1562 Elizabeth sixpence

fenian

Good evening all. Just purchased this today. Is anyone familiar with these? I've learned that 1562 was a year in which the sixpence was milled and that it was for a short period of time until they went back to hammered. I have found a few varieties and would like to know if anyone has info on this one such as rarity, variety type, etc. Thanks.

Pokermandude

Very nice. The Eliz I milled coin production was rather short lived. The technology just wasn't there to be able to mint them as fast as hammered coins.

harasha

Wow. Much sharper than mine that is graded as VF.

fenian

Nt

fenian

Pokermandude - any idea how long they were milled? I'm glad the technology was good enough for these to have survived.

Harasha - Thanks. Im hoping XF-45. What do you think since you have one too?

Pokermandude

The earliest date my Spink book has for any milled Eliz I coins is 1561. Most were 1561 and 1562. A few other issues went 1562-64, 1566, 1567-8, 1570 and 1571/0.

It wasn't until the reign of Charles II (1660-85) that milled coins were the norm.

On the page regarding grading over early milled coins says that due to the crude nature of the minting process, they only assign grades up to EF for the early milled coins. Their definition of early milled is everything up until 1790 and the use of steam powered presses.

I think yours would grade gVF-aEF under the stricter British grading system. I think NGC/PCGS would likely call it EF-45

harasha

A very respected vendor graded this as VF+:

fenian

Thank you for the info pokermandude.

Very nice harasha. I like the differences such as the larger bust and dress.

STLNATS

Nice 6d!

SaorAlba

The real reason was not the slowness of the milled machinery, but rather that the labourers that struck the hammered coinage were all up in arms about the probability of losing their jobs. It didn't help matters that Eloye Mestrelle, the developer of the milled machinery, was French and there was a general distrust of him. Mestrelle was dismissed, the milled coinage was discontinued - and hammered coinage continued in Britain for another century.

Years ago I purchased one of these tanners, but alas I gave it to my then fiancee an' she still has it somewhere.

DorkGirl

Both examples are beautiful, love the Elizabeth I coins.

bronzemat

Learned a little something about the milled coining, cool.

Beautiful coins. Would love one myself eventually.

fenian

Thanks for the info SaorAlba!! I googled Eloye Mestrelle and learned that he was eventually executed in April 1578 for counterfeiting. Interesting times!!

lordmarcovan

<< <i>1562 Elizabeth sixpence >>

Yes, please!

Love it!

lordmarcovan

PS- regarding Eloy Mestrelle, NEN had a giveaway quiz question here, once and I won it with that answer. The prize was an 1800 Maundy penny in an NGC MS slab. (I haven't forgotten that, NEN- good on y'all!)