Glossary of Numismatic Terms starting with S

Patron Saint of England (and other countries). Usually depicted slaying the dragon, as in Benedetto Pistrucci's famous image shown on the reverse of gold sovereigns and other coins.

The cross of Saint Andrew. The flag of Scotland.

A common abbreviation on Roman coins meaning senatus consultum, or 'by decree of the Senate' decreeing the coin was an official issue.

A small thick Anglo-Saxon coin.

Simple machine for minting coins.

Heraldic, but on coins means covered with small bearings of indefinite number (e.g. stars, fleurs-de-lis).

A Roman coin, equivalent to 20 Denarii.

A Roman coin, or an amount of money, worth 4 denarii (value varied over the Roman era). Plural: Sestertii. It was silver, then brass.

The Shilling (written 1/-) is one-twentieth of a pound, worth 12 old pence (5 new pence). It is traditionally a silver coin, but since 1947 it has been made from cupro-nickel. Shillings are known as 'Bobs'. Shillings are old coins and the English shilling has been around since about 1549, although there were 12 pence coins before that called Testoons from about 1489. The British shillings was the continuation from 1707. See main section Shillings.

A type of penny minted between 1180-1247, which displays a cross in the centre of the coin reverse but does not extend to the edges, being about half the diameter of the coin in width.

Precious metal, with the chemical symbol Ar, very often used in the production of coins.

Thomas Simon was one of the great coin engravers and was the Chief Engraver at the Royal Mint from 1649 to 1660. See article: Thomas Simon, Engraver (1618-1665).

A Roman gold coin, equivalent to 1000 Denarii.

Either (a) A gold sovereign, or (b) A Sovereign is the head of state, like a Queen or King.

Colloquial term for 'sovereigns'

Guineas of George III where the reverse shows a coat-of-arms shield which looks very like the 'spade' symbol on playing cards.

Money in the form of coins rather than notes

Denotes the South Sea Company. In 1722 the South Seas Company discovered silver during their travels. The silver was shipped back and in 1723 Crowns, Half Crowns, Shillings and Sixpences were minted using that silver and marked with "SSC". Later on the South Seas Company (a British joint-stock company) became involved in a famous financial scandal relating to inflating their stock price which became known as the South Sea Bubble.

An ancient Greek coin, made in gold or silver.

British money. Originally applied to any fine silver coin.

Silver of fineness 925, or having 92.5% silver content.