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Source Description
In 1611 the value of all gold coins, which had previously been down-rated, was now raised by ten percent. Previously the gold coins had circulated at inconvenient fractional values, such as 33 shilling; 16 shillings and 6 pence; 4 shillings and 4 pence three farthings; and so forth. To obviate this a new unit of 20 shillings value was introduced, of which this is a specimen. Showing the king wearing a laurel wreath, it quickly became known as a "Laurel."
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
144466
label
Laurel: James I (obverse); Shield of Arms (reverse)
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
144466
contentType
object
title
Laurel: James I (obverse); Shield of Arms (reverse)
description
In 1611 the value of all gold coins, which had previously been down-rated, was now raised by ten percent. Previously the gold coins had circulated at inconvenient fractional values, such as 33 shilling; 16 shillings and 6 pence; 4 shillings and 4 pence three farthings; and so forth. To obviate this a new unit of 20 shillings value was introduced, of which this is a specimen. Showing the king wearing a laurel wreath, it quickly became known as a "Laurel."
date
1619–1620
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79921710
genreSpecific
Coins
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Diameter: 3.7 cm (1 7/16 in.)
cul
England, James I, 1603-1625
accession
1969.191
Source extras
tec
gold
tombstone
Laurel: James I (obverse); Shield of Arms (reverse), 1619–1620. England, James I, 1603-1625. Gold; diameter: 3.7 cm (1 7/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Norweb Collection, 1969.191
collection
MED - Numismatics
inscriptions
inscription
IACOBVS D:G: MAG: BRI: FRA:ET HIB: REX, XX
inscription_translation
James by the Grace of God King of Great Britain, France and Ireland. 20 (shillings)
inscription_remark
obverse
inscription
FACIAM EOS IN. GENTEM. UNAM
inscription_translation
I will make them one nation
inscription_remark
reverse
didYouKnow
The king is shown dressed as a Roman Emperor wearing armor.
citations
citation
Cleveland Museum of Art, and Emery May Norweb.<em> English Gold Coins, Ancient to Modern Times, On Loan to the Cleveland Museum of Art from the Norweb Collection</em>. [Catalog. 1968.
page_number
p. 50
creditline
The Norweb Collection
updatedAt
2026-05-29 07:25:11.365000
sourceId
144466
dept
Medieval Art
coll
MED - Numismatics
med
gold
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
f7dc12e5fa2bd532