Philip & Mary AD 1554-1558 Silver Shilling

Philip & Mary AD 1554-1558 Silver Shilling

Busts facing AD 1554

Full titles S2500

S2500; 30mm, 6.16g

Both portraits of both monarchs, good legends and a very well balanced coin over all, hard to get for this issue.

To try and secure the Catholic succession Mary married Philip II of Spain in AD 1554. Despite many attempts Mary proved unable to conceive and Philip returned to Spain. The alliance with Spain became increasingly unpopular in England particularly after England and Spain declared war on France. In January AD 1558 England’s last possession in France, Calais was retaken by the French. Mary claimed that when she died Calais would be found engraved on her heart.
In poor health Mary claimed that she was pregnant again early in AD 1558 however this proven to be false and Mary later died aged only 42 in November AD 1558.
Mary’s reign saw the continuation of good quality silver coinage which included a pattern half crown as well as the shilling and sixpence both of which entered circulation.