The Gold Coins of England

Robert Lloyd Kenyon, 1884
Anne (1701-1714)

Table of Contents

ANNE, 1701 TO 1714. Anne succeeded her brother-in-law on March 8, 1701-2, and carried on the coinage on the same principles as before. Her coins have her bust turned to the left, hair filleted. She is said to have objected to being represented with bare neck and breast, as her predecessors had been, and accordingly, although there is a pattern guinea of 1702 without drapery, all her current coins have drapery over the shoulders, which is fastened in front by a brooch. The reverse has four shields crosswise crowned, with sceptres between them, like William III’s coins. The elephant and castle is placed under the bust on the coins made from the gold of the African Company, and the word VIGO on some coins struck in 1702 and 1703, of gold captured in the town of Vigo in Gallicia, which was taken from the Spaniards in October, 1702. An alteration in the arms took place after the Union with Scotland on May 1st, 1707, the arms of England and Scotland impaled being then placed in the top and bottom shield, France to the right, Ireland to the left. The Articles of Union provided that the coin should be of the same standard and value throughout the United Kingdom as it was at that time in England; and that a mint should be continued in Scotland under the same rules as the mint in England, and the present officers of the mint continued, subject to such regulations and alterations as Her Majesty, her heirs and successors, or the Parliament of Great Britain, should think fit. The silver coins struck after this time at the Edinburgh mint have E under the bust; but it does not appear that any gold was struck there. The mint there was finally abolished in 1817, and the buildings sold. FIVE GUINEAS. The first of these have the bust to left, hair filleted, two small curls above fillet on top of heads fillet tied in a bow, of which both ends but only one loop are visible behind the head, lovelock brought over right shoulder, drapery over the shoulders, fastened in front by a brooch. ANNA. DEI. GRATIA. Rev. Four shields placed crosswise, crowned; England above, France below, Scotland to right, Ireland to left. In the centre, between the shields, is a rose, from which issue four sceptres, terminating respectively in an orb, thistle, lis, and harp. •MAG BR. FRA ET. HIB REG. with the date. On the edge DECVS ET TVTAMEN ANNO REGNI, &c. These occur of the dates 1703 SECVNDO with VIGO under the bust, Rud. xvi. 17; 1705 QVARTO; 1706 QVINTO. After the Union the obverse remained as before, but on the reverse the top and bottom shields were England and Scotland impaled, with France to right, Ireland to left, and in the centre the star of the Order of the Garter took the place of the rose. BRI. FR. is substituted for BR. FRA. 1706 QVINTO, this date is a mistake, as, though the Act of Union was passed in 1706, it did not come into operation till 1707. 1709 OCTAVO, on this the letters of the legends are larger. The following have the reverse like the last, but the bust is different, flatter work, the hair in front curls over the fillet, there is only one curl above it, and both loops of the bow are seen behind; 1711 DECIMO; 1713 DVODECIMO (146), 1714 DECIMO TERTIO. Rud, xvii. 4, 8. All in MB. TWO GUINEAS. These were only coined after the Union, and are like the five guineas of 1706 after the Union, except that the edges are milled, not inscribed. 1709, 1711, 1713, 1714. Rud. xvii. 9. MB. Ruding’s xvi. 18 and xvii. 5, dated respectively 1703 with VIGO, and 1705, with shields as before the Union, but the star in the centre of the reverse, are imaginary, and do not exist. GUINEAS. Before the Union, like the five pieces of 1705, but edge milled not inscribed, 1702; 1703 with VIGO under the bust (147), Rud. xvi. 19; 1705, Rud. xvii 2; 1706; 1707. After the Union, like the five-guinea of 1706 after the Union. 1707, 1708, 1710, 1711, 1712, 1713, 1714 without, and 1707, 1708, 1709, with elephant and castle under the bust. Rud. xvii. 3,6, 10. Rud. xvii. 1, dated 1704, and with an object described as a George in the centre of the reverse, is not known, and if it exists it is probably a pattern. That of 1707 before the Union was in Mr. Marshall's collection. The others are in MB. HALF-GUINEAS. Before the Union, like the guineas before the Union; 1702; 1703 VIGO under the bust, Rud. xvi. 20; 1705. After the Union, like the guineas after the Union, every year from 1707 to 1714 inclusive. (148) Rud. xvii. 7, 14. All in MB. except 1712, which was in Mr. Marshall's collection. 5 guas. 2 guas. 1 gua. ½ gua. BEFORE THE UNION. 1702 Rose in centre of rev. + + 1703 Rose in centre of rev. Vigo + + + 1705 Rose in centre of rev. + + + 1706 Rose in centre of rev. + + 1707 Rose in centre of rev. Marshall AFTER THE UNION. 1706 Star in centre of rev. + 1707 Star in centre of rev. + + 1707 Star in centre of rev., elephant and castle + 1708 Star in centre of rev. + + 1708 Star in centre of rev., elephant and castle + 1709 Star in centre of rev., large letters on 5 guas. + + + 1709 Star in centre of rev., elephant and castle + 1710 Star in centre of rev. + + 1711 Star in centre of rev., two loops to bow on 5 guas. + + + + 1712 Star in centre of rev. + Marshall 1713 Star in centre of rev., two loops to bow on 5 guas. + + + + 1714 Star in centre of rev., two loops to bow on 5 guas. + + + + William III (1694-1701) | Table of Contents | George I (1714-1727)

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