Charles II AD 1660-1685 Silver Halfcrown AD 1671

Charles II 1660-1685AD Silver Halfcrown 1671AD

3rd bust / Crowned cruciform shields. Regnal year on edge VICESIMO TERTIO.

S3366, 33mm, 14.91g

From an English Gentleman’s collection, the coins bought from dealers like Baldwins and Glendenning’s in the 1970’s & 1980’s, labels and detail of provenance were not retained.

Charles II was the eldest son of Charles I and Henrietta Maria. Famous for hiding in an oak tree whilst being pursued by Cromwell’s troops before fleeing to the Continent. He was recalled in AD 1660 after the fall of the Protectorate. The Restoration commenced and although he married Catherine of Braganza he bore no legitimate heir. He is perhaps better known as the Merrie Monarch, for his love of pleasure and for his number of illegitimate offspring many of whom latter became part of the aristocracy.

The coinage was reformed early in his reign with the demise of hammered coinage which was replaced by high quality machine made milled coinage. New gold coinage introduced included the guinea which was first issued in AD 1663 and which continued in circulation until the Napoleonic wars nearly 140 years later.