Coin, silver, issued by Commonwealth, 1649 to 1660.

Commonwealth silver half groat

Issued in the period 1649-1660

With the end of the Civil War, and victory for the parliamentarian army, a Commonwealth was declared. During the Commonwealth dated hammered coins with legends in English were produced though half groats - such as this example - pennies and halfpennies bear no legend at all and are undated. All issues had the heraldic arms of St George and Ireland on them and their plain style reflected Puritan aesthetic values. This half groat, or twopence, bears it mark of value, II, above the shields on the reverse. Only the halfpenny was produced with no mark of value.