Unite: Charles I (obverse); Crowned Shield (Cleveland Museum of Art 1969.192)
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1625
After ascending to the throne, Charles I ordered that the coinage should remain the same types and denominations as that of James I. Throughout all the troubles of his reign he did not alter the value of the gold coinage.
Until the English Civil War started in 1642, the king's authority continued to rule the Tower mint. With the appointment of Sir John Coniers as Lieutenant of the Tower, control of the mint passed into the hands of the Parliamentary party, which continued to strike coins bearing the king's effigy and titles. To keep the Royalist party supplied with money, Charles opened other mints at York, Aberystwyth, Shrewsbury, Oxford, Bristol, Truro, Exeter, Weymouth, and Chester, while a mint operated near Worcester in 1646.
During the civil war mints operated in the besieged towns of Carlisle, Colchester, Newark, Pontefract, and Scarborough, and produced a number of irregularly shaped coins of many odd denominations hastily struck from local domestic plate. Cleveland Museum of Art object 1969.192: Unite: Charles I (obverse); Crowned Shield (reverse), 1625. England, Charles I, 1625-1649. Gold; diameter: 3.4 cm (1 5/16 in.). Inscribed: CAROLUS D G MAG BR FR ET HI REX.
XX (Charles by the grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland, 20 (shillings)); FLORENT CONCORDIA REGNA (Through concord kingdoms flourish). Details are those of this museum object; how far it represents a wider type has not been independently verified.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 3
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
The gold unite was valued at 20 shillings, the roman numeral XX can be seen on the obverse.
Physical characteristics
- Materials
- gold
- Dimensions
- Diameter: 3.4 cm (1 5/16 in.)
- Measurements
- Diameter: 3.4 cm (1 5/16 in.)
- Material and technique
- gold
Design
- Inscriptions
- CAROLUS D G MAG BR FR ET HI REX. XX (Charles by the grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland, 20 (shillings)); FLORENT CONCORDIA REGNA (Through concord kingdoms flourish)
Identification
- Date recorded
- 1625
- Culture period
- England, Charles I, 1625-1649
- Holding institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- Museum object number
- 1969.192
- Published references
- Cleveland Museum of Art, and Emery May Norweb . English Gold Coins, Ancient to Modern Times, On Loan to the Cleveland Museum of Art from the Norweb Collection. [Catalog. 1968. p. 51
- Museum classification
- Coins
Documentation checklist
- Denomination
- Research required
- Issue or mint date
- Recorded
- Material
- Recorded
- Weight
- Research required
- Mint or printer
- Research required
- Mint or printer mark
- Research required
- Catalogue reference
- Research required
- Attached photograph (check rights)
- Recorded
Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: this record describes a single museum object; confirm the wider coin type and standard catalogue references against numismatic literature.