Elizabeth I Sixpence from Long Beach Expo!

SiriusBlack

Well I now own exactly 2 world coins. I've really come to enjoy the hammered coins and have decided to follow in @BillJones footsteps and work on English Monarchs. I am not super familiar with the various monarchs and so I'm using this as a learning opportunity to read about them as I acquire coins. My first was a Henry VI Half Groat.

This is an Elizabeth I Sixpence. I hope I did alright, I am not as good at looking at the condition of hammered coins vs regular US coinage, but I know enough to pay up for better coins with full lettering that don't have a lot of irregular wear on the edges and missing words etc. This one seemed well centered with no major issues that I could see.

bronzemat

It's a very pleasant example, congrats.

Boosibri

Now that is a real US Colonial

pruebas

I don’t know how these normally come, but I agree with you this is a nice, well-centered example.

John Conduitt

That's a very nice one. They're usually centred ok but they most often have a very weak strike and scratches on the obverse. You see a huge number where the portrait has almost disappeared.

I don't know if it's the way it's been photographed, but the toning is excellent. They're usually either somewhat black or shiny (cleaned).

amwldcoin

I also think it's a nice one! Those aren't as easy as you would think to find a nice portrait.

Nap

Nice coin. The hammered Elizabeth I coins often have central weakness, especially the larger denominations. The milled sixpences and shillings are of higher quality, but different manufacture. I tend to prefer the hammered coins, but that's just me.

Here is my Elizabeth I shilling

I've also gone down the "get every monarch" route, but be prepared, it is a long and expensive journey. I have about 100 different British Isles monarchs, but I'll never finish. If you go back to Saxon times, it is impossible to complete, as some of the old petty Saxon kings' coins are so rare as to only exist in museums. I think it's a fun journey though.

harasha

Picked up a milled 6 pence from Pegasi, back in 2000.

John Conduitt

@Nap said:
Nice coin. The hammered Elizabeth I coins often have central weakness, especially the larger denominations. The milled sixpences and shillings are of higher quality, but different manufacture. I tend to prefer the hammered coins, but that's just me.

I have an Elizabeth milled sixpence. I also prefer hammed coins, but these sixpences were the first milled coins so have more history to them. It's also easier to get a good portrait!

Elizabeth I Milled Sixpence by Eloy Mestrelle, 1562

Tower, 2.98g. Large Rose, mintmark star (S 2595)

John Conduitt

@Nap said:
I've also gone down the "get every monarch" route, but be prepared, it is a long and expensive journey. I have about 100 different British Isles monarchs, but I'll never finish. If you go back to Saxon times, it is impossible to complete, as some of the old petty Saxon kings' coins are so rare as to only exist in museums. I think it's a fun journey though.

Me too. I think you could probably get to William the Conqueror without too much difficulty (if you can live with very worn coins). Richard III is expensive but not impossible. The Commonwealth is a bit awkward, but has Oliver and Richard Cromwell issuing sun and anchor mintmarks respectively (or not, as in some years no one person was in charge). Only Edward V is a major problem, but even then there are Edward IV/V issues that might do.

In fact, you could probably get back to Edgar, the first King of England. That's only 8 Saxon kings, and only Harold II and Harthacnut are seriously expensive. That's where you could go with cut and chipped pennies.

Before Edgar, Saxon England split into several kingdoms and it's hard enough keeping track of who was in charge of who, let alone collect all their coins. And before 700 the coins are unattributed anyway.

Cucumbor

The OP sixpence is a very good one, with a nice toning to it and good portrait.
Mine :

asheland

Awesome coins!

carabonnair

Good choice for Elizabeth. The 1567 Coronet is the same date and mintmark as the one discovered at Olompali. See the article by @WillieBoyd2 https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/928495/olompali-state-park-california-sir-francis-drake-elizabeth-sixpence

Yorkshireman

The word “cool” doesn’t even begin to describe it.

thefinn

I like six pences because they are dated, unlike the larger shillings. Nice piece.

carabonnair

I find that even mediocre, they are hard to resist.

SaorAlba

This is one I purchased from Pegasi when I was a teenager. I owned it until a little over 25 years ago and gave it to my now wife before we got married. She has owned it since then.

messydesk

@SiriusBlack said:

This is an Elizabeth I Sixpence. I hope I did alright, ...

You did great in my book. Full lettering, no cracks, reasonably round, well centered, some original luster, attractive color. Here's my QEI sixpence.

robp2

Here's my contribution. 1573 with the acorn mark (reverse over ermine)

291fifth

Why were milled and hammered coins produced at the same time? The milled pieces seem to represent a notable jump in coining technology. Was there resistance from guilds who made the hammered coins?

messydesk

@291fifth said:
Why were milled and hammered coins produced at the same time? The milled pieces seem to represent a notable jump in coining technology. Was there resistance from guilds who made the hammered coins?

The milled ones were produced on screw press technology imported from France by Eloy Mestrelle. One reason it wasn't adopted was the fact that it was slower than hand hammered coins. Coiners were paid based on production, so they weren't too happy about that. Long story short, the screw press mill lumbered about producing far superior coins for several years alongside the hammered coinage, then was discarded, as was Mestrelle, who was later hanged for counterfeiting.

Here's a paper published in 1983 by the British Numismatic Society on the subject.