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6 Pence - James I 1st issue, 1st bust
| Issuer | Tower Mint, London |
|---|---|
| Year | 1603 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 26.5 mm |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | A quartered royal shield of arms occupies the centre of the field, displaying the arms of England (three lions passant guardant) in the first and fourth quarters, France (three fleurs-de-lis) in the second, Scotland (lion rampant) in the third, and Ireland (harp) in the fourth, with the date 1603 placed above the shield. The shield is enclosed within an inner beaded circle, with the Latin motto legend running around the outer margin. The thistle mintmark appears at the start of the reverse legend. The hammered fabric and characteristic irregular flan are consistent with early Jacobean minting practice at the Tower Mint. |
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| Mint | Tower Mint, London |
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| Additional information |
James VI of Scotland became James I of England in March 1603 following Elizabeth I's death, and the Tower Mint wasted little time issuing coinage in his name. The first bust used on these early Jacobean sixpences closely follows the engraving conventions of the late Elizabethan series — the die cutters had not yet developed a distinctly Jacobean style. Spink 2647 is among the earliest English coins struck under the new Stuart dynasty, predating the unification coinage that would follow once the political implications of the dual kingdom were worked out.