Legends & Inscriptions on British Coins

This is One of the Easiest Inscriptions to Understand

The Famous "Declaration" of Charles I

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
A DOMINO FACTUM EST ISTUD ET MIRABILE IN OCULIS NOSTRIS	This is the Lord's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes	Fine sovereign of Mary
AMOR POPULI PRAESIDIUM REG(is)	The love of the people is the Queen's protection	2002 Golden Jubilee Crowns
AMOR POPULI I PRAESIDIUM REGIS	The love of the people is the King's protection	Charles I angels
ANNO REGNO PRIMO, etc.	In the first year of the reign, etc.	large milled coins, e.g. Victoria Old head crowns
ANNO REGNO (roman numerals for year)	In the year of the reign, etc.	large milled coins, e.g. Victoria Old head crowns

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
BRITANNIA	Britannia	Halfpence & Farthings of Charles II onwards
BRITANNIARUM REX	King of the Britains
BRITANNIARUM OMNIUM, abbr. to BRIT(T) OMN	King of all the Britains
BRITT OMN REX FID DEF IND IMP	King of all the Britains, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India
BRUNSVICIENSIS ET LUNEBURGENSIS DUX, abbr. to BR ET L D	Duke of Brunswick & Luneburg	George I, II, III

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
CAROLI FORTUNA RESURGAM	I, the fortune of Charles, shall rise again
CHARITIE AND CHANGE	Charity & change	Cromwell farthing
CHRISTO AUSPICE REGNO	I reign under the auspices of Christ	Charles I onwards
CIVITAS BRISTOLL, (variations)	City of Bristol	Edward I onwards
CIVITAS CANTOR	City of Canterbury	Edward I onwards
CIVITAS COVETRE	City of Coventry
CIVITAS DUNELMIS	City of Durham	Edward I onwards
CIVITAS DUREME	City of Durham	Edward I onwards
CIVITAS EBORACI	City of York	Edward I onwards
CIVITAS LONDON	City of London	Edward I onwards
CIVITAS NORVIC	City of Norwich
CIVITAS TORNACEN	City of
CIVIUM INDUSTRIA FLORET CIVITAS	By the industry of its citizens, the city flourishes	1951 Crown
CULTORES SUI DEUS PROTEGIT	God protects his worshippers	Charles I Gold crowns

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
DECUS ET TUTAMEN	An ornament and a safeguard	Edge of many milled coins
DEI GRA ANGL ET FRAN DO N HYB ET AQUIT	By the Grace of God, King of England & France, Lord of Ireland & Aquitaine
DEI GRATIA	By the Grace of God
DIEU ET MON DROIT	God and my right	George IV halfcrowns onwards
D GR P ANG SCO ET HIB & PRO		Cromwell Coins
D G M B FR ET H REX F D BR ET L D S R I A TH ET EL	By the Grace of God, King of Great Britain France & Ireland, Defender of The Faith, Duke of Brunswick & Luneburg, High Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire	George I, II, III
DIRIGE DEUS GRESSUS MEOS	May The Lord protect my steps	Una and the lion £5 piece 1839
DOMINE NE IN FURORE TUO ARGUAS ME	O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger	Edward III half florin onwards
DUM SPIRO SPERO	While I breathe, I hope	Charles I Pontefract issues

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
EXALTABITUR IN GLORIA	He shall be exalted in glory.
EXURGAT DEUS ET DISSIPENTUR INIMICE EIUS	Let The Lord arise and his enemies be scattered	James I coins

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
FACIAM EOS IN GENTEM UNAM	I will make them one nation	James I unites & laurels
FIDEI DEFENSOR, often abbr. to FID DEF, F D, etc.	Defender of the Faith	George IV first issue farthings
FLORENT CONCORDIA REGNA	Kingdoms flourish through concord	Charles I unites
FRANCIAE ET HIBERNIAE, often abbrev. to FRA ET HIB, et.	King of the French and Scots

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
GOD WITH US		Commonwealth coins (Cromwell)

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
HANC DEUS DEDIT	God has given this	Charles II Pontefract siege money
HAS NISI PERITURUS MIHI ADIMAT NEMO	Let no one remove these from me under pain of death	Cromwell crowns and halfcrowns
HENRICUS ROSAS REGNA JACOBUS	Henry united the roses, James the kingdoms	James I gold
HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE	Evil be to him who evil thinks thereof	Order of the Garter George IV Halfcrowns George IV Shillings Victoria Shillings Victoria 1887 Sixpences Victoria Florins Edward VII Halfcrowns George V Halfcrowns 1817 Sovereigns 1801 - 1813 George III Half Guineas

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
ICH DIEN (German)	I Serve	Decimal Twopences
IHC AUTEM TRANSIENS
INDIAE IMPERATOR, abbr. to IND IMP	Emperor of India
INIMICOS EIUS INDUAM CONFUSIONE	As for his enemies, I shall clothe them in shame	Edward VI Durham House shillings

