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World Gold Coins
M
INT
S
TATE
L
AUREL
O
F
J
AMES
I
2281
Great Britain. Laurel, ND
. S.2638C; Fr-242. James I,
1603-1625. Third coinage. Fourth head variety. Mint mark
Lis (1623-4). Obverse, draped bust of king left, mark of
value (XX) behind. IACOBVS D:G: MAG: BRI: FRA : ET HIB:
REX. Reverse, crowned shield of arms. FACIAM EOS IN
GENTEM UNAM. This is a sharply struck mint state coin
which glistens with original luster. The portrait is excep-
tional and the reverse shield beautifully detailed.
NGC
graded MS-63
.
*This Laurel of 20 shillings was produced within a year or
two of the end of James' s reign, in the period 1623-1624.
James died in March 1625, sadly, a prematurely senile fig-
ure at the age of 59, and was succeeded by his son Charles
I. James was not a popular or beloved King of England, nor
was he a popular King of Scotland, though overall he did
succeed better in his northern realm. For some Scots he
was the great betrayer who sold their birthright to the
English. For others, who did not object to the union of the
two crowns, his betrayal lay in settling in London rather
than Edinburgh, and thereby reinforcing the eminence of
the English capital and English domination.
But generally it was agreed that this unlikely monarch had
succeeded where his more illustrious forebears - and
English cousins - had failed. If he was not in fact the King
of Great Britain, he had peacefully united the 2 crowns into
a dual monarchy.
Estimated Value ........................................ $4,000 - 4,500
2282
Great Britain. Unite, ND
. S.2692; Fr-246. Charles I, 1625-
1649. Tower mint under the King. Mint mark, Crown (1635-6).
Obverse smaller bust of king left. Reverse, crowned shield. A
pretty coin struck on a large full flan/planchet, a little weakly
made in parts, but crisp in other areas and probably nearly
Uncirculated for this crudely produced issue. The king' s portrait
is excellent.
PCGS graded About Uncirculated, Details
(Cleaned)
.
Estimated Value ..............................................$3,000 - 3,400