English fifty shilling coin
The English fifty shilling coin, worth 50/-, was only ever minted once, in the year 1656. It was a milled gold coin weighing 22.7 g (0.73 ozt) and with a diameter of 30 mm (1.2 in). Only eleven examples are known to survive. One extremely fine specimen was recorded to have been sold for £15,250 in May 1989.[1]
A lustrous example was sold in London in January 2021 for £471,200 ($643,597 U.S.) including the 24 percent buyer’s commission, setting a new record price for a Cromwellian coin.[2]
The obverse of the coin depicts Oliver Cromwell as a Roman Emperor, with the inscription OLIVAR D G R P ANG SCO HIB &c PRO — Oliver, by the grace of God, of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, Ireland, etc. Protector. The reverse depicts a crowned shield bearing the Commonwealth arms, with the inscription PAX QVÆRITUR BELLO — Peace is sought through war, and the date 1656, while there is also an edge inscription PROTECTOR LITERIS LITERÆ NVMMIS CORONA ET SALVS — A protector of the letters, the letters are a garland and a safeguard to the coinage.
References
- v
- t
- e
- Sceat
- Styca
- Penny (to 1066, 1066–1154, 1154–1485, 1485–1603, 1603–1707)
- Farthing
- Groat
- Shilling
- Threepence
- Sixpence
- Three farthings
- Three halfpence
- Crown
- Half crown
- Thrymsa (c.630-675)
- Mancus (c.796-1016)
- Gold penny (1257)
- Noble (1344)
- Florin (1344)
- Half florin (1344)
- Quarter Florin (1344)
- Angel (1465)
- Sovereign (1489)
- Crown of the Rose (1526)
- Half crown (1526)
- Half sovereign (1544)
- Jacobus (James I)
- Rose Ryal (1604)
- Spur ryal (1604)
- Unite (1604)
- Laurel (1619)
- Half laurel (1619)
- Carolus (Charles I)
- Triple unite (1642)
- Fifty shillings (1656)
- Broad (1656)
- Guinea (1663)
- Farthing