A Die Study of James I Shillings – Second Issue, mm Bell – Gary Oddie and Michael Thompson

This note continues the die studies of James I shillings, working backwards through the mintmarks of the second issue. Here the mintmark Bell is presented – issued between 11th May 1610 and 9th May 1611 when £9 12s 8½d of silver was in the Pyx trial.
The issue is of average rarity with 54 specimens found struck from 32 obverse die and 31 reverse dies. As well as a single mm Bell over Coronet die, there are also an unusually high number of Bell over Key dies. For the obverse dies 14/32 are Bell over Key and for the reverses 5/30 are Bell over Key. Just two die sinker’s errors have been found, the first lacking a reverse mm, and the second has CONIVNIT for CONIVNXIT.