King of England and Ireland (a.k.a. King of Scotland as James VI). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_VI_and_I 1) What would be the most common, least expensive coin with his likeness on it? 2) What different denominations and/or metals would be available? Thanks.
Probably sixpence and shillings will be the most common and affordable. Also minted were 1/2 groats, pennies and halfpennies, all in silver but without a portrait, plus the normal gold issues of the period some of which can be surprisingly affordable in Fine or lower. This is my example of a S-2655 Shilling slabbed as AU50.
Vcoins is one of the places I look, dealers/auction houses I have had the best luck with: Heritage weekly world & ancient auctions, Baldwins Spink Civitas Classical Numismatic Group Goldberg Auctions R.P. Coins RasCoins Colin Cooke
Copper farthings are also available, and fairly cheap, but don't bear his likeness. As far as that which bears his image, penny and higher. Pennies are silver. (S.2650, penny, silver, his portrait is on it)
By the way there is a sixpence and a shilling on the CNG auction that opened today. About half way down the page
You could shop around some more, but that one really doesn't seem too bad for sixty bucks, reckon. I might look around a bit for one with a more detailed, better-struck portrait, but those coins are likely to cost you more money. That coin is fine - and really not bad at all for the general type, as flatly struck portraiture seems to plague the hammered coins of this reign and particularly those of his predecessor, Elizabeth I. I personally tend to prefer dated coins for my Elizabethan and later hammered silver, but that's just me. The shillings are nice because they're relatively large. James I is of course interesting because he is the "King James" of King James Bible fame. He was James VI of Scotland before becoming James I of England, as the title of the Wikipedia article indicates.
This piece has a great portrait, and the contrasting grey toning I love, but sadly it has some old scratches on the obverse. Otherwise it would have exactly the look I like in a James I shilling: nice portrait, nice toning, and nice round flan, in that order. But even with the scratches, it's priced at over $140 (and likely would have been more expensive without them). So on a budget, the $60 one you're looking at, despite the less detailed portrait, is in my opinion a better buy for the money, maybe.
Here are a couple I had a couple of years ago - as I recal around GBP70 each at the time, so USD60 seems fine for your example.
It's been bid up to $125 now, so it's a moot point on this particular auction, but it's good to keep in mind for the future. Thanks.
