S2498/N1967 Facing busts type with full titles, mark of value on reverse, undated. Its always refreshing to see this coin without a big X scratched on Philips face. Although welcomed by some, Philip was extremely unpopular; his insistence that he be co-regent with Mary and be crowned as King of England as a condition of marriage was too much for most of the populace. However, Philip did have one redeeming quality, he was rich as Croesus. For his wedding Philip brought carts of silver from the New World which were sent to the Tower for coining. This influx of silver was critical to Mary maintaining the recently restored sterling silver fineness to the coinage. Philip and Mary were married on July 25th, 1554. The 37-year-old queen was 10 years older than Philip and from all accounts was excited at the prospect of finally being married and unusually for royal marriages, fell deeply in love with her new husband. However, Philip did not share these feelings. He spent much of his time away from his bride attending to his many far-flung possessions. In 1558, when a welcome pregnancy actually turned out to be a large tumor, Mary’s health steadily declined. She died on November 17th 1558. Philip who was away in the Netherlands during his wife’s illness, wrote “that he felt a reasonable regret for her death”.  A full round coin, evenly struck with even wear. NGC VF35

NGC 2867762-008