4 Pence - Charles II Milled issue

The milled fourpence belongs to the first generation of mechanically produced English silver coinage, introduced after the Restoration as part of a deliberate effort to end the chronic clipping that had plagued hammered coin. Thomas Simon, the Commonwealth's engraver, competed directly against the imported Dutch craftsman Jan Roettier for the contract — a rivalry that produced Simon's famous "petition crown," struck as an unsolicited demonstration of his skill. Roettier won anyway.

These small silver pieces circulated heavily in the Maundy tradition even outside the formal ceremony, and genuine wear on surviving examples is common.