James I (1603 - 25) Read about James I

 

 

Hammered Gold

 

 

 

 

Hammered Silver

 

 

 

Halfcrowns

 

WJC-7983:  James 1st Hammered Silver Rarer "Plume-Over" Halfcrown.  Third coinage, initial mark Thistle, ground line under horse, plume over shield, S.R. 2667.  A much harder coin to source than the usual plain shield reverse type that invariably turns up.  As usual, I managed to murder the images so I've taken another with a cheap camera phone - see here.  For once, S.R. go some way to illustrating the rarity of this variety with their guide price of £1,750.  A really nice, rare example.  £1,695

Provenance:

ex Tim Owen (one of his older tickets)

 

 

 

Shillings

 

WJC-7795:  Rare James 1st Stuart IOCAB9 Hammered Silver Shilling.  Initial mark Lis, third coinage, sixth bust, S.R. 2668.  This variation of regnal name is recorded (I seem to recall an old BNJ paper referencing it?) but it is seldom seen.  Very nice grade and good provenance being ex Tim Owen.  Very Rare.  £595

 

 

Sixpences

 

** The famous 'Battle of Aylesbury' hoard contained 1064 silver coins hidden within a pottery vessel.  The Civil War hoard was uncovered near Aylesbury in 2023.  It consisted of Elizabeth 1st, James 1st and Charles 1st coins up to 1642.  Of the many James 1st sixpences in the hoard, there was nothing after 1606 apart from a couple of 1621 sixpences.  This give you an excellent insight into just how rare certain dates are in this series. **

 

 

If marked as such, the following coins are from the Wootton Collection of James 1st sixpences – as near a complete set of dates as we’ll probably ever see!

 

If I’m being honest, and I always try to be, this series is not really about attractive, pretty coins, and it never really has been.  Historically, collectors have tended to go for a high grade example, perhaps even one from each of the three issues, but maybe not, forsaking dates, and there they left it.  Incidentally, finding that high grade James 1st sixpence is in itself no mean feat because it is a particularly rough and problematic issue throughout.  A good VF James 1st sixpence (and it will invariably be 1603 or 1604) will set you back the best part of four figures in today’s market.  I have listed some really nice examples below which have come from my personal collection, not the Wootton collection.  Perhaps the main reason why, until recently, dates haven’t been collected is because nobody really knew which ones were rare – and there still are no reference works out there.  It gets worse though: most people today will assume there is a complete date run from 1603 to 1624, but actually there are several English dates (this issue is not to be confused with the near identical James 1st and Charles 1st six shillings dated issues – see the Scottish section on this website) where, up to now at least, there are no extant examples.  S.R., conveniently for them but immensely unhelpful to us, lump everything together, bar the 1618, implying all dates are of similar rarity and price.  That is certainly not the case!! 

 

My plan is to set the ball rolling: to inform; to educate; to inspire collectors to seek out new dates, new varieties, to boldly go where no numismatist has gone before!

 

To be fair, with the current heightened interest in Elizabeth 1st dated sixpences (again, no real reference works out there to help collectors re specific dates, although this website does do just that by sharing data from thousands of coin finds and is the ONLY site to do that), these unattractive, invariably lower grade, often problematic (and let’s be honest here, a rather unpopular monarch to collectors) dated coins are now being eagerly sought out and collected by date.  And about time too!  To add evidence to that statement, please see the astonishing result (yes, there were others!) of the April 2025 Spink auction of James 1st sixpences.  Please do bear in mind that whilst these were clearly unusually nice grade coins for issue, they were still only single digit dates of 1605 and 1606!..................click this link to see a screenshot of the 1605 and 1606 Spink auction results.

