1/2 Crown - Charles I Tower mint under the King, group II

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.