Edward IV Gold Half-Angel Coin
Bold Fine Condition
Price: £3,995.00
Product code: HISE4GABF
- The Edward IV Gold Half-Angel was one of the first gold coins minted in England specifically for smaller transactions
- The imagery on Half-Angels often reflected the religious context of the period
- The obverse shows a design of the Archangel Michael spearing the dragon of evil
- The reverse depicts a ship with a quartered shield bearing Edward IV's arms, along with an E and Tudor rose either side of a cross
- Early Half-Angels were produced using the hammered technique
- Owning a gold coin, even a smaller denomination like a Half-Angel, was a symbol of wealth and status in medieval and early modern England. These coins offered a way for the wealthy to display their economic standing
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The Angel
After the value of the noble fluctuated during the reign of Edward IV, a new gold coin with the same value of six shillings and eight pence was required. The angel was produced to replace the noble, with half-angels also produced around the same time with a value of three shillings and four pence.
The obverse of the coin depicted the archangel Michael slaying a dragon representing the devil, which gave the denomination its name. Different designs appeared across the denomination and its fractionals throughout the time it was in circulation, but this religious iconography saw it become important in the popular consciousness. It was even thought that wearing the angel as a protective talisman could help to prevent illness, a tradition that evolved from the ‘royal touch’ ceremony.
Specification
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Denomination | Angel |
| Quality | Circulating |
| Pure Metal Type | Gold |
| Specification | Value |
|---|
