1 Pound - Charles I Declaration Pound, Oxford mint

Oxford became the Royalist capital in late 1642 after Charles I withdrew from London, and the mint established there drew on emergency bullion — plate, collegiate silver, and donated goods — rather than regular crown stock. The "Declaration" pound takes its name from the motto struck on the coin referencing Charles's pledge to uphold the Protestant religion, Parliament, and the laws of England, a promise he hoped would shore up wavering support as civil war began in earnest.

At over 118 grams, these are among the largest silver coins produced by any English mint, and the Oxford dies are notoriously crude — the urgency of wartime production left little room for careful workmanship.