1714 Gold Guinea Coin Queen Anne

This 1714 gold Guinea features the Queen Anne bust on the obverse, and a crowned Cruciform Shield along with sceptres on the reverse.

Although the crowns of England and Scotland had been united for one hundred years it wasn't until 1707, during Anne's reign, that the acts of Union passed by both the English and Scottish parliaments united the two kingdoms into Great Britain. In this coin we can see the change with the 'Impalement' of the arms of England and Scotland: Before the Union these two coats of arms appeared separately on the cruciform shields on the reverse of the crown, in this coin you can see that they have been combined with the three lions of England and the lion rampant of Scotland on the same shield, which now appears twice.

Queen Anne was the last of the Stuarts, despite giving birth to seventeen children, none of her offspring survived her, leading to Parliament to selecting George, Elector of Hanover, as the next king in order to ensure that the monarch remained protestant.

Obverse
The third bust of Queen Anne surrounded by the legend 'ANNA DEI GRATIA' (Anne by the grace of God).

Reverse
Cruciform shields showing the arms of France, Ireland and the combined arms of England and Scotland which appears twice. The inscription around the edge of the coin reads: 'MAG BRI FR ET HIB REG' (Queen of Great Britain, France and Ireland).