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Queen
Elizabeth I (1558 - 1603)
Regarded as a golden era, Elizabeth’s reign was characterised by
a new spirit of national unity and identity that was specially important
during the troubled period of the Reformation. In order to retain internal
peace and increased prosperity, Elizabeth was always careful to secure
parliamentary approval of her policies. As a result of her cautious nature,
Elizabeth was popular amongst her subjects. Since coins were widely distributed
and had the power to convey messages of state policy Elizabeth had to
be particularly careful in the design and style of her coinage.
Coin Collecting
Some of the interest of this coin lies not in its monetary value but in
its place as an 18th-century collectors’ item. It was bequeathed
to Christ Church college by Philip Barton, Canon of Christ Church, in
1765. Although very beautiful, with a particularly fine portrait of the
young queen, the circulation of this rare coin in the 16th century was
relatively low. Its traditional medieval inscription, ‘Jesus passing
through the midst of them went his way’, may have been controversial
following the Reformation. Later coins bearing a more topical inscription,
‘May the shield of faith protect her’, were much more successful.
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