 

So, preamble over, here’s the all important rarity table with commonest date down to rarest:

 

1603

1604

1605

1606

1624

1623

1621 (this is for the straight date – 21/20 represents only two known examples)

1607

1609 (1609/9/8 would appear to be unique)

1622

1608

1610 (this is for the 10/9 date – John Jerrams has only ever seen one straight 10)

1613

1611

1615

1616… two to four extant so really, it’s hard to differentiate between 1612, 1614 & 1616

1612… two to four extant so really, it’s hard to differentiate between 1612, 1614 & 1616

1614… two to four extant so really, it’s hard to differentiate between 1612, 1614 & 1616

1618… two extant

 

1617, 1619 & 1620 appear to not exist at this point in time, although be aware because 1617 & 1619 exist as Scottish six shillings.  It is my belief that many “sightings” of some of the English rarer dates were, in fact, Scottish six shillings.  This image should inform you as to the difference between English & Scottish coins

 

** I have just been informed by a reliable source of the existence of a 1620 im Spur Rowel sixpence.  I have not seen the coin so cannot confirm this. **

 

NB Various date / initial mark combinations will potentially increase a date’s rarity , for example 1607 grapes is, perhaps rather counter-intuitively, rarer than the other two initial marks, but I didn’t really want to get into that added complication here.  That’s for the next person to take on.

 

John Jerrams –  numismatist of long-standing who has previously specialised in this specific area – has kindly contributed to this work-in-progress, as have one or two others.  The ball is now well and truly rolling.  If anybody else out there has anything further to add, I’m more than happy to listen and to update the page.

 

 

 

1603

 

WJC-9304:  1603 James 1st Hammered Silver Stuart Dated Sixpence.  First coinage, first bust.  Initial mark Thistle, S.R.2647.  The commonest date but the rarer first coinage and rarer still first bust type.  A deceptively hard coin to source, particularly so in this remarkable grade - collectors will be all too aware of the appalling state of most extant James 1st sixpences.  Toned and VF.  £665 RESERVED (M.He.14-4-26 Lay-Away)

Provenance:

ex Heron Collection of English Silver Coins

ex Spink

 

WJC-7501:  1603 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  First Coinage, first bust, initial mark Thistle.  S.R. 2647.  The commonest date but the rarer first coinage and rarer still first bust type.  A deceptively hard coin to source.  Ex Wootton collection.  £395

 

WJC-7502:  1603 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  First Coinage, second bust, initial mark Thistle.  S.R. 2648.  The commonest date but the rarer coinage issue type.  Ex Wootton collection.  £125

 

 

1604

 

WJC-9305:  1604 James 1st Hammered Silver Stuart Dated Sixpence.  First coinage, second bust.  Initial mark Lis, S.R.2648.  One of the commoner date but a deceptively hard coin to source in this remarkable grade - collectors will be all too aware of the appalling state of most extant James 1st sixpences.  Toned and a touch better than VF for issue.  £665 RESERVED (M.He.14-4-26 Lay-Away)

Provenance:

ex Heron Collection of English Silver Coins

ex Spink

 

WJC-7504:  1604 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Second Coinage, third bust, initial mark Lis.  S.R. 2657.  A common date.  Ex Wootton collection.  £195

 

 

1605

 

WJC-9306:  1605 James 1st Hammered Silver Stuart Dated Sixpence.  Second coinage, rarer third bust.  Initial mark Rose obverse / Rose over Lis reverse, so a recycled reverse die.  The reverse dies were made with the final date digits omitted so no overdate, although the 6 has been re-entered.  S.R.2657.  A better date (most sixpences tend to be 1603) and better than average grade for issue - collectors will be all too aware of the appalling state of most extant James 1st sixpences.  £295

 

WJC-9307:  1605 James 1st Hammered Silver Stuart Dated Sixpence.  Second coinage, fourth bust.  Initial mark Rose.  S.R.2658.  A better date (most sixpences tend to be 1603) and superb grade for issue - collectors will be all too aware of the appalling state of most extant James 1st sixpences.  Beautifully toned and of as high a grade as you're ever likely to see on one of these sixpences.  £795 RESERVED (M.S.13-4-26 Lay-Away)

Provenance:

ex Michael Trenerry

ex Paul Cattermole Collection

ex Michael Trenerry (Dec 2017)

ex Gentleman collector

 

