition to the king around the coin’s edge. It read: ‘THOMAS SIMON MOST HVMBLY PRAYS YOVR MAJESTY TO COMPARE THIS HIS TRYALL PIECE WITH THE DVTCH AND IF MORE TRVLY DRAWN & EMBOSS'D MORE GRACE; FVLLY ORDER'D AND MORE ACCURATELY ENGRAVEN TO RELEIVE HIM.' The silver coin features an image of Charles II so detailed it shows the King's neck veins in candlelight shadows. But the coin came too late for Charles II to change his plans.

There are very few remaining Petition Crowns. The finest, from the collection of Geoffrey Cope , is part of the ANA’s exhibit and marks the first time in many years a Petition Crown has been exhibited in the United States. [www.petitioncrown.com]

Cope also lent the ANA several artifacts pertaining to Oliver Cromwell for the exhibit, including one of several Cromwell’s death masks. In the seventeenth century, death masks were commonly made for display at state funerals and to assist in creating posthumous portraits. Thomas Simon was responsible for making a wax mold of Cromwell’s features after his death. Plaster-casts such as this were made from the original mold and many now exist in museums around the world. Cromwell's strong intelligent face was marked by a large nose and several warts that appear in contemporary portraits.