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1/2 Crown - Edward VI 2nd period, uncrowned bust
| Issuer | England |
|---|---|
| Year | 1549-1550 |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Uncrowned juvenile effigy of King Edward VI in right-facing bust, wearing a ruffled collar, rendered in a simple portrait style typical of mid-Tudor hammered coinage. The bust is contained within a beaded inner circle. The surrounding legend reads SCVTVM FIDEI PROTEGET EVM (The shield of faith shall protect him), struck in Roman capitals around the periphery. A mintmark appears above the bust at the top of the inner circle. The overall style reflects the artisanal character of mid-16th century English hammered gold coinage. |
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| Obverse lettering | SCVTVM · FIDEI · PROTEGET · EVM (Translation: The shield of faith shall protect him) |
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| Additional information |
Edward VI's Second Coinage of 1549–1550 marked a deliberate debasement policy continued from his father's reign, though gold denominations were somewhat insulated from the worst of it. The half crown at this weight reflects the reduced fineness schedule — 22 carat rather than the traditional 23⅞ — that the Protectorate government under Somerset used partly to fund ongoing military campaigns in Scotland.
Spink 2443 is among the scarcer half crown types of the reign. The uncrowned bust distinguished these pieces from later Second Coinage issues and the type had a short production window before further monetary revisions under Northumberland's council.