WJC-7505:  1605 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Second Coinage, third bust, initial mark Rose.  S.R. 2657.  Guy Fawkes' date.  Ex Wootton collection.  £345

 

WJC-7857:  1605 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Second Coinage, third bust, initial mark Lis.  S.R. 2657.  Guy Fawkes' date.  The 1 in the date is a thin digit stamped over a very thick digit.  An exceptional grade issue for this generally atrocious issue.  £495

 

WJC-8052:  1605 James 1st Stuart Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Second coinage, third bust, initial mark Rose, S.R. 2657.  The often sought-after Guy Fawkes' date.  A notoriously badly executed, poorly struck issue that attracted wear and damage through frenetic circulation and handling like my wife is to black boots ... so many pairs of black boots!  The Noonan April 2024 sale saw a commoner dated 1603 6d (lot 310) achieve a hammer price of £1,600 (£2,000+ after buyer's commission).  That coin was ex HistoryInCoins, sold to the Mike Hallam collection, although that is by-the-by; the point being that the Noonan coin, whilst slightly better grade, was just that - slightly better grade.  This is a better date coin and it won't cost you £2,000 or even £1,000.  A veritable bargain at £845

 

 

1606

 

WJC-7506:  1606 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Second Coinage, fourth bust, initial mark Escallop.  S.R. 2658.  Uncommon date.  Ex Wootton collection.  £245

 

WJC-7507:  1606 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Second Coinage, fourth bust, initial mark Rose.  S.R. 2658.  Uncommon date.  Ex Wootton collection.  £395

 

WTH-7738:  1606 James 1st Stuart Hammered Silver Sixpence.   Second coinage, fourth bust, initial mark Escallop, S.R. 2658.  A really, really nice grade in what was, perhaps bar the first coinage, at best an indifferent issue.  Uncommon date.  £395

 

WJC-9217:  Exceptional 1606 James 1st Hammered Silver Stuart Sixpence.  Second coinage, fourth bust, initial mark Rose, London (Tower) mint, S.R.2648.  Where to begin!  When bringing to mind coins that were badly made (and this is very different from coins that were relatively well made but always seem to turn up poor), through a combination of poor dies and indifferent strikes, collectors invariably turn to some of the Norman coinage, definitely to the Henry II Tealby coinage and probably to some of the Chares 1st Civil War coinage that was done "on the hoof" in times of war.  Henry IV and Richard III moneyers didn't cover themselves in glory, nor did moneyers of Elizabeth 1st sixpences and halfgroats, although generally, these coins were well struck and from decent dies but just circulated to within an inch of their lives.  Hardly anyone ever mentions James 1st sixpences.  With a very few exceptions (extremities in date for the first and third coinages), it was an atrocious issue and to compound that, as per the above mentioned coinages, it too was circulated to within an inch of its life.  James 1st coinage is also one of those reigns that almost seems to pass collectors by - an example of each denomination being adequate enough in a lot of instances.  Even the mighty Spink seemingly dismiss this reign - see here for the April 2025 Spink auction where their estimate of £200 - £300, compounded by a starting price of £140, ended up hammering at £3,000 (so very little change out of £4,000 after commission).  That was some "come and get me" estimate!  Saying that, there are good collectors of this issue beginning to come through now; collectors who do appreciate the nature and complexities of the coinage, hopefully partly inspired by the efforts of this website via the James 1st page?!  This 1606 coin (and remember, whilst it's not that rare a date, it is certainly much, much rarer than the usual 1603 coins you see) is, as the title stated, exceptional.  Good dies, well struck, round flan, toned and easily VF for issue - I've never seen better, including the above Spink auction coin.  £1,250

Provenance:

ex Coin Galleries stock (1970) ... sold to

ex G. Savonarola collection, where it has remained in situ for 50+ years until now

 

 

1607 (as an indication of just how rare these coins are, London Coins Action state [lot 1706, June 2024 auction) that their 1607 is only the second example offered in x17 years)

 

WJC-7509:  1607 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Second Coinage, fourth bust, initial mark Coronet.  S.R. 2658.  Uncommon date.  Ex Wootton collection.  £195

