1 Guinea - Charles II 4th bust

The guinea was introduced in 1663, its name derived from the West African coast where much of the gold originated — shipped through the Royal African Company, of which Charles II was a founding shareholder. The fourth bust portrait, introduced in 1672, reflects a series of iterative die modifications made throughout the reign as the Roettiers workshop refined the king's likeness.

Guinea values fluctuated considerably in this period; by 1694, just after this type's production ended, Parliament fixed the coin at 21 shillings 6 pence following decades of inconsistent exchange against silver.