Date: c. 1601-02

Elizabeth I, Third issue, Threepence, mm. Martlet

Description:

Elizabeth I (1558-1603), Third issue, debased silver Threepence, issued c. 1601-02. The reason for this coinage was to deny good silver to the rebels in the north of Ireland so they would not have anything with which to buy arms from abroad. The idea was to flood Ireland with base money and get everything else out of circulation.

• Weight: 1.31g
• References: S 6509; DF 254

Striking split, good very fine and very rare

Obverse:

• Arms of England
• Mintmark: Martlet
• Legend:
  • “ELIZABETH D. G. ANG . FR. ET . HIBERNIE”
    • Translation:
    • “Elizabeth by the Grace of God, Queen of England, France and Ireland”

Reverse:

• Crowned harp
• Mintmark: Martlet
• Legend:
  • “POSVI DEVM ADIVTOREM MEVM”
    • Translation:
    • “I have made God my helper”

Notes:

• The trefoil mint-mark (which appears on both sides) is a date indicator
• These coins occur with 3 mint-marks: the trefoil, the star and the martlet
  • The ‘trefoil’ was first, and in use from the date of the indenture, 2nd February 1601, until the pyx trial of 20th May 1601
  • Following the pyx of 20th May 1601, the mint mark was changed to ‘star’
  • On 24th May 1602 the ‘star’ pieces were pyxed, and the mint mark changed to ‘martlet’

Country:

• Ireland

Category:

• Anglo-Norman
  • House of Tudor
• Elizabeth I
  • Third Irish Coinage (debased silver)
• Hammered

Further Reading:

• Check List: Irish Tudor & Stuart Coinage
• O’Brien Coin Guide: An Introduction to the Irish Coinage of Elizabeth I

Other Coins in this Series:

• Elizabeth I

  • 1st Irish Coinage (de-based silver, 1558) mm. Rose
    • Billon Shilling
      • Obverse legend reads “REGINA”
      • Obverse legend reads “REGIN.”
      • Obverse legend reads “REGI:”
      • Obverse legend reads “REGI” (no stop)
      • Obverse legend reads “REG:”
    • Billon Groat
      • Obverse legend reads “REGINA”
      • Obverse legend reads “REGIN”
      • Obverse legend reads “REGI.”
      • Obverse legend reads “REG:”
  • Edward VI Re-used (Countermarked)
    • Seated Greyhound ‘Countermark’ on Edward VI Irish Shilling (1560)
  • 2nd Irish Coinage (fine silver, 1561) mm. Harp
    • Shilling
      • Obverse legend reads “REGI”
      • Obverse legend reads “REG:”
    • Groat
      • Obverse legend reads “REG”
      • Obverse legend reads “RE”
      • Legends read “REG” and “MEV”
  • 3rd Irish Coinage (de-based silver, 1601-02) – three different mintmarks
    • Shilling
      • Mintmark: Trefoil
      • Mintmark: Star
      • Mintmark: Martlet
    • Sixpence
      • Mintmark: Trefoil
      • Mintmark: Star
      • Mintmark: Martlet
    • Threepence
      • Mintmark: Trefoil
      • Mintmark: Star
      • Mintmark: Martlet
    • Copper Penny
      • Mintmark: Trefoil, dated 1601
      • Mintmark: Star, dated 1601
      • Mintmark: Martlet, dated 1602
    • Copper Halfpenny
      • Mintmark: Trefoil, dated 1601
      • Mintmark: Star, dated 1601
      • Mintmark: Martlet, dated 1602