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The English Civil War on a 1644 Silver Crown
Charles I's Oxford Crown
Prologue
This silver crown was struck in 1644, in the middle of the English Civil War, at the mint in Oxford, where Charles I had his headquarters. The obverse shows the king on horseback above the Oxford cityscape; the reverse carries the aims he declared for the war: the Protestant religion, the laws of England and the freedom of Parliament. The dies were cut by Thomas Rawlins, appointed Graver of Seals, Stamps and Medals at Oxford in 1643.
At a Glance
- Country
- England
- Year
- 1644
- Denomination
- Crown
- Designer
- Thomas Rawlins
- Diameter
- 44 mm
- Metal
- Silver
- Mintage
- Unknown
Background
Oxford, the King's Headquarters
During the English Civil War, Charles I established his headquarters in Oxford. According to the Ashmolean Museum, the mint was set up at New Inn Hall, the present site of St Peter's College, in January 1642, and was overseen by former Wardens of the Shrewsbury and Tower Mints.
The End of the Mint
The mint closed in May or June 1646, when the city was besieged for a second time and taken for Parliament. The museum describes the Oxford Crown as only a fraction of the mint's significant output.
Design and Legends
Obverse
The king rides on horseback above the Oxford cityscape. The Latin legend reads, in translation, "Charles, by the grace of God King of Great Britain, France and Ireland".
Reverse
Around the edge runs Psalm 68: "Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered" (EXURGAT DEUS DISSIPENTUR INIMICI). Across the field, in abbreviated Latin, are the aims Charles declared for the war, to uphold the Protestant religion, the laws of England and the freedom of Parliament, followed by "Oxford 1644".
The Engraver, Thomas Rawlins
The dies were cut by Thomas Rawlins, appointed Graver of Seals, Stamps and Medals at Oxford in 1643. He signed the coin with his own mark, a cross made of lilies.
Surviving Examples and Replicas
The Museum Specimen
The Ashmolean Museum's specimen (HCR6571) is silver, 44 mm in diameter, and was transferred from the Bodleian Library in 1760. The museum describes the coin as "very rare".
Beware of Replicas
Because the coin is celebrated, later replicas exist, and some have been offered at auction as replicas of the Oxford Crown (Spink, lot 5010118). When buying, check the description and any certification to confirm whether a piece is an original or a replica.
Value & Rarity
The Ashmolean Museum describes the Oxford Crown as "very rare" and as only a fraction of the mint's output. Its specimen (HCR6571) was transferred from the Bodleian Library in 1760.
In Summary
The Oxford Crown carries both the city where the king had his headquarters and the cause he fought for. The horseman above the city and the legend promising religion, law and the freedom of Parliament show that this silver coin was a means of payment and a carrier of the Royalist message at the same time.
Where this coin sits
Early Modern England 1644
Sources & Verification
- Research
- GNJ Numismatic Research Desk
- Last updated
- 10 October 2026
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