Description

Great Engravers Collection continues with a two-coin set celebrating Thomas Simon’s revered Petition Crown. Made more than 350 years ago, many consider this coin a numismatic marvel. It is the fifth coin in the Great Engravers series.

The Petition Crown was a pattern coin produced in 1663 by Thomas Simon, a celebrated English medallist and coin-designer. The coin was submitted directly by the artist to King Charles II as a personal 'petition' against the contemporary coins designed by the Flemish brothers John and Joseph Roettiers, and for the further Royal consideration that only Simon's designs be used for all future specie now that machine-made currency had been adopted universally for the production of British coinage.

The rivalry between the Roettiers brothers and Thomas Simon resulted from a Royal competition to design this new milled coinage. For unclear reasons, Simon did not submit his trial design in time, resulting in the Flemish engravers winning by default and their coinage being issued for circulation in 1662. However, Simon's desire to win back the King's affections resulted in the development of this trial piece the following year.