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
JESUS AUTEM TRANSIENS PER MEDIUM ILLORUM IBAT	But Jesus, passing through the midst of them, went his way	English gold nobles, ryals & sovereigns
JUSTITIA THRONUM FIRMAT	Justice strengthens the throne	Charles I halfgroats & pennies

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
LUCERNA PEDIBUS MEIS VERBUM EST	The word is a lamp unto my feet	Edward VI Durham House half sovereign

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
MAG BR FRA ET HIB REX	King of Great Britain France & Scotland
MAG BR FR ET HIB REX ET REGINA	King & Queen of Great Britain & Ireland	William & Mary
MAGNA BRITANNIAE, often abbr. to M B, MAG BR etc.	Great Britain
M B F ET H REX F D B ET L D S R I A T ET E	By the Grace of God, King of Great Britain France & Ireland, Defender of The Faith, Duke of Brunswick & Luneburg, High Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire	George I, II, III
MIRABILIA FECIT	He made it marvellously	Viking coins of York
MUNUS DIVINUM	A Divine Offering

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT	No one provokes me with impunity	1984 Scottish Pound
NUMMORUM FAMULUS	The servant of the coinage	C17 tin coinage

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
OBS NEWARK	Newark beseiged	Charles I Newark siege coins
O CRUX AVE SPES UNICA	Hail O Cross, our only hope	All half angels

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
PAX MISSA PER ORBEM	Peace sent throughout the world	Anne farthing
PAX QUAERITUR BELLO	Peace is sought by war	Cromwell broad
PAXS	Peace
PER CRUCEM TUAM SALVA NOS CHRISTE REDEMPTOR	By thy Cross, save us, O Christ, our Redeemer	angels
PLEIDOL WYF I'M GWLAD	True am I to my country	1985 Pounds
POST MORTEM PATRIS PRO FILIO	For the son after the death of the father	Pontefract siege coins of 1648
POSUI DEUM ADIUTOREM MEUM	I have made God my helper	Edward III silver onwards
PROTECTOR LITERIS LITERAE NUMMIS CORONA ET SALUS	A protection to the letters, the letters are a garland and a safeguard to the coinage	Cromwell fifty shillings

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
QUAE DEUS CONIUNXIT NEMO SEPARET	What God has joined, let no one separate	James I large silver coins

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
REDDE CUIQUE QUOS SUUM EST	Render to each that which is his own	Edward VIII Durham House groat
REGINA, often abbrev. to REG, R, etc	Queen
RELIGIO PROTESTANTIUM LEGES ANGLIAE LIBERTAS PARLIAMENTI	The religion of the Protestants, the laws of England and the liberty of Parliament	Charles I civil war issues
REL PROT LEG ANG LIB PAR	The religion of the Protestants, the laws of England and the liberty of Parliament	Charles I civil war issues
RELIG PROT LEG ANG LIBER PAR	The religion of the Protestants, the laws of England and the liberty of Parliament	Charles I civil war issues
REX	King
REX ANGL	King of the English
REX ANGLORUM	King of the English
REX SAXONUM OCCIDENTALIUM	King of the West Saxons
ROSA SINE SPINA	A rose without thorns	Henry VIII onwards
RUTILANS ROSA SINE SPINA	A dazzling rose without a thorn	Henry VIII onwards

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
SACRI ROMANI IMPERII ARCHI-THESAURARIUS ET ELECTOR, abbr. to S R I A TH ET EL	High Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire	George I, II, III
SCUTUM FIDEI PROTEGET EAM	The shield of Faith will protect her	Elizabeth I gold
SCUTUM FIDEI PROTEGET EUM	The shield of Faith will protect him	Edward VI gold
SIC VOS NON VOBIS	Thus we labour, but not for ourselves	Edge of 1994 £2 coins
STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS		Bi-metallic £2 coins

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
TALI DICATA SIGNO MENS FLUCTUARI NEQUIT	Consecrated by such a sign the mind cannot waver	Henry VIII George noble
THE COMMONWEALTH OF ENGLAND	Commonwealth of England	Commonwealth under Cromwell 1649 - 1660
TIMOR DOMINI FONS VITAE	The fear of The Lord is the fountain of life	Edward VI shillings
FAITH AND TRUTH I WILL BEAR UNTO YOU		Elizabeth II crowns 1953 and 1993
TUEATUR UNITA DEUS	May God guard those united	James I coins

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
VERITAS TEMPORIS FILIA	Truth, the daughter of time	Mary coins
VIGO	Vigo Bay	Anne 1702 & 1703
VILLA CALESIE	Town of Calais	Edward III onwards
VIVAT REGINA ELIZABETHA	Long live Queen Elizabeth	1996 crown
WHAT'S PAST IS PROLOGUE		Millennium Crowns

Notes
U and V are often interchangeable in Latin. We have shown the intended letter, for example VIGO, and DEUS instead of DEVS. For a version of this page with the literal inscriptions (as on the coins), rather than our interpreted version, please see out page U and V Are Interchangeable in Latin.

George V Inscriptions

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Common Names of British Coins. What's a Tanner?
Engravers and Sculptors of British Coins