British coin Broad
|
|
The Broad was a British coin worth 20 shillings (20/-) issued by the Commonwealth of England in 1656. It was a milled gold coin weighing 9.0 - 9.1 grams, with a diameter of 29 or 30 millimetres, designed by Thomas Simon (also called Symonds).
The obverse of the coin depicts the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell as a laureated Roman emperor, with the inscription OLIVAR D G R P ANG SCO HIB &c PRO -- Oliver, by the Grace of God, Protector of the Republic of England, Scotland, Ireland, etc., -- while the reverse shows a crowned shield depicting the arms of the Commonwealth with the inscription PAX QVAERITVR BELLO 1656 -- Peace is sought through war.
The current value of the coin in "very fine" to "extra fine" condition is £3500 to £6000, although a Mr Pinkerton writing at the time that the coins circulated noted that many of the coins in circulation were so worn as to be almost flat.