Spur Ryal
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The Spur Ryal was an extremely rare English
gold coin A gold coin is a coin that is made mostly or entirely of gold. Most gold coins minted since 1800 are 90–92% gold (22fineness#Karat, karat), while most of today's gold bullion coins are pure gold, such as the Britannia (coin), Britannia, Canad ...
issued in the reign of King James I. The coin is a development of the earlier Rose Noble, or Ryal which was worth ten shillings when issued by Kings
Edward IV Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...
and Henry VII, and fifteen shillings when issued by Queens Mary and
Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudo ...
. The Spur Ryal, so called because the sun and rose on the reverse resemble a
spur A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse or other animal to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids (commands) and to ba ...
, was introduced during James I's second coinage (1604–1619) when it initially had a value of fifteen shillings (15/-, £), but in line with all gold coins its value was raised by one-tenth in 1612, to sixteen shillings and sixpence (16/6; £). The design of this first issue shows on the obverse the king in a ship holding a sword and shield, surrounded by the legend IACOBUS DG MAG BRIT FRAN ET HIB REX — "James by the grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland". The reverse shows a rose over a radiant star, with a lion and crown in each quarter surrounded by the legend A. DNO FACTUM EST ISTUD ET EST MIRABILE (shorthand for the Latin ''A DOMINO FACTUM EST ISTUD ET EST MIRABILE'') — "This is the Lord's doing and it is marvellous (in our eyes)". During James' third coinage (1619–25) a new-style lighter spur ryal was issued with the value and weight reduced to fifteen shillings (15/-). On the obverse is a lion holding a sceptre over the royal shield which divides the value for fifteen shillings, surrounded by the legend IACOBUS DG MAG BRIT FRA ET HI REX -- ''James by the grace of God King of Great Britain France and Ireland''. The reverse shows, as before, a rose over a radiant star, with a lion and crown in each quarter surrounded by the legend A. DNO FACTUM EST ISTUD ET EST MIRABILE — ''This is the Lord's doing and it is marvellous (in our eyes)''.


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{{DEFAULTSORT:Spur Ryal Coins of England English gold coins Economy of Stuart England