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1 Shilling - James I Second Coinage
| Issuer | Royal Mint (for Ireland) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1605-1607 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | IACOBVS · D · G · MAG · BRIT · FRA · ET · HIB · REX |
| Reverse description | The Irish harp, surmounted by a crown with fleurs-de-lis and crosses pattée, occupies the central field within a beaded inner circle. The harp is depicted with a stylised carved forepillar and six strings, characteristic of the James I Irish coinage design. A mintmark appears at the beginning of the legend, which is arranged in two parts around the periphery of the coin. The reverse design celebrates the union of the British kingdoms under James I, with the harp symbolising Ireland. The flan is irregular, as is typical of hammered coinage of this period. |
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| Additional information |
James I inherited a monetary mess in Ireland. The previous Tudor coinage had been systematically debased under Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, and Irish silver had sunk so low in public trust that foreign coin and commodity barter remained common well into the seventeenth century. The Second Coinage of 1605–1607 was part of a deliberate revaluation effort, struck at a higher silver standard than its immediate predecessors to rebuild confidence in crown-issued currency on the island.
Produced at the Dublin mint under the mastership of John Challoner, these shillings circulated alongside a chaotic mix of earlier debased pieces, continental imports, and counterfeit coin — an environment that gave even well-preserved examples a hard commercial life.