 

WJC-7529:  1607 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Second Coinage, fourth bust, initial mark Coronet.  S.R. 2658.  Uncommon date, excellent grade.  £645

 

 

1608

 

WJC-7580:  1608 James 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Second coinage, fourth bust, initial mark Coronet.  S.R. 2658.  Hard to photograph – the first attempt wasn’t the best.  Rare date - the rarest of the entire single digit dates although as ever with this issue, not the best of grades.  Still a rare coin though.  £355

 

WJC-7858:  1608 James 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Second coinage, fourth bust, initial mark Coronet.  S.R. 2658.  An interesting "Filled" 0 in the date.  Rare date - the rarest of the entire single digit dates and actually one of the very best grade examples of the half dozen or so 1608 coins I've seen in the last 30 odd years.  £485

 

 

1609

 

WJC-9308:  1609 James 1st Hammered Silver Stuart Dated Sixpence.  Second coinage, fourth bust.  Initial mark Key.  S.R.2658.  A much better date (rarely seen) but very much average grade for issue - collectors will be all too aware of the appalling state of most extant James 1st sixpences.  £185

 

WJC-7511:  1609 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Possible overdate?  Second Coinage, fourth bust, initial mark Coronet.  S.R. 2658.  Scarce date.  Ex Wootton collection.  £275

 

WJC-7512:  1609 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Second Coinage, fourth bust, initial mark Key.  S.R. 2658.  Scarce date.  Ex Wootton collection.  £195

 

WJC-7531:  1609 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Second Coinage, fourth bust, initial mark Key.  S.R. 2658.  Scarce date.  Very good grade indeed for date.  £425

 

 

1610

 

WJC-9309:  Excessively Rare STRAIGHT 1610 James 1st Hammered Silver Stuart Dated Sixpence.  Second coinage, fourth bust.  Initial mark Bell.  S.R.2658.  A much better date (rarely seen - virtually NEVER seen as a straight date!); above average grade for issue with a very clear date - collectors will be all too aware of the appalling state of most extant James 1st sixpences.  Sold with some very interesting old tickets, one of which is very professional looking, complete with QR code on the back, but you do need a strong loop to read it.  Only the second straight 10 coin (if you do see a 1610, they are always 1610/09) that I am aware of.  £645 RESERVED (M.He.14-4-26 Lay-Away)

 

 

1611

 

WJC-9310:  1611 James 1st Hammered Silver Stuart Dated Sixpence.  Second coinage, fourth bust.  Initial mark Mullet.  S.R.2658.  A very rare date indeed (hardly ever seen); much above average grade for issue, particularly these double digit mid-reign rare dates, with a very clear date - the final digit (and probably the initial mark) would not have been included on the die, making it useful for several years to come, a useful device because so few of these double digit mid-reign rare dates were actually struck that the dies lasted over many years.  A rare date coin.  £450

 

WJC-7859:  1611 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Second Coinage, fourth bust, initial mark Bell.  S.R. 2658.  Here we have a most unusual feature - although this 1611, there is clear evidence (directly above the mess they made of the third digit) of the 1 being struck over a 0.  Clearly they were utilising old dies - presumably these were 160- dies where the final digit was inserted as required.  They surely must have done this in 1610 if they did it in 1611, so it just goes to show that the mintages must have been tiny if dies could last that long.  A very rare date indeed, not to mention a hitherto unrecorded overdate, with only a handful of recorded examples.  £595

 

 

1612

 

WJC-7860:  1612 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Second Coinage, fourth bust, initial mark Tower over Mullet.  S.R. 2658.  Unlike WJC-7518, this coin clearly shows the tricks of the trade at the mint: it was a 161- die with the final digit being inserted as appropriate.  Now, this is a 1612 coin so presumably this 161- die had been through 1610 and 1611 before still being good enough to be used in 1612.  Now I say "good enough", but let's be honest here; producing good dies and nice looking coinage appears to have been the last thing on their minds in the mint at that time.  Another image here using a camera phone.  The sloppy placement of the final digit (it's also been double struck) also adds credence to that theory.  An excessively rare date.  I had always understood there to be only two known examples recorded.  Stephen Jerrams has seen one go through the market recently, although I have since been informed that the coin was in fact a 1612 Scottish six shillings - a completely different, albeit near identical coin (see introduction above).  Three or four known examples?  Either way, this date is fairly comparable with 1618 which S.R. rate at £850 - £2,750.  £1,395

