BRITISH, Tudor. Elizabeth I, 1558-1603. Sovereign (Gold, 42 mm, 15.11 g, 2 h), sixth issue. Tower (London) mint, no date (1584-1586). (escallop)•ELIZABETH•D.'G.'ANG.'FRA.'ET.'HIB.'REGINA• Elizabeth enthroned facing, holding scepter in her right hand and orb in her left; portcullis beneath. Rev. (escallop)A•DNO.'FACTV.'EST.ISTVD.'ET.'EST.'MIRAB.'IN.OCVLIS.NRIS.' Coat of arms within Tudor rose. North 2003. Schneider 780f. SCBC 2529. An attractive example of this important issue. In NGC encapsulation, graded UNC Details. Light traces of mounting, otherwise, extremely fine.



This highly sought-after type stands apart stylistically from the coinage of Elizabeth’s Renaissance era, offering a striking and almost anachronistic aesthetic. The enthroned queen, surrounded by a richly ornamented field that fills the entire design, evokes the intricate visual language of the Late Gothic tradition rather than the emerging classicism of the 16th century.

A comparable type had already been issued by Henry VIII at the outset of his reign. However, by 1544 he replaced it with a new sovereign (SCBC 2289), reflecting a more distinctly Renaissance sensibility - making this earlier, more elaborate style all the more captivating and historically evocative.