Five Guineas: Anne (obverse); Shields and rose (Cleveland Museum of Art 1969.203)
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1703
The coinage during Anne's reign remained fairly constant to the designs inaugurated in 1662. Before the Act of Union with Scotland (1706), the arms of England and Scotland remained separate, as shown.
After the act the two arms were conjoined on one shield. The word Vigo denotes that the coins were struck from gold captured from the Spanish at the Battle of Vigo Bay (1702). Although silver coins bearing the Vigo inscription are less rare, the three gold denominations bearing the symbol are all extremely rare. Cleveland Museum of Art object 1969.203: Five Guineas: Anne (obverse); Shields and rose (reverse), 1703. England, Anne, 1702-1714.
Gold; diameter: 2.9 cm (1 1/8 in.). Inscribed: ANNA . DEI . GRATIA; below: VIGO. (Anne by the Grace of God); MAG BR. FRA ET. HIB REG 1703 (Queen of Great Britain, France and Ireland); DECUS ET TUTAMEN (An ornament and a safeguard.). 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
Of the five guineas struck for circulation, this type is the rarest.
Physical characteristics
- Materials
- gold
- Dimensions
- Diameter: 2.9 cm (1 1/8 in.)
- Measurements
- Diameter: 2.9 cm (1 1/8 in.)
- Material and technique
- gold
Design
- Inscriptions
- ANNA . DEI . GRATIA; below: VIGO. (Anne by the Grace of God); MAG BR. FRA ET. HIB REG 1703 (Queen of Great Britain, France and Ireland); DECUS ET TUTAMEN (An ornament and a safeguard.)
Identification
- Date recorded
- 1703
- Culture period
- England, Anne, 1702-1714
- Holding institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- Museum object number
- 1969.203
- Published references
- Sotheby & Co. (London, England). Coins and Medals, the Property of the Late Reginald Huth, Esq., of 32, Phillimore Gardens, London, Sold by Order of Noel Huth, Esq . London: Sotheby's, 1927. 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. 62
- 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.