Date: 1603-04

Description:

James I Silver Shilling, First coinage, struck at the Tower Mint, London. No date but the mint mark: Bell denotes the year 1603-04.

This issue of Irish shillings were of good silver but, being only three-quarters of the weight of an English shilling, they were accepted as legal tender in England and Wales – albeit at the reduced face value of nine pence.

• Weight: 4.27 g
  • (a little under-weight for the issue)
• Diameter: 28.4 mm
  • (an unusually full flan)
• Surface marks, otherwise a near very fine example
• Good bust, round flan and little wear
  • Near Very Fine (nVF)

References:

• S. 6512; D&F 259

Obverse:

• Crowned (first) bust of James I, facing left
  • The first bust can be quickly identified via the ‘squared’ beard
• Legend:
  • IACOBVS D G ANG SCO FRA ET HIB REX
    • Translates from truncated Latin as:
      • James, by the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland

Reverse:

• Crowned harp; Bell i.m. (1603-4)
  • London Tower mint
• Legend:
  • EXVRGAT DEVS DISSIPENTVR INIMICI
    • Translates from Latin as:
      • God upholds the united

Additional Information:

James was King of Scotland from 1567 and in 1603 he succeeded Elizabeth I, uniting England, Scotland, and Ireland. He based himself in England and reigned in all three kingdoms for 22 years, using the title King of Great Britain and Ireland, until his death in 1625 at the age of 58.

Other Coins in the Series:

• The Old Currency Exchange: Checklist of Tudor & Stuart Irish Coinages

• James I

  • 1st Irish Coinage (1603-1604) / Rev. TVEATVR VNITA DEVS
    • 1st Bust (squared beard)
      • Shilling, mint mark: Bell (1603-04)
      • Sixpence, mint mark: Bell (1603-04)
    • 2nd Bust (pointed beard)
      • Shilling, mint mark: Martlet (1604)
  • 2nd Irish Coinage (1605-1607) / Rev. HENRICVS ROSAS REGNA IACOBVS
    • 3rd Bust (decorated shoulder)
      • Shilling, mint mark: Martlet (1605)
      • Shilling, mint mark: Rose (1605-06)
      • Sixpence, mint mark: Rose (1605-06)
    • 4th Bust (plain shoulder / ruff)
      • Shilling, mint mark: Escallop (1606-07)
      • Sixpence, mint mark: Escallop (1606-07)

   

Further Reading: