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Seventeenth Century Coin

P1180876P1180870

What it could look like
What it could look like

Coin found in same garden as the seventeenth century potsherd is a twopence from the reign of Charles II (1660-85).

The coin is silver (0.81g) and was struck 1660-2, but the mint itself is obscure.

The obverse of the coin shows a bust of Charles II to left. 

Coin identification and information courtesy of the Coin Dept of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.

The obverse has the legend CAROLVS II. DG. MAG. BRIT.FR.ET.HIB. REX. Charles II by the Grace of God King of Great Britain, France and Ireland.

The reverse has a square shield on a cross fleury similar to that of the last shilling of Charles I; in this case with an inner circle and it should have the legend CHRISTO. AVSPICE. REGNO. I reign under the auspices of Christ.

The first twopence was a silver coin issued for Charles II in about 1660, but was undated, as used to be the normal practice. This was a hammered coin, and there were three slightly different issues of twopence between 1660 and 1662. This may be the third as it has an inner circle on the reverse.