Exeter Mint Crown of Charles I

Obverse of Reproduction Charles I Silver Crown

Reverse of Reproduction Charles I Silver Crown

Silver Crown of Charles I

Civil War Period
During the reign of Charles I, the English Civil War divided England into Royalist versus Roundhead factions.
Emergency mints were established in at least sixteen provincial towns, many of which came under siege. To finance the Royalist military effort, much domestic silverware was melted down, or even simply beaten and cut up, to produce coins.
Even by contemporary standards, many of the coins produced under such conditions, were very irregular in appearance.

The Exeter Mint
A mint had been set up at Truro, but this was later moved to Exeter. Its exact location in Exeter is still not known. The Exeter mint used a rose, castle, and EX monograms as mintmarks.

Silver Crowns
The Crown was introduced as a denomination under Henry VII in 1544 at first as a gold coin. It was first produced as a silver coin in 1551 under Edward VI.
Our authentically produced replica is based on a crown struck at the Exeter mint in 1645. It is unusual also in being dated. Although the silver crown of Edward VI was one of the first English coins to bear a date, most of the crowns of Charles I were undated, particularly those struck at the Tower Mint in London.
The mint inform me that both hand-made dies are now in a delicate condition. Clear evidence of this can be seen in the form of a fairly obvious die-crack in the area of the word "AUSPICE" on the reverse. In a sense, this adds an extra interest to the piece as, on old coins, it was often possible to make historical deductions on the basis of the extent of die-cracks and die-pairings.
The dies for the original coins would have been made of wrought iron with a steeled surface, but would have been susceptible to progressive wear and damage. Although it is unlikely the the modern mint has deliberately introduced the flaw, nevertheless, we think the die crack enhances the authentic look of the coin.

Obverse:
Portrait of King Charles I on horseback, riding left, brandishing a sword on his right hand. The mintmark is an EX monogram and castle design.
As it is produced in sterling silver, there is a hallmark on our coin.
CAROLUS D G MAG BRI FRA ET HIB REX

Reverse:
Large garnished oval shield, the quarters containing a lion rampant, a harp, three leopards and fleurs-de-lys, all within an inner circle.
CHRISTO AUSPICE REGNO 1645

Technical Specifications
All dimensions are approximate, and subject to tolerance.
Diameter 42 mm.
Weight 28.4 grams
Alloy 92.5% silver

Availability
In mint state, an original would be difficult to find even at over £1000. This is currently the most expensive of our reproduction coins, but still feel that it represents reasonable value.

Prices & Availability
All prices on our websites are subject to fluctuation and availability. Please check before ordering.

Denomination	Grade	Availability	Price £	Price $
Crown	Uncirculated	Yes	£85	$Ask

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