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1/2 Crown - Charles I Tower mint under the King, group II
| Issuer | Tower Mint, London |
|---|---|
| Year | 1630-1632 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | Sp#2769, KM#116.1 |
| Obverse description | Equestrian effigy of King Charles I advancing left, mounted on a comparatively small horse with a cross motif on the flank cloth (caparison), the King holding a raised sword in his right hand. The royal legend surrounds the design in Latin, with the mintmark positioned at 12 o'clock. This Group II horseman type is distinguished by the smaller horse relative to Group I and by the decorative cross detail on the horse's flank drapery. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | [mm] CAROLVS·D;G;MAG;BRIT;FRA;ET·HIB;REX· (Translation: Charles by the grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland) |
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| Additional information |
Charles I's Tower mint halfcrowns of this group were produced during a period of deep constitutional friction — Parliament had been dissolved in 1629 and would not sit again until 1640, leaving the king governing entirely by prerogative. The mint operated under direct royal authority throughout this interval, with no parliamentary oversight of coinage policy whatsoever.
Group II is distinguished from the preceding group primarily by its horse type and inner circle characteristics, details that matter acutely for attribution since several varieties share the Spink 2769 designation. Nicholas Briot, then working at the Tower, was agitating simultaneously for adoption of his superior mechanical milling process — a battle he would largely lose at this mint.