James succeeded his brother on the 6th of February, 1684-5, and continued the coinage on the principles established in 1670, the metal being crown gold, and the guinea weighing 129 39/89 grs., and being current at 20s. The legends are, obv. IACOBVS. II. DEl. GRATIA, Rev. .MAG. BR. FRA. ET. RIB REX. with the date. The typo is the same as that of his brother, except that the bust is turned to the left and the hair is differently arranged, a long lock lying along the side of the neck; and the Cs in the centre of the reverse are omitted. The elephant and castle appears on some of the coins, but not the elephant alone.
FIVE GUINEAS. These are inscribed on the edge DECVS ET TVTAMEN ANNO REGNI, &c. 1686 SECVNDO. On this piece the sceptres are erroneously arranged, the harp and lis having changed