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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;1934 Wreath Crown, post: 3652922, member: 76965&quot;]The gold Unite was first struck during the reign of King James I and was the second English coin to be valued at 20 shillings or one pound. During the reign of Charles I they bore an XX behind the king&#039;s head representing the value of the coin as 20 shillings.</p><p><br /></p><p>During the English Civil War very few unites were produced by the crown and those that are available today represent unique coins and achieve very high auction prices. Following the defeat of Charles I by Oliver Cromwell and his execution in 1649, the Commonwealth issued gold unites which, for the first time, bore English legends &quot;The Commonwealth of England&quot; and &quot;God With Us&quot; with no portrait of an individual or monarch. The Latin legends being associated with Catholicism.</p><p><br /></p><p>Oliver Cromwell most probably took vindictive pleasure in removing any likeness of a king or queen, and changing the decadent Latin legends to more Puritan English. These new coins were disliked during their time for their ugliness and their crude strike. They bore the twin shields of England and Ireland resembling a pair of trousers and were dubbed &#039;breeches money&#039;. Despite their contemporary vilification, these coins have gained popularity in modern times due to their historical significance, unusual style and utter separation from any preceding or following styles.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Commonwealth gold coinage was replaced in 1656 with the introduction of the Broad which bore the portrait of Oliver Cromwell. Ironically, it would appear that</p><p>he assumed, to some extent, the very characteristics and trappings of the monarchy which he had fought against. He dissolved Parliament, set up his own barebone Parliament which he later admitted was a mistake, agreed to the minting of coinage bearing his portrait and appointed his son as his successor.</p><p><br /></p><p>Although he supposedly received a state funeral (it is claimed that the coffin was empty and that his putrefied remains had already been buried several days earlier) his remains were dug up on the return of Charles II to the throne, and symbolically tried, convicted and executed in revenge for the execution of Charles I. His skull was then placed on a 20&#039; stake in view of the general public.</p><p><br /></p><p>Of the gold unites struck during the English Commonwealth, 1654 is the rarest year with only 2 examples certified by NGC and none by PCGS, to date. I have always wanted to own a coin from that historical period and after several failed attempts, finally have something that I can put in an exalted place in my collection. The example below graded at MS62 is the finest known to date for that year:</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]981551[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]981552[/ATTACH]</p><p>Please share your Cromwell coins or any coins from those troubled times.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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