More than 400 years ago, the phrase “take the King’s shilling” meant pledging service to the English Crown.
Today, one emerged from the past.
This James I silver shilling (1619 to 1625) lay hidden beneath the soil at the Colony of Avalon for over 400 years before being uncovered during archaeological excavations.
What makes this discovery especially remarkable is its exceptional preservation. The obverse (front) of the coin left an incredibly detailed imprint in an associated piece of wood, an uncommon archaeological occurrence that preserved a single moment in time.
Through the careful work of our archaeology and conservation teams, both the coin and its remarkable imprint have been revealed, offering a rare glimpse into everyday life at one of North America’s earliest English colonies.
Discovered by Neil Jordan, our longtime dig site supervisor and a 35-year veteran of the Colony of Avalon, this discovery preserves not only a coin, but a fleeting moment from the early 1600s.
Some took the King’s shilling. History kept this one… until now.
