ANA Museum Exhibit Traced Royal Portraits on English Coins, 2019 Post Says

This article is based on a blog post published by the American Numismatic Association (ANA) on October 14, 2019. References to "today" reflect that date.

In October 2019, the ANA's Edward C. Rochette Money Museum had a new exhibit, "Money of Empire: Elizabeth to Elizabeth." Many objects in it share a portrait of an English king or queen.

According to the post, the monarchs are shown in profile or facing forward; on thrones, on horseback and on ships; or with co-rulers or spouses. In 2019, the post said that while styles had changed, the face of Queen Elizabeth II (r. 1952-) was the most widely used on money throughout the world.

From Roman Coins to the Anglo-Saxon Penny

In the 1st century B.C., Celtic tribes produced gold and silver coins with their chieftain's likeness. When the Romans arrived in A.D. 43, they replaced Celtic issues with their own, and gold, silver and bronze coins with portraits of Roman emperors and other citizens were used. When the Romans left in the early 5th century, coins disappeared from circulation and were replaced by barter and trade.

In the early 7th century, the Anglo-Saxons reintroduced coinage in Britain, and the silver penny became the main means of commerce. Examples depict the kings of Mercia, Northumbria and other territories, as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury. By the late 10th century, pennies depicting rulers of the Kingdom of England, established in A.D. 927, were used throughout the country.

From the Normans to the Tudors

The Norman Conquest in 1066 left the coinage largely unchanged. Norman kings (r. 1066-1154) struck pennies at more than 70 mints, a number that shrank as coining became more centralized. Unlike most Anglo-Saxon kings, the new rulers were mostly shown facing forward.

Under Henry VII (1485-1509), the first Tudor monarch, the traditional open crown was replaced with an arched imperial crown, and after more than 300 years the profile bust was again widely used. Henry VIII (r. 1509-47) kept his father's likeness on silver coins early in his reign.

Elizabeth I's rule (1558-1603) saw the first issues of milled coinage, but it was not until Charles II (r. 1660-85) that all English issues were milled.

The Steam Press and Elizabeth II

According to the post, the development of the steam press in the late 18th century and the move of the Royal Mint to Tower Hill in the 19th century resulted in sharper, more realistic royal portraits. Queen Victoria (r. 1837-1901) had many portraits, including the Gothic and Jubilee designs.

In 1953 a coronation crown was released to honor Elizabeth II's accession. It shows the Queen on horseback, a tradition that goes back centuries. Five official images of Elizabeth II have been produced for British coinage, not counting others used for commemoratives and paper money.

The post also points readers to a virtual version of the exhibit.

Source: American Numismatic Association, "Tales From the Vault: Royal Portraits" (October 14, 2019).