Early Milled Coins

Feel free to post the first milled coins of any nation. I might as well start with the French milled issue as they are the earliest circulating milled coins.

Henry II 1552 Testoon

I believe this is the earliest milled coin but I may be wrong as I'm not too familiar with French coinage.

Englands first milled coins were produced from 1561 to 1571. It comprises of numerous gold and silver issues, ranging from a gold Half Pound to a silver 3 Farthings

Here are a few examples I got to handle at the British Museum


I believe they are Half Pound and a Sixpence but my memory isn't too good.


Half Pound from Heritage Auctions

I think most of you will agree that the beauty of the English milled coinage far outclasses the previous Scottish and French examples.

Nicholas Briot oversaw the introduction of Scotland's first native milled coinage. Here one of the more beautiful examples of his work:

Charles I Scottish Unite (1637 - 1642)


Briot also produced milled coins in England

Charles I English Unit (1631 - 1632)


Notice the small 'B' at the end of the obverse legend on both of the coins.

It'd be nice to see some early milled coins from the European continent. Preferably from the 1500s but feel free to stray into the 1600s. It be interesting to get some perspective on how milled coinage spread across Europe.

To say I was thrilled to get this 1552 Teston earlier this year for my collection is a huge understatement. Previously my interest in French coins didn't include anything before the milled coinage of Louis XIII. But, when I had the opportunity to buy this,  all that changed. We, collectors, know what it is like to be with friends and family who show little or no interest in our hobby, beyond the odd raised eyebrow. “Wow” and “Amazing” have been the usual reactions from those same previously uninterested people when seeing this beautiful example of Renaissance design. 

 

 

Click on the link below for more information on this pioneering first issue of milled coinage for circulation.

https://www.moneymuseum.com/en/coins?&id=1106

Just miss in the posts what's the main purpose of a milled coin.  

I think that young collectors would like to know.

Puckles

To say I was thrilled to get this 1552 Teston earlier this year for my collection is a huge understatement. Previously my interest in French coins didn't include anything before the milled coinage of Louis XIII. But, when I had the opportunity to buy this,  all that changed. We, collectors, know what it is like to be with friends and family who show little or no interest in our hobby, beyond the odd raised eyebrow. “Wow” and “Amazing” have been the usual reactions from those same previously uninterested people when seeing this beautiful example of Renaissance design. 

 

 

Click on the link below for more information on this pioneering first issue of milled coinage for circulation.

https://www.moneymuseum.com/en/coins?&id=1106

Thanks for resurrecting this previous thread.

Your coin is a well preserved  specimen - a proud addition to your collection.

Your link provides great information

Dutchgalego

Just miss in the posts what's the main purpose of a milled coin.  

I think that young collectors would like to know.

I understood that “milled” is just a different word for “machine-struck”. Coming from the coin mill, so to say.

 

Even though I'm not a young collector (just like you, Tony 😉), I too find it interesting to see some examples from when machines were first being used to strike coins.

Well, there were several reasons to start  with the machinal production of milled coins.

 

The most important  one was to avoid the clipping (cutting edges) of the often gold and silver coins for own profit. When catch death punishment could be an consequential outcome (in fact it death punishment did happen in the late 17th century, England a.o). 

 

Just look to the unclipped and clipped examples:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methods_of_coin_debasement

 

Besides that there was also the urge of proper measurement of coins (diameter and weight) to define the value.

 

There is also a lot of information about it on wikipedia. Have fun!

This is an Elizabeth Ist Milled 1562 Sixpence the second Year of Milled Coinage for QEI.

 

Staying in the 17th century, the UK had the Mestrel (1561 - 1570) and Briot (19631 - 1639) coinages. But these did not include the whole coinage, just certain bits of it and hammered coins still reigned supreme. Mestrel's coinage was so unwelcome to hammered coin making employees, he eventually lost his contract and ended up being hung in 1579 for uttering of all things (Forging coinage - not spreading gossip!).

 

The widespread adoption of milled coinage in the UK began in 1662 (There was some milled coins of Cromwell dated 1656 to 1659 by Thomas Simon, but again they did not spread far and now insanely rare). In 1661 a working party was actioned fro the making of milled coinage as hammered coins by this stage were worn and clipped and there was a shortage of coins, particularly small change (There were even 1650s to 1670 copper tradesmens tokens).