 

 

1613

 

WJC-9311:  Exceptional 1613 James 1st Hammered Silver Stuart Dated Sixpence.  Second coinage, fourth bust.  Initial mark Trefoil.  S.R.2658.  An excessively rare date (hardly ever seen); much above average grade for issue, particularly these double digit mid-reign rare dates, with a very clear date.  Beautifully toned, full flan, super grade for issue - probably one of the best known examples.  And the provenance is unsurpassed!!  What a coin.  £1,345

Provenance:

ex William S Lincoln & Son, 8th May 1900, sold to ...

ex Alfred Leonard Fuller collection (1870 - 1941), and through the family by decent, dispersed ...

ex Spink (2024)

ex Ian Davison

 

WJC-7519:  1613 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Second Coinage, fourth bust, initial mark Trefoil.  S.R. 2658.  A rare date which seldom turns up.  Ex Wootton collection.  £550

 

WJC-7914:  1613/2 James 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Initial mark Tower, second coinage, fourth bust.  S.R. 2658. A previously unrecorded overdate on this rarer, im Tower coin.   In recent years, Elizabeth 1st sixpences have become really popular with collectors.  I predict that even though James sixpences are virtually impossible to get in nice grades, not to mention that some of the dates are virtually impossible to find, these hitherto almost ignored coins will be the next big thing.  Who doesn't enjoy chasing and collecting by date?!  To my knowledge, a unique overdate coin.  £550

 

 

1614

 

WJC-9312:  Excessively Rare 1614 James 1st Hammered Silver Stuart Dated Sixpence.  Second coinage, fourth bust.  Initial mark Cinquefoil.  S.R.2658.  A very rare date indeed (hardly ever seen - check out the rarity table on this page) and actually above average grade for issue, particularly these double digit mid-reign rare dates.  One of the very rarest dated hammered coins you will ever encounter (trumps the 1630 6d) and one that I am able to offer to collectors for a very good price.  £945

Provenance:

ex Spink

 

WJC-7861:  1614 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Second Coinage, fourth bust, initial mark Cinquefoil.  S.R. 2658.  An excessively rare date being fairly comparable with 1618 which S.R. rate at £850 - £2,750.  I had always understood there to be only two known examples recorded of 1614 but the literature accompanying WJC-7521 states four known examples.  A coin which would win no beauty contest but never-the-less, a very clear date and an excessively rare date.  £995

 

 

1615

 

WJC-9313:  Excessively Rare 1615 James 1st Hammered Silver Stuart Dated Sixpence.  Second coinage, fourth bust.  Initial mark Tun.  S.R.2658.  A very rare date indeed (hardly ever seen - check out the rarity table on this page) and actually above average grade for issue, particularly these double digit mid-reign rare dates.  The final digit (and probably the initial mark) would not have been included on the die, making it useful for several years to come, a useful device because so few of these double digit mid-reign rare dates were actually struck that the dies lasted over many years.  The final 5 was added slightly lower than the three die digits and it looks as though they've overstruck it with the same 5 punch, but in the process making the date a tad ambiguous.  A rare coin.  £475

Provenance:

ex Spink

 

WJC-7582:  1615 James 1st Hammered Silver Sixpence.  Second coinage, fourth bust, initial mark Tun.  S.R. 2658.  One of the rarest of the entire series and remarkably good grade for issue.  Ex Wootton collection and sold with his ticket.  A very rare coin.  £675

 

 

1616

 

 

1617 

 

No examples exist to date

 

 

1618

 

 

1619

 

No examples exist to date

 

 

1620

 

No examples exist to date

 

 

1621

 

WJC-9314:  1621 James 1st Hammered Silver Stuart Dated Sixpence.  Third coinage, sixth bust.  Initial mark Rose.  S.R.2670.  A rarer date but really, this coin is all about the grade.  £395

Provenance:

ex Hammered British Coins, sold to...

ex Gentleman collector, dispersed...

ex Cambridge Coins

 

WJC-7524:  1621 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Third Coinage, sixth bust, initial mark Thistle.  S.R. 2670.  An uncommon date and actually, very nice grade.  Ex Wootton collection.  £295

 

WJC-7525:  1621 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Third Coinage, sixth bust, initial mark Rose.  S.R. 2670.  An uncommon date.  Ex Wootton collection.  £165

 

WJC-7532:  1621 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Third Coinage, sixth bust, initial mark Thistle.  S.R. 2670.  An uncommon date.  Ex New Horizons, ex AMR, ex Vosper.  Outstanding grade and toned.  Several old tickets together with a cabinet ticket.  £650

 

 

1622

 

WJC-7533:  1622 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Third Coinage, sixth bust, initial mark Thistle.  S.R. 2670.  An uncommon date.  Old tickets.  Outstanding grade.  £650

 

 

1623

 

WJC-7862:  1623 James 1st Hammered Silver Dated Sixpence.  Third Coinage, sixth bust, initial mark Lis.  S.R. 2670.  An uncommon date but more importantly, a very nice grade indeed for issue.  £285

 

 

1624

 

WJC-9315:  1624 James 1st Hammered Silver Stuart Dated Sixpence.  Third coinage, sixth bust.  Initial mark Rose.  S.R.2670.  A rarer date but really, this coin is all about the grade.  £495

Provenance:

ex Tim Owen (his early, uniface ticket)

 

 

 

Halfgroats

 

WJC-7583:  James 1st Hammered Silver "Portrait" Halfgroat.  First coinage, first bust, initial mark Thistle.  S.R. 2649.  A very nice coin with some interesting double striking on the reverse.  £165

 

WJC-7892:  James 1st Hammered Silver "Portrait" Halfgroat.  First coinage, 1603-4.  Initial mark Thistle, first bust, S.R. 2649.  Old tickets: Ex CS, ex JNM coins (2021), ex Ian Davidson.  £175

 

WJC-8098:   James 1st Hammered Silver Portrait Halfgroat.  Initial mark Thistle, first coinage, first bust, S.R. 2649.  Full flan, nice grade.  £195

 

 

 

Halfpennies

 

WJC-7893:  James 1st Hammered Silver Halfpenny.  Second coinage, 1604-19.  Initial mark Cinquefoil, S.R. 2663.  A beautiful coin!  £135

 

WJC-7430:  James 1st Hammered Silver Halfpenny.  Third issue, 1619-25, with no initial mark.  S.R. 2673.  James 1st was really James VI of Scotland and we can clearly see the Scottish influence on this pleasing coin.  £75

 

WJC-9004:  James 1st Hammered Silver Stuart Halfpenny.  Third (final) coinage, issue with no initial mark - S.R. 2673.  A really nice example of the first Stuart king of England.  £155

Provenance:

ex Michael Trenerry

 

 

 

Copper Farthings

 

WJC-8115:  James 1st Stewart Hammered Copper Lennox Farthing.  No obverse initial mark (a result of an obverse double or triple strike - read below), early type 4, S.R. 2680.  This is a tentative attribution based on the mess they made of the obverse - the initial mark is nowhere to be seen; the regnal name is all but obliterated; the letter formation is all over the place; where the legend starts and stops is wildly wrong, etc.  But you look at the reverse and it's a delight?!  There is a possibility that we have a contemporary counterfeit coin (S.R. 2680A) with a high execution reverse and an average obverse, but I think the reverse is just too good.  It comes with a ticket stating "Type 3d" which leads into type 4 but for S.R. attribution, we go with type 4 with x9 jewels to the crowns.  A most interesting coin from a series which has witnessed much renewed interest by collectors over the past few years.  £125

 

 

 

Medals