Among the most historic coins in British coin collecting, this highly distinctive, excessively rare King Charles I 1646 Silver Shilling was struck by Royalist forces during the Siege of Newark in the First English Civil War (1642-46).

A Royalist stronghold, Newark was besieged by the forces of Parliament several times in the 1640s. Fighting a losing battle, the final siege ended when, with an outbreak of plague weakening the town’s resistance, Newark reluctantly surrendered after Charles I yielded in 1646 – representing the end of the First English Civil War.

A fascinating, authentic piece of emergency wartime currency, the lozenge-shaped Newark Siege 1646 Silver Shilling was struck from cups, flagons and other silver items, largely donated by the town’s wealthy citizens. Created to overcome a currency shortage, this unique type stands as a genuine artefact of the conflict, with the obverse inscription of ‘OBS’ standing for ‘obsidium’ – ‘besieged’ in Latin.

Struck in tiny numbers in the 6-week period from March 25 to May 8, the Newark Siege 1646 Silver Shilling is tremendously rare in any grade. English Civil War history you can hold in your hands, we have one example of this famous coin available in near Very Fine. Click add to cart now!