 

Thomas Simon was originally going to get it and made the famous Petition crown in 1662, however he lost out due to his time with a Mr Cromwell a few years earlier and the Dutchmen men Roettiers and Pierre Blondeau got the gong to do the new coins. Simon was lucky, he kept his job, many other collaborators with the Cromwell regime did not even keep their heads! The actual coins of Cromwell of this era are incredibly well struck as well. They would leave some of the oblong monstrosities of the 1680s and 1750s to shame!

 

 

This gorgeous halfcrown was made only 8 years after milled coinage was begun and shows the high standard you had at the start.

 

The minting of milled coins started in 1662 and that year only Crowns emerged, however 1663 saw the arrival of gold guineas (Worth 20 shillings replacing the old Unite) halfcrowns and shillings (A group of hammered coins had been issued already before this time - undated). 1664 saw the 2 guinea coin and the huge 5 guinea and tiny tuppence in 1668. 1670 saw the addition of the tiny penny, 3d and 4d coins. Finally in 1674 the sixpence was added.

 

All these coins had a security edge, milled on the coins up to one shilling had reeded edges and the bigger silver coins had the regnal date carved into them with the inscription an ornament and a safeguard in latin. The coins were a lot rounder (But not perfectly circular - that came in 1816 with steam presses) and in 1672 copper halfpence and farthings were issued although still round, they were uncollared and the finish was much poorer. This system of things persisted generally until around 1750 when numbers of coins dropped off.

 

In 1696 was the great recoinage in which large amounts of coins from 6d up were minted at Branch mints to replace any emaining hammered coins in circulation. At the time, clipping was still an issue and forging coins was rife. Some coins in use dated as far back as the 1540s. The experiment saw branch mints opened in Exeter, Chester, York and Bristol and many 1696 and 1697 have mintmarks

 

 

1696 Bristol Halfcrown                                                                                1696/7 Exeter Halfcrown

 

As you can see, though these provincial coins were not on the standard of the Tower mint ones and mintmarked provincial coins disappear after 1697, although after union with Scotland in 1707, you will see an E for Edinburgh under some coins for the first few years afterwards as the Scots minted their own coins until 1706.

 

The initial minting quality declines quickly after the 1660s and I have several coins up to the 1750s that look quite wonky and more oblong than round.

 

 

This 1685 James II shilling, already shows how bad the quality of minting had got in one generation - disregard the wear and notice, its far from being a well rounded coin, squashed apple shape seems more appropriate!

 

The quality picked up again under William III and lasted through to George II, but declined in the 1740s and 1750s.

 

 

Better striking, but they look more like an oblong 70s dinner plate than a circle.

 

The 1787 shillings and sixpence are much rounder, but hey they hadn't minted coins for 30 years!

 

Much rounder, but we are 10 years away from steam coins. Still these are as well struck as 1660s stuff.

 

 

However small coins, we have oblong coins again and no sign of the quality control department being rehired.

 

Fortunately by 1797 the Brits had moved on and machine minted coins that did not involve wooden screws, ropes or donkeys had arrived and by 1816 we had perfectly round and industrial quality masterpieces.

Ian P

This is an Elizabeth Ist Milled 1562 Sixpence the second Year of Milled Coinage for QEI.

 

That is gorgeous, no wonder the hammered coin makers got jealous. But it also helped them lift their game a bit. You get some very round planchets and well struck hammered coins like this 1582/4 shilling

 

 

Its hammered, but the centering and planchet shape is pretty decent (It probably looked better 450 years ago!)

I wonder if some jetons I've found are milled.

such as

1https://www.ebay.com/itm/126049589549

2http://www.comptoir-des-monnaies.com/product_info.php/henri-iii-jeton-p-71696

3https://www.ebay.com/itm/155702682274

May you notice, these are henri iii's. IF some of them fit, they are the third coins/jetons.

I think some Charles IX's or Francois II's may be milled too. But I've no idea.

cmacleanFeel free to post the first milled coins of any nation. I might as well start with the French milled issue as they are the earliest circulating milled coins. 

Henry II 1552 Testoon

I believe this is the earliest milled coin but I may be wrong as I'm not too familiar with French coinage.

It is.

 

The only early milled things, were medals and medallions by Italian Renaissance masters, the oldest are around 1470.

Moneytane

cmacleanFeel free to post the first milled coins of any nation. I might as well start with the French milled issue as they are the earliest circulating milled coins. 

Henry II 1552 Testoon

I believe this is the earliest milled coin but I may be wrong as I'm not too familiar with French coinage.

It is.

 

The only early milled things, were medals and medallions by Italian Renaissance masters, the oldest are around 1470.

Em… Are there some books or resources talking about the milled history and medals? Thanks.