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1 Angel - Charles I Pattern
| Issuer | England |
|---|---|
| Year | 1625 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Angel (1/2) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | CAROLVS·D:G·MAG·BRITANN·FRAN·ET·HIB·REX· ·X· |
| Reverse description | A large, elaborately detailed galleon under full sail occupies the field, its mainsail prominently charged with the quartered royal arms of Great Britain — displaying the lions of England and Scotland, the fleurs-de-lis of France, and the harp of Ireland. The ship is depicted riding stylised waves, with rigging and hull rendered in fine detail. The engraver's initial B appears to the lower left of the vessel. The Latin legend, reading 'the love of the people is the protection of the king,' runs between the inner and outer beaded borders. |
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| Additional information |
Charles I came to the throne in March 1625, and the Angel — a medieval denomination that had survived largely unchanged for over a century and a half — was already an anachronism. This piece is a pattern, meaning it was produced for approval rather than circulation, as the new reign required fresh coinage authorizations. The Angel itself would be formally abolished as a circulating denomination shortly afterward, surviving only in the highly specific ceremonial role of the Maundy-adjacent "touch pieces" distributed to sufferers of scrofula, whom monarchs were believed to heal.
The 0.995 fineness is notably purer than earlier Angels, which typically ran at 0.995 only in later Tudor issues.