Charles II Silver Half-Crown, 1671, TERTIO

Description

Denomination: Silver half-crown

Period: House of Stuart

Date: 1671

Origin: Royal mint. London

Condition: Fine

Obverse: Third laureate bust. right. CAROLVS II DEI GRATIA

Reverse: Crowned cruciform shields. interlinked C’s in angles. edge states TERTIO

Size and Weight: 32.5mm. 14.42g

References: Spink 3366

Features and Provenance: Born in 1630 to Charles I. On the execution of his father in 1649. he spent the next eleven years devoted to regaining the thrones of England and Scotland from Cromwell. It was not until his thirtieth birthday and Cromwell’s death that he was able to gain the throne and restore the monarchy. being crowned in 1661. He is well known for his humour. gaining him the epithet ‘Merry Monarch’; he also had several mistresses. Nell Gwynne being the most famous. bearing him two sons. whereas his poor wife was barren.

Interestingly Charles II is most well known for hiding in the Boscobel oak tree when fleeing the parliamentarian forces. the so called New Model Army after the battle of Worcester in 1651 . He is occasionally and most amusingly confused with his grandson Charles Edward Stuart who according to legend did meet with those orchestrating his shambolic rebellion beneath the boughs of an Oak in Derby. At this point they decided to retreat and face their demise in Scotland rather than in England. thus only delaying the inevitable. It has been claimed that Charles Edward Stuart hid in an oak tree after the battle of culloden. This is a work of fiction. It is also worth noting that the Government forces at Culloden included four regiments raised in Scotland and one in Ireland and of those in attendance to witness the final throes of the rebellion then it is estimated that almost half were not English. Furthermore it is worth noting that the Jacobite army was not a Scottish one. They were supported by English. Irish and French mercenaries together with an entirely Irish regiment.

Condition Summary. This varies with the age of coin and there are grades between

Uncirculated (U). As struck with no traces of wear

Extremely Fine (EF). Very slight traces of wear. all parts of legend etc present. visible and clear

Very Fine (VF). Some signs of wear on the higher parts of the relief. all parts of legend etc present. but maybe worn

Fine (F). Wear on the coin and parts of legend etc may be missing or not visible