English Testoon
OriginEngland
First Minted1504
MaterialSilver
TypeCoin
About English Testoon
The first English coin to feature a realistic portrait of the monarch. Introduced by Henry VII. The testoon was worth 12 pence or one shilling. Henry VIII testoons show his aging face, earning them the nickname old copper nose as the silver wore off high points. The testoon was the predecessor of the shilling. The realistic portraiture was revolutionary, showing the king as a real person rather than a stylized figure.
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