James I 1603-1625 AD - Double Crown & Half Rose

The union of the two crowns by the accession of James VI of Scotland to the throne of England, on the 24th of March, 1602-3, is commemorated in various ways upon his money. His first coinage was struck by virtue of an indenture made with Sir R. Martyn, and dated the 21st of May, 1603, and was similar to that of the last two years of Elizabeth, except that the Scotch title was inserted in the legend, and that the shield, which had hitherto borne the arms of France in the first and fourth quarters, and those of England in the second and third, now bore, 1 and 4, France and England quarterly; 2, Scotland; 3, Ireland; and this arrangement was continued throughout the reign. This first coinage consisted of sovereigns, half-sovereigns, crowns, and half-crowns, all of which have for MM the Scotch thistle. They are made of “crown” gold, and are all rare.

On the 20th of October 1604, a proclamation was issued ordering the title of King of Great Britain, France and Ireland to be used on the coins, and on the 11th of November an indenture for a new coinage was made with Sir R. Martyn and his son. Crown gold was to be exclusively employed, and a pound weight of it was to be made into £37. 4s by tale. The pieces to be coined were, the Unite, at 20s; the double crown, at 10s; the Britain crown, at 5s; the Thistle crown, at 4s, and the half at 2s 6d; and they were made current on the 16th of the same month. The union of the kingdoms is referred to both in the names and in the legends of these coins. The Unite reads “Faciam eos in gentem unam,” from Ezek. xxxvii. 22. The Britain crown has “Henricus rosas regna Jacobus,” “Henry united the roses, but James unites the kingdoms ;“ and the Thistle crown, which is of a denomination never coined before or since, “Tueatur unita Deus,” “May God protect the united (kingdoms).”

To these coins were added next year, by an indenture of July 16th, 1605, some others of the old standard, namely Rose Rialls at 30s, Spur Rialls at 15s, and Angels at 10s. A pound of gold of the old standard was to be made into £40. 10s by tale.

By a proclamation of Nov. 23rd, 1611, the nominal value of all the gold coins was raised 2s in the £, so that the Unite was to pass for 22s, and the Rose Riall for 33s, and the others in proportion. The indenture, however, made in accordance with this proclamation on May 18th, 1612, made a slight increase in the weights of the coins, ordering a pound of crown gold to be made into £40. 18s 4d, and a pound of the old standard into £44. Not many coins were struck by virtue of this indenture, but the only half-angels made during the reign were now struck, though they are not mentioned in the indenture.