GREAT BRITAIN. 1/2 Pound, ND (1566). London Mint; mm: portcullis. Elizabeth I. PCGS Genuine--Graffiti, VF Details.
S-2520; Fr-203; N-1982. Weight: 5.46 gms. First to fourth issues. Obverse: Crowned and mantled bust left, wearing ruffled collar; Reverse: Coat-of-arms; crown above; E-R across field. Emanating from the earlier issues of gold for Elizabeth, this specimen yields a solid overall strike, though does exhibit the noted graffiti in the form of a few scratches above the R (for regina) on the right side of the reverse shield.
One of the most famous and influential of all English monarchs, her rule spawned an era that bears her name and is noted for its contribution to the arts, literature, and society. The second child of Henry VIII born in wedlock; Elizabeth was raised Protestant as she was born after her father’s conversion to Anglicanism. Inheriting the throne from her sister Mary, Elizabeth worked to re-establish England as Protestant after Mary’s attempt to reverse the English Reformation. During her long reign, England was established as the preeminent colonial power in North America, with the colony of Virigina being named after her chastity. War with Spain in 1588 led to the defeat of the Spanish Armada and the reaffirmation of Elizabethan rule. Incredibly popular with the public, by the end of Elizabeth’s life a cult of personality had sprung up around her and her purity. Shakespeare and Marlow wrote, and Drake and Raleigh sailed during the reign of Elizabeth, and the impact of her rule marked the rest of Western Civilization for 400 years hence. To view all items from the Paul C. Runze Collection, click
here.From the Paul C. Runze Collection.
Estimate: $3000 - $5000