Broad (English Gold Coin)
The Broad was a British coin worth 20 shillings (20/-) issued by the Commonwealth of England in 1656. It was a milled gold coin weighing 9.0–9.1 grams, with a diameter of 29 or 30 millimetres, designed by Thomas Simon (also called Symonds).
The obverse of the coin depicts the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell as a laureated Roman emperor, with the inscription -- Oliver, by the Grace of God, Protector of the Republic of England, Scotland, Ireland, etc., -- while the reverse shows a crowned shield depicting the arms of the Commonwealth with the inscription -- Peace is sought through war.
The current value of the coin in "very fine" to "extremely fine" condition is £3500 to £6000 as the pieces are very rare, but normally fairly unworn, although a Mr Pinkerton, writing at the time that the coins circulated, noted that many of the coins in circulation were so worn as to be almost flat.
A piedfort version of the coin with an edge inscription is known as a Fifty shilling piece. This is extremely rare, and there are very few examples as it is probably a pattern.
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Famous quotes containing the words broad and/or gold:
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—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“In our daily intercourse with men, our nobler faculties are dormant and suffered to rust. None will pay us the compliment to expect nobleness from us. Though we have gold to give, they demand only copper.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)