Description
Charles I Exeter Siege Crown.
Solid silver. Approximately 44mm in diameter.
The coinage of Charles I is without doubt one of the most interesting periods of English Coinage. The only mint operating at the beginning of the Civil War was at the Tower of London which continued to strike coins in Charles name until his execution in 1649.
As the war progressed, it became necessary for the King to set up provincial mints to supply coin for regional use and to pay his armies. After the Royalist forces were cut off from the mint at Oxford, Charles commissioned Sir Richard Vyvyan to set up a mint at Truro but after Exeter was recaptured by Prince Maurice for the King in 1643, Vyvyan moved the mint to Exeter, although the exact location has never been established. Denominations from the Crown to the silver penny were produced, the silver for which was obtained from institutions and private citizens loyal to the king. Large amounts of plate were melted down which has resulted in the loss of so much earlier silver.
The crowns of Exeter are similar in design to those of the Tower coins but were probably struck from dies engraved by local craftsmen. Unlike the Tower coins, those of Exeter were dated.
The obverse carries the titles “Carolos:D.G.:Mag.:Brit:Fra:et:Hi:Rex:” (Charles by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland) and on the reverse “Christo Auspice Regno” (I reign under the auspices of Christ) which made clear the Stuart theory of divine rule.
In addition to the Rose mintmark, which was also used on the coins of Truro, the monogram Ex and a castle were used, the latter being the assay mark of Exeter.
This copy of a Crown piece of Exeter in hall-marked sterling silver is struck from hand engraved dies at the Bigbury Mint.
Medals are mounted ready for wear and then placed on a block within the frame. This allows for the easy removal and replacement of the medals as required, meaning they can be removed for wear on parade or for cleaning.
The medals will hang from the block at a slight angle much as they would if they were being worn on the chest.
Medals are not mounted ready for wear and instead are placed flat against the frame backing with the medal ribbon secured through a slot. This means that the medals cannot be removed from the frame and cannot be worn.
Medal mounting swing style is the more traditional method of mounting medals. Swing Style or ordinary style mounted medals are mounted on a medal brooch bar which can then be pinned to your tunic directly, through becketts or attached to a pocket holder. This style of medal mounting allows the medals to move or ‘swing’ when worn. Over time, the edge of the medals can become damaged due to the medals “clinking” together.
Medal mounting court style is alleged to have began during the reign of Queen Victoria. Those attending the Queen would wear medals court mounted to stop them “clinking”. Other sources suggest that the Cavalry first adopted the practice. Either way, this style of medal mounting is becoming more popular. Court mounted medals are fixed to a rigid backing material called buckram. The buckram is then covered in a felt material before the medals are mounted on their own ribbon length. This style of medal mounting holds the medals firmly in place and prevents them ‘clinking’ together and damaging each other when worn.
