The Rare 1613 James I XV Unite: A Golden Symbol of Unity > 자유게시판

The 1613 15 James I unite gold coin is one of the most fascinating pieces of early 17th century English coinage.

Produced in the years following the Union of the Crowns, when James I sought to forge a single British realm.

The unite was more than money—it was propaganda in gold, designed to assert royal authority across divided realms.

The unite was introduced in 1604 as a replacement for the earlier sovereign.

By the early 1610s, the unite had matured into a precise, high-quality bullion coin.

Made from fine 22-karat gold alloy, with a precise mass of 13.1 grams.

Worth twenty shillings—equivalent to a pound—it was among the most valuable coins of its era.

The obverse displays James I in profile, crowned and majestic, with the Latin motto proclaiming his divine right over Britain, France, and Ireland.

On the reverse, a finely detailed royal escutcheon unites the arms of the four realms, bound by the Garter and surmounted by a sovereign crown.

Encircling the coin’s edge, アンティーク コイン the legend "1613 XV" formally declares both its minting year and its worth of fifteen units.

Very few examples survive in mint or near-mint state, making high-grade specimens extraordinarily rare.

During times of inflation or war, the gold was often reclaimed, reducing the number of surviving specimens dramatically.

Numismatists highly value intact specimens for their blend of historical weight and artistic mastery.

The iconography was deliberate—combining the symbols of four kingdoms into one coin to legitimize the union.

Today, the 1613 15 James I unite is not just a relic of monetary history but a window into the political vision of its time.

Its enduring appeal lies in its craftsmanship, its story, and the quiet power it carries as a piece of England’s royal legacy.