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.
Read more about Broad (English Gold Coin): Links
Famous quotes containing the words broad and/or gold:
“The English language is like a broad river on whose bank a few patient anglers are sitting, while, higher up, the stream is being polluted by a string of refuse-barges tipping out their muck.”
—Cyril Connolly (1903–1974)
“The award of a pure gold medal for poetry would flatter the recipient unduly: no poem ever attains such carat purity.”
—Robert Graves (1895–1985)