Description
Charles II of the House of Stuart, King of England 1660-1685 AD, Silver Half Crown (14.79g, 33mm), 1676. Obverse: Fourth laureate and draped bust of King Charles II facing to the right, legend surrounds, “CAROLVS· II· DEI· GRATIA·”. Reverse: Crowned cruciform Shields of Arms of the House of Stuart, Garter star central, interlocking “C”s in angles, Irish harp of 6 strings, date with retrograde 1 either side of top crown, legend surrounds, “·MAG· BR· FRA· ET· HIB REX·”. Edge: Inscription in raised letters, “· DECVS : ET · TVTAMEN · ANNO · REGNI · VICESIMO · OCTAVO ·”. Spink-3367; Bull-472; ESC-478A. A few hairline scratches and slightly misshapen flan, quite deeply toned, particularly on the reverse, and with bold portraiture, some ghosting of reverse wording through CAROLVS on obverse, details good Very Fine, reverse a little less so.
The Obverse Latin legend reads “Carolus Secundus, Deī Grātiā”, with an English translation of “Charles the Second, by the Grace of God”. The Reverse Latin legend continues from the obverse and reads “Magnae Britanniae, Franciae et Hiberniae Rex”, with an English translation of “King of Great Britain, France and Ireland”. The Edge Latin inscription is stated in full as “Decus et tūtāmen, annō regni vīcēsimō octāvō”, with an English translation of “An ornament and safeguard, twenty eighth regnal year”.