2 Pence - Charles II Milled Coinage

Charles II's milled coinage of 1662 marked England's definitive break from hammered production, with the newly installed French engineer Pierre Blondeau supplying the machinery and — crucially — the edge-lettering technique that made coin clipping both detectable and pointless. The small silver denominations, including this piece, circulated as Maundy money almost immediately after issue, a royal almsgiving tradition that effectively pulled them from ordinary commerce.

Spink 3387 encompasses several die varieties across the eight-year run, withDateS appearing on some pieces and omitted on others.