Rare £1 coin from 1643 is expected to fetch £30,000 at auction

A £1 coin is up for auction this month, and is expected to sell for at least £30,000. The huge price tag is due to the historical importance – and rarity – of the coin – which was struck in 1643 at the start of the English Civil War.

It’s known as the 1643 Declaration Pound, and it was made in Oxford – which is where Charles I was based after he left London. It was the first coin of a new mint, set up in New Inn Hall to create a new official currency for the parts of the country that were in Royalist control.

The inscription on the back underlines the king’s confidence in his enduring power, saying: “Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered.” However, within six years, the monarch had been beheaded.

Rare £1 coin from 1643 is expected to fetch £30,000 at auction