Great Britain. Silver Pledge Halfpenny, 1601

Great Britain. Silver Pledge Halfpenny, 1601 (image 1/2)
Great Britain. Silver Pledge Halfpenny, 1601 (image 2/2)
Pricing & History
Great Britain. Silver Pledge Halfpenny, 1601. Elizabeth I (1558-1603). Not listed in Spink. Peck-6 (called `very rare`). Crowned royal monogram on obverse includes each of the letters of `ELIZABETH R.` Portcullis with date above on reverse. Stops in the devices reminiscent of those used on Anglo-Saxon pennies, which seemingly function primarily to balance the design. This monarch was known firstly for her brilliance as an administrator and a negotiator, not merely for keeping her head during some six decades of the most treacherous political times in England`s history, but also for leading her country through foreign war and global exploration. It was said that Elizabeth, daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, could listen to entreaties at court by the Portugese ambassador while dictating a letter in French and signing legal papers in Latin and listening to singing in Italian, all at the same time! She was born in 1533, and during her youth her irascible father spent much time robbing ancient abbeys of their lead windows for war materiel and spending the nation`s treasury at a furious pace on his pleasures. At his death his currency had been seriously demeaned of intrinsic value; his son and first daughter ruled after him, albeit shortly and disastrously, and neither did anything to revive the currency or the public`s faith in it. read more
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