Five Guineas: Anne (obverse); Shields and rose (reverse)

The coinage during Anne's reign remained fairly constant to the designs inaugurated in 1662. Before the Act of Union with Scotland (1706), the arms of England and Scotland remained separate, as shown. After the act the two arms were conjoined on one shield. The word <em>Vigo</em> denotes that the coins were struck from gold captured from the Spanish at the Battle of Vigo Bay (1702). Although silver coins bearing the <em>Vigo </em>inscription are less rare, the three gold denominations bearing the symbol are all extremely rare.