The Coinage of Charles (1625 - 49)

The coinage of Charles I is the most extensive and the most varied of any English Sovereign. Coupled with this periods fascinating history, its no wonder the coinage of Charles I has been central to most of the greatest collections of English coins ever formed.  

Numismatically the coins of Charles I are highly important, as it was during this 24 year reign that we saw early signs of the soon to be introduced ‘Milled’coinage. it was also during this period some of the finest engravers to have ever lived such as Thomas rawlins, struck coinage in the name of the King.

The coinage is of three classes - that issued at the Tower Mint, which includes Briot’s coinage; that struck at the provincial mints; and lastly the siege pieces, struck at towns or castles in a state of siege. With Civil War dividing England (1642- 49) coinage was struck under a staggering 24 different mints, many established out of neccessity to pay soldiers defending besieged towns.

To illustrate just how extensive the production of coinage became during this period, below is a map of the country, showing all of the mints used between 1625 - 49 and how the civil war virtually divided the country into two halves.