Coin
1653 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This is a hammered sovereign of the Commonwealth, dated 1653. On the obverse (front) is a shield of St George within a wreath, with the legend 'The Commonwealth of England'. On the reverse are the shields of England and Ireland, with the words 'God with us, 1653'. The substitution of coins with the arms of England and Ireland for the familiar coins bearing the monarch's head was perhaps the most obvious change in official imagery following the Civil War of 1642-1646.
Materials & Making
This sovereign was hammered into shape in a mould. At a later date coins were struck from metal dies engraved with the design in reverse. Gold, being a relatively soft medal, could be given an image simply by hammering.
This is a hammered sovereign of the Commonwealth, dated 1653. On the obverse (front) is a shield of St George within a wreath, with the legend 'The Commonwealth of England'. On the reverse are the shields of England and Ireland, with the words 'God with us, 1653'. The substitution of coins with the arms of England and Ireland for the familiar coins bearing the monarch's head was perhaps the most obvious change in official imagery following the Civil War of 1642-1646.
Materials & Making
This sovereign was hammered into shape in a mould. At a later date coins were struck from metal dies engraved with the design in reverse. Gold, being a relatively soft medal, could be given an image simply by hammering.
Delve deeper
Discover more about this object
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Struck or cast gold |
| Brief description | Sovereign coin of the Commonwealth |
| Dimensions |
|
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
This republican coin was first struck in 1649 following the execution of Charles I. The reverse shows the cross of St George for England and the Irish harp of Erin, rather than the portrait of a ruler. New coinage did not replace the old entirely in the Commonwealth period, and coins bearing the image of the executed king remained in circulation.(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by John Jones |
| Summary | Object Type This is a hammered sovereign of the Commonwealth, dated 1653. On the obverse (front) is a shield of St George within a wreath, with the legend 'The Commonwealth of England'. On the reverse are the shields of England and Ireland, with the words 'God with us, 1653'. The substitution of coins with the arms of England and Ireland for the familiar coins bearing the monarch's head was perhaps the most obvious change in official imagery following the Civil War of 1642-1646. Materials & Making This sovereign was hammered into shape in a mould. At a later date coins were struck from metal dies engraved with the design in reverse. Gold, being a relatively soft medal, could be given an image simply by hammering. |
| Bibliographic references |
|
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 946-1882 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | July 1, 2003 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
