Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;DonnaML, post: 4797237, member: 110350&quot;]To try to answer a question I asked earlier in this thread -- namely, when did Britannia first appear on English/British coinage after the Roman era came to an end -- it seems that she first appeared on the British copper farthings and halfpennies of Charles II, beginning in 1672. This was the first official base metal coinage in England.&nbsp; So unless she ever appeared on silver or gold coinage before then (which I doubt), the answer is 1672.&nbsp; Here is what Peter Seaby had to say on the subject in his book <i>The Story of British Coinage</i> (Seaby, London, 1985) at p. 125. (I may have sold most of my British coins and medals, but I kept all my books!)</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1164884[/ATTACH] </p><p>Note the suggestion that this initial design of Britannia was based on her depiction on a sestertius of Antoninus Pius.</p><p><br /></p><p>Here is my own oldest coin depicting Britannia: a copper farthing of Charles II from 1675, purchased from CNG about 15-20 years ago as &quot;near VF.&quot; (I sold very few of my copper coins, many of which I collected in childhood -- most aren&#039;t worth enough for there to have been much point in selling them.)&nbsp; I should note that although it was sold to me as a 1675 farthing, the last digit looks more like a &quot;3&quot; to me. But I couldn&#039;t find enough detailed photos of 1673 and 1675 farthings online to compare mine with, to be sure. Unfortunately, my reverse is considerably more worn than the obverse in general. I don&#039;t think it really merited a &quot;near VF&quot;!</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1164902[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;[ATTACH=full]1164903[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in