EUROPEAN COINS & MEDALS
CHOICE COLLECTION OF ENGLISH GOLD COINS
James I, 1603-1625. Sovereign n.d. (1603-1604), London. Initial mark thistle. First coinage. IACOBVS D G ANG SCO FRAN ET HIB REX. Half-length bust right in plain armor holding orb and scepter // EXVRGAT DEVS DISSIPENTVR INIMICI. Crowned square top quartered shield flanked by 'I' and 'R'. Fr. 226; K./M. 21; North 2065; Spink 2608. 11,16 g.
GOLD. Rare. Extremely fine The accession of James I to the throne of England brought about the union of the thrones of England and Scotland. This was duly recorded on the coinage, the royal arms on this piece consiting of the arms of England, Scotland and Ireland. The English arms still contain the French lilies, though the last French possession, Calais, had been lost in the reign of Philip and Mary, 1544-1558. SCO is also added to the royal titles. The final unification of the two kingdoms did not take place until the Act of Union of 1706. James was in fact king of two separated countries and in Scotland, which had its own separate coinage till the Act of Union, he is referred as James VI (The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1968).