The English Silver Coinage \"E.S.C.\" 1649–1949 by B.A. Seaby (Paperback, 1949) For Sale

The English Silver Coinage \"E.S.C.\" 1649-1949 by B.A. Seaby is a vintage paperback book printed in 1949 by B. A. Seaby Limited. This illustrated guide focuses on coin variation identification, specifically in the English region. With 138 pages and measurements of 9 x 6 inches, this original first edition book provides valuable insights for numismatics enthusiasts looking to explore the history and intricacies of English silver coinage.

The English Silver Coinage 1649–1949 serves as a highly structured, definitive catalog designed to help collectors and scholars identify, organize, and evaluate the rarity of milled English silver coins.

The book is structured into clean, chronological chapters based on the reigning British monarchs and governments across three centuries:

Chronological Coinage Coverage

• The Commonwealth & Oliver Cromwell (1649–1658): Catalogs the historic shift away from royal imagery to plain republican shield designs, moving from hand-hammered production to early experimental milled (machine-made) coinage.
• The Restored Monarchy & Late Stuarts: Details the official, permanent adoption of mechanized minting under Charles II, extending through the reigns of James II, William and Mary, and Queen Anne.
• The House of Hanover (Georgian Era): Breaks down the vast silver expansions under George I, II, III, and IV, including specialized sections on provincial bank tokens and emergency countermarked silver issued during economic crises.
• The Victorian & Early 20th Century Eras: Covers the massive production shifts under Queen Victoria (including the Gothic and Jubilee designs), Edward VII, George V, and the ultimate debasement of silver purity prior to George VI.

Core Cataloging & Rarity Systems

• The \"ESC\" Numbering System: The book introduces a proprietary, sequential numbering system (e.g., ESC 1, ESC 2) that uniquely identifies every single known date, obverse portrait, reverse design, and die variation across all major silver denominations. These denominations include:
• The Crown (Five-Shilling piece)
• The Half-Crown
• The Florin (Two-Shilling piece, introduced under Victoria)
• The Shilling
• The Sixpence
• Maundy & Fractional Silver (Groats, Threepences, Twopences, and Pennies)

• The Seaby Rarity Scale: Instead of static price guides that quickly go out of date, Seaby implements an enduring rarity scale ranging from Common (C) to Extremely Rare (R7), indicating exactly how many surviving specimens of a particular die variation are known to exist.

• Edge Inscription Guides: Features detailed cross-references of the Latin edge lettering (Decus et Tutamen) and regnal years stamped onto high-value Crown pieces to prevent contemporary counterfeiting.

Condition: Some age discoloration, soft corners, cover is showing signs of separation at the corners of the spine, a number is written on the first page (title page), some wrinkles on the spine from use, some small corner creases, yellowing pages. All pages are complete, no apparent writing on main content pages. Overall Good condition.