Elizabeth I coin value guide
Elizabeth I · 1558–1603 · Sovereign, Pound & Angel, Crown & Half-Crown, Shilling & Sixpence, Smaller silver
Denominations
Sovereign, Pound & Angel, Crown & Half-Crown, Shilling & Sixpence, Smaller silver
Reign
1558–1603
What a coin is worth depends on its exact type, mint, grade and provenance — the type tables and value factors below explain what drives each one.
About these coins
Elizabeth I's long reign produced one of the richest and most admired Tudor coinages. After restoring the debased silver early in the reign, she struck a vast hammered series in gold — the fine sovereign, pound, angel, crown and half-crown — and silver from the crown and half-crown down through shilling, sixpence, groat, threepence, half-groat, penny, three-halfpence and three-farthings. Mint marks change through the reign, allowing precise dating.
Sixpences and shillings are the most widely collected, plentiful and dated by mint mark; the small silver and the threepence/three-farthings denominations add variety. The fine gold — sovereigns, pounds and angels — is scarce and prized. (Her milled trial coins are a separate area.) Denomination, mint mark, grade and provenance set the value.
Sovereign, Pound & Angel — value by type
The fine gold — sovereign (30s), pound (20s), angel (10s) and their fractions — the prestige coinage of the reign.
| Type | Rarity |
|---|---|
Sovereign / Pound / Angel / Crown 1558–1603 Enthroned-queen and St Michael types; scarce and highly prized. | Scarce to rare |
Crown & Half-Crown — value by type
The silver crown (5s) and half-crown (2s 6d), the largest silver coins of the reign.
| Type | Rarity |
|---|---|
Crown / Half-Crown 1601–1602 Crowned bust with sceptre and orb; struck late in the reign. | Scarce |
Shilling & Sixpence — value by type
The silver shilling (12d) and dated sixpence (6d) — the most widely collected Elizabethan coins.
| Type | Rarity |
|---|---|
Shilling / Sixpence 1561–1602 Crowned bust; sixpences are dated and attributed by mint mark. | Widely available |
Smaller silver — value by type
The groat, threepence, half-groat, penny, three-halfpence and three-farthings — a distinctive range of small denominations.
| Type | Rarity |
|---|---|
Threepence / Half-groat / Penny / Three-farthings 1558–1603 Rose denominations distinguish the odd values; mint mark drives dating and scarcity. | Common to scarce |
What drives the value
Type & rarity
Within a single reign, common types in collectable grade sit far below the scarce and rare types. Identifying the exact type is the first step in any valuation.
Mint & moneyer
Coins of rare mints, or with sought-after moneyer or privy-mark signatures, carry a clear premium over the common major-mint issues.
Grade & surfaces
A full, sharp strike with a clear portrait or design and legible legends commands the most. Weak striking, chips, cracks and corrosion all reduce value.
Provenance
A pedigree to a named cabinet or a recorded hoard adds both value and confidence in authenticity, especially for scarcer and higher-grade pieces.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an Elizabeth I coin worth?
Shillings and sixpences are widely collected and accessible, dated by mint mark, while the silver crowns and the fine gold sovereigns, pounds and angels are scarce and prized. Denomination, mint mark, grade and provenance set the figure — use the valuation tool for an estimate based on realised prices for comparable coins.
How are Elizabeth I coins dated?
Many sixpences carry an actual date, and the changing mint marks through the reign allow most other denominations to be placed closely in time.
Did Elizabeth I have milled coins?
Yes — experimental milled (machine-struck) coins were made by Eloye Mestrelle in the 1560s, but the bulk of her coinage, and the focus of this guide, is the hammered series.