Charles II First Hammered Issue Shilling

Charles II First Hammered Issue Shilling by Thomas Simon Graded by NGC AU55 | Pay with Bitcoin & Crypto

One of the finest surviving examples of Thomas Simon’s artistry — a Charles II first hammered issue shilling struck at the very dawn of the Restoration, graded AU55 by NGC and ranking as the highest graded of just five examples in their census as of October 2021. This is museum-quality numismatic art available for cryptocurrency at BitGolder.

A Coin Born from Rivalry

When Charles II reclaimed the throne in 1660, he needed more than a crown — he needed to erase the visual legacy of Oliver Cromwell and stamp his authority across the realm. Like the Roman Emperors before him, Charles understood that coinage was power made tangible. Every coin in circulation would carry his portrait into the hands of every subject in the kingdom.

This made the selection of a royal engraver one of the most politically charged decisions of the new regime — and it sparked one of the greatest rivalries in British numismatic history.

The Roettier brothers from Holland had earned Charles’s favour during his exile and were promised positions at the Royal Mint upon the Restoration. Standing in their way was Thomas Simon — widely regarded as the most gifted engraver in England, but fatally compromised by his service under Cromwell. A formal competition was held in 1663 to determine who would engrave the new milled coinage. Simon’s submission — the legendary Petition Crown — is still considered by many to be the single most magnificent piece of milled engraving in the entire British coin series. It made no difference. The Roettiers had the king’s loyalty, and Simon was relegated to working on small silver denominations only.

This shilling belongs to the brief window of 1660–61 when Simon was still permitted to produce hammered coinage for the restored king — making it one of the last significant works by England’s greatest engraver before his political downfall silenced his talent.

The Coin

Obverse: Crowned bust of Charles II facing left, without mark of value, surrounded by legend and toothed borders with initial mark crown. No stops either side of the mint mark. The inscription CAROLVS. II. D. G. MAG. BRIT. FR. ET. HIB. REX translates as “Charles the Second, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland.”

Reverse: Long cross fourchée over a quartered shield of arms featuring a more squat, smaller harp with seven strings, no stop above the shield. The inscription CHRISTO. AVSPICE. REGNO translates as “I reign under the auspice of Christ.”

The tradition of monarchs facing the opposite direction to their predecessor on coinage is said to date from this very period — Charles literally turning his back on Cromwell’s legacy.

Condition & Grading

This coin has been professionally encapsulated and graded AU55 by NGC — About Uncirculated, with only light wear on the highest points and substantial original detail preserved throughout. As of October 2021, this is the highest graded example of the five specimens graded by NGC, placing it at the top of the known certified population for this type.

At 6.03g, the coin retains strong weight and displays the refined craftsmanship that made Thomas Simon the most celebrated engraver of his era. The strike quality, portrait detail, and heraldic precision are exceptional for a hammered coin over 360 years old.

Why This Coin Matters

This shilling sits at the intersection of art, politics, and history. It was engraved by the man widely considered the greatest talent ever to work at the Royal Mint — during the brief, politically doomed window before he was pushed aside in favour of the king’s preferred engravers. It marks the moment a restored monarchy reasserted its authority through coinage. And it survives in a condition that surpasses every other certified example known to NGC.

For collectors of early milled and hammered English coinage, Stuart-era pieces, or the work of Thomas Simon specifically, this represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

Coin Specifications

Why Buy Rare Coins with Bitcoin at BitGolder?

Top-graded examples of Charles II hammered coinage by Thomas Simon almost never appear on the open market. BitGolder gives serious numismatists the chance to acquire elite-level historic British coinage using cryptocurrency — fast settlement, enhanced privacy, and a coin that has survived over three and a half centuries in extraordinary condition.