Five Guineas: Charles II (obverse); Four Shields (Cleveland Museum of Art 1969.199)
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1668
Once the decision was made to reform the coinage of England, and hammered coinage abandoned, the whole range of money was simplified. The guinea was the unit (like the dollar), and multiples of two and five were struck.
One of the reasons for turning to mill coins was the long battle against the clipper (the act of shaving precious metal off coins for profit) and forger of coins. Not only were mill coins more exactly shaped, they were thick enough in larger denominations for a legend to be written on their edge as a protection against chipping. Here the edge legend translates: "An Ornament and a safeguard. In the—year of our reign."
The regnal year starts from the day the king ascends the throne. Thus the first regnal year of Charles II was calculated from the death of his father, Charles I, in 1649. The year 1668 was therefore the 19th (20th regnal) year of Charles I, whose regnal years ran from January 30 in one year to January 29 of the next. Cleveland Museum of Art object 1969.199: Five Guineas: Charles II (obverse); Four Shields (reverse), 1668.
Design by John Roettier (British, 1631–1703). Gold; diameter: 3.7 cm (1 7/16 in.). Inscribed: CAROLVS . II. DEI . GRATIA. (Charles the Second by the Grace of God); DECUS ET TUTAMEN ANNO REGNI VICESIMO; MAG BR FRA ET HIB REX 1668 (King of Great Britain France and Ireland). 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 name guinea came from the gold where it was mined, the so-called Gold Coast of Africa on the Gulf of Guinea.
Physical characteristics
- Materials
- gold
- Dimensions
- Diameter: 3.7 cm (1 7/16 in.)
- Measurements
- Diameter: 3.7 cm (1 7/16 in.)
- Material and technique
- gold
Design
- Inscriptions
- CAROLVS . II. DEI . GRATIA. (Charles the Second by the Grace of God); DECUS ET TUTAMEN ANNO REGNI VICESIMO; MAG BR FRA ET HIB REX 1668 (King of Great Britain France and Ireland)
Identification
- Date recorded
- 1668
- Culture period
- England, Charles II, 1660-1685
- Maker recorded
- John Roettier (British, 1631–1703)
- Museum attribution
- John Roettier (British, 1631–1703)
- Holding institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- Museum object number
- 1969.199
- 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. 58
- 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.