43 / 136
Tyrants of the Thames
111
SILVER POUND 1644
Charles I, Stuart King, 1625-1649
Oxford Mint, by Rawlins. King crowned and wearing armor, holding sword aloft and mounted on war-
horse facing left, trampling captured arms, with fluttering scarf and Oxford plume behind, initial mark
Oxford Plume in obverse legend; reverse, Declaration of Wellington in three lines within elegant car-
touche, lion’s face above scroll, topped by “XX” for denomination of 20 shillings (one pound), single
large Shrewsbury plume above, large date 1644 and OX below, surrounded by EXURGAT DEUS DIS-
SIPENTUR INIMICI legend, translating from Latin to mean “Let God Arise [and] Let His Enemies Be
Scattered” (Psalm lxviii.1). Extremely rare.This huge silver coin was virtually unknown to the populace
at the time of its issue, as examples minted between 1642 and 1644 were reputedly given by the king
from time to time as gifts to senior officers of his cavalier army. As such, the quality of the engraving
was of singular importance, as was the high silver content of each coin. Few pieces were made. This
specimen is the rarest of all the variants of this acclaimed crown, struck at the very end of its issue period,
and ranks among the finest known with a long provenance from Montagu (1896) to Slaney (2015): per-
fectly centered on each side and deeply struck with full outer beaded rims, the obverse sharply detailed
despite slight doubling (shifting of the die), the reverse bold and clear in every detail, on a full choice flan
sheathed in antique gray patina, a few abrasions from centuries ago on obverse; all in all, of exceptional
eye-appeal in the hand.
S-2943. N-2402. PCGS-graded AU53.
112
SILVER HALF-POUND 1642
Charles I, Stuart King, 1625-1649
Oxford Mint. Plume mintmark. The so-called Shrewsbury horseman image of the king mounted, facing
left, holding a sword, with captured arms beneath the horse’s hooves, Oxford plume behind him; reverse,
three banded Oxford plumes with “X” (for 10 shillings) centered among them, date in large digits below
the Declaration in two lines. Rare.The king fled London to his new headquarters at Oxford, where from
1642 to 1646 he ordered coins to be issued in a variety of denominations, in gold and silver. Very few
of his larger silver coins escaped the injuries of wartime use, this one being an exception. An excellent
example of this large, rare Civil War coin, on a full broad flan with sharp details but especially bold on
the reverse, which has heavy rims and remnant luster. Gorgeous old-cabinet golden gray patina lends an
especially enticing eye-appeal.
S-2945. N-2404. PCGS-graded AU50.