Broad (British coin)
Encyclopedia
The Broad is a British
coin
worth 20 shillings, written as 20/-, issued by the Commonwealth of England
in 1656. It is a milled gold coin
weighing 9.0 to 9.1 gram
s with a diameter
of 29 or 30 millimetres, and was designed by Thomas Simon
.
The obverse of the coin depicts the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell
as a laureated Roman emperor
, with the legend inscribed OLIVAR D G RP ANG SCO HIB &C PRO (translated as, "Oliver, by the Grace of God and Republic, of England, Scotland, Ireland etc. Protector"). The reverse shows a crowned shield depicting the arms of the Commonwealth with the inscription PAX QVAERITVR BELLO 1656 (translated as, Peace is sought through war).
A Mr Pinkerton, writing at the time that the coins were in circulation, noted that many of the coins were so worn as to be almost flat.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
coin
Coin
A coin is a piece of hard material that is standardized in weight, is produced in large quantities in order to facilitate trade, and primarily can be used as a legal tender token for commerce in the designated country, region, or territory....
worth 20 shillings, written as 20/-, issued by the Commonwealth of England
Commonwealth of England
The Commonwealth of England was the republic which ruled first England, and then Ireland and Scotland from 1649 to 1660. Between 1653–1659 it was known as the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland...
in 1656. It is a milled gold coin
Gold coin
A gold coin is a coin made mostly or entirely of gold. Gold has been used for coins practically since the invention of coinage, originally because of gold's intrinsic value...
weighing 9.0 to 9.1 gram
Gram
The gram is a metric system unit of mass....
s with a diameter
Diameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
of 29 or 30 millimetres, and was designed by Thomas Simon
Thomas Simon
Thomas Simon , English medalist, was born, according to Vertue, in Yorkshire about 1623.He studied engraving under Nicholas Briot, and about 1635 received a post in connection with the Royal Mint...
.
The obverse of the coin depicts the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
as a laureated Roman emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
, with the legend inscribed OLIVAR D G RP ANG SCO HIB &C PRO (translated as, "Oliver, by the Grace of God and Republic, of England, Scotland, Ireland etc. Protector"). The reverse shows a crowned shield depicting the arms of the Commonwealth with the inscription PAX QVAERITVR BELLO 1656 (translated as, Peace is sought through war).
A Mr Pinkerton, writing at the time that the coins were in circulation, noted that many of the coins were so worn as to be almost flat.