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British Lord Protector "Bullet Book," Oliver Cromwell, 1649 - 1660

BillJonesBillJones Posts: 33,486 ✭✭✭✭✭
in World & Ancient Coins Forum


1658 Cromwell Portrait Shilling


1652 Commonwealth Shilling

• Oliver Cromwell was not a king; he was a Lord Protector.

• The beginning of his time as leader of Great Britain the Commonwealth coinage reflected his approach to government and leadership philosophy. The wording on the coinage was in plain English, not Latin, and the designs were simple without his portrait.

• In later years Cromwell placed his portrait on the coinage and took on more of the image of a monarch who might pass his office on to his son upon his death.

• Cromwell tried to pass is office to his son upon his death in 1660, but his son Richard was a weak leader. He was quickly deposed and the British monarchy was restored.

• During the Cromwell’s rule, the Massachusetts Bay Colony began to mint its own coins, citing the fact that there was no King of England. That coinage, which is collectively called, the “Pine Tree Shillings” would span from 1652 until 1682. The Bay Colony output included silver two pence, three pence, six pence and shillings.

Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?

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    291fifth291fifth Posts: 23,945 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The Cromwell portrait coin:

    The obverse legend is to be translated as what?

    My guess: Oliver By The Grace of God Protector England Scotland Ireland & Provinces

    Am I correct in this. I'm not at all sure, especially of the PRO at the end.

    By 1658 he was certainly starting to look like a king on his coinage.

    All glory is fleeting.
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    BillDugan1959BillDugan1959 Posts: 3,821 ✭✭✭✭✭

    All three beautiful and historic coins!

    Oliver Cromwell died on September 3, 1658 in the Palace of Whitehall. His inept son and successor, Richard Cromwell, was out after about 9 months time. The power devolved onto a few Generals with standing Armies going into 1660. General Monck decided to start talking to Charles Stuart about terms for his coming back to England.

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    BillDugan1959BillDugan1959 Posts: 3,821 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 31, 2018 1:51PM

    I guess I should say "All four beautiful and historic coins!"

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    BillJonesBillJones Posts: 33,486 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 31, 2018 6:42PM

    By 1658 he was certainly starting to look like a king on his coinage.

    Cromwell started out with a "plain and simple system" as symbolized by the Commonwealth coinage. By the end of his time in office, he was taking on the trappings of king and looking to pass his office on to his inept son, Richard. It didn’t work out, and the Stuarts were asked back to the throne, although they were not quite able to get away with everything as the reign of James II would demonstrate.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
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    BillJonesBillJones Posts: 33,486 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 31, 2018 1:56PM

    @BillDugan1959 said:
    I guess I should say "All four beautiful and historic coins!"

    @EVillageProwler's coins beat the stuffings out of my pieces, but I didn't come to this project with the idea collecting the finest known. I was only interested in "pleasant."

    I bought the Commonwealth shilling about 30 years ago because of its connection to the Massachusetts silver coinage. It was closest I would ever get to an NE Shilling.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
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    EVillageProwlerEVillageProwler Posts: 5,859 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 31, 2018 1:57PM

    @291fifth said:
    The Cromwell portrait coin:

    The obverse legend is to be translated as what?

    My guess: Oliver By The Grace of God Protector England Scotland Ireland & Provinces

    Am I correct in this. I'm not at all sure, especially of the PRO at the end.

    By 1658 he was certainly starting to look like a king on his coinage.

    "OLIVAR . D . G . RP . ANG . SCO . ET . HIB &c PRO" translates to:

    Oliver, by the Grace of God, of the Republic of England Scotland and Ireland et cetera, Protector

    How does one get a hater to stop hating?

    I can be reached at evillageprowler@gmail.com

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    BillJonesBillJones Posts: 33,486 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I had a chance to buy a really nice Cromwell Crown, but I could never come to terms with the dealer who had it. He had overpaid for it as a collector, and I was willing to overpay too, but not as much as he had.

    Retired dealer and avid collector of U.S. type coins, 19th century presidential campaign medalets and selected medals. In recent years I have been working on a set of British coins - at least one coin from each king or queen who issued pieces that are collectible. I am also collecting at least one coin for each Roman emperor from Julius Caesar to ... ?
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    BillDugan1959BillDugan1959 Posts: 3,821 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BillJones Both of your coins are highly desirable!

    I knew/ knew of this character who called himself "St. George" and claimed to have practically no coins whatsoever, except for maybe half-a-dozen coins from the English Commonwealth. I kinda believed him, but never met him in person (telephone and Internet) and never saw the coins. He was kind of a generous fellow however.

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    jgennjgenn Posts: 738 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Here's my "pleasant" crown.

    Amazing 8s * Silver Dollars of '60 * My World Crown Affair
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    NapNap Posts: 1,705 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nice coins of the Commonwealth. Despite the religious fanaticism and strife of the time, much of the Western ideas of modern democracy, religious toleration, social equality, and personal liberty came out of this period.

    I never really thought of Richard Cromwell as inept. His was an impossible position during the death throes of the Commonwealth.

    My medieval coin collection
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    ashelandasheland Posts: 22,694 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Great thread, EXCELLENT coins! This is a period that I would like to have an example from at some point, coins and silverware...

    My YouTube Channel

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