Description
James I of the House of Stuart, King of England 1603-1625 AD, Silver Sixpence (2.42g, 25mm), 1622, Third Coinage, initial mark Thistle (1621-1623), Tower mint, London. Obverse: Sixth bust of King James I facing to the right, crowned and wearing elaborate armour with small collar, mark of value “VI” to left field, inner beaded border and legend beginning with initial mark thistle surrounds, “IACOBVS D:G: MA[G]: BRI: FRA: ET HIB: REX”. Reverse: Shield of Arms of the House of Stuart, date to inner field above, inner beaded border and legend beginning with initial mark thistle surrounds, “QVÆ· DEVS CONIVNXIT NEMO SEPARET”. Spink-2670. An attractive example of a third-coinage sixpence, lightly toned with a steel grey supplemented with idyllic colour around the obverse periphery, minimal areas of flatness, quite scarce and the date seemingly infrequently available for commerce, near Very Fine, reverse Very Fine.
The Obverse Latin legend reads “Iācōbus, Deī Grātiā, Magnae Britanniae, Franciae et Hiberniae Rēx”, with an English translation of “James, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland”. The Reverse Latin legend is stated in full as “Quae Deus Coniūnxit Nēmō Sēparet”, with an English translation of “Which God united no man may divide”.
