Image: Edward VI AR Crown 802157

Description: Tudor. TUDOR. Edward VI. 1547-1553. AR Crown (41mm, 30.78 g, 9h). Third period; fine silver issue. Tower mint; mm: y. Dated 1551. ЄDVVΛRD’: VI : D’: G’: ΛGL’: FRΛnC’: Z : hIBЄR’: RЄX •, Edward, in full armor and holding sword in right hand, on horseback right; •1551• below : POSVI DЄVm : Λ DIVTOR Є’ : mЄV.’, royal shield over long cross fourchée. Lingford dies A/8; North 1933; SCBC 2478. VF, toned. An extremely well struck specimen with an even amount of wear on the highest points. By the middle of 1551 the silver coinage of Edward VI was at its intrinsic worst. Beginning with the last issues of Henry VIII, the silver coinage had become steadily more debased to stretch the ever-dwindling silver resources available to the crown. The poor quality coinage of Edward’s early reign was reflective of the troubled political situation. The son of Henry VIII by his third wife, Jane Seymour, Edward was a sickly youth who ascended the throne while still in his minority. Consequently, he was subject to a regency under his uncle, Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset as Lord Protector. A devout Protestant, Seymour and his allies worked to continue the Reformation in England begun under Henry VIII. Numerous problems, however, caused Seymour’s unpopularity to increase dramatically. He was eventually replaced by the Duke of Northumberland, and executed soon after. Northumberland believed that to combat England’s problems at home and abroad, the king had to declare his majority as soon as he turned 16. Moreover, the poor quality coinage had to be replaced with that of a higher quality silver. For the next three years, issues such as this crown were struck in an attempt to bolster the young king’s government. However, Edward died in 1553 and such fine quality coinage came to an end to under his sister and successor, Mary.
Title: Edward VI AR Crown 802157
Credit: http://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=143689
Author: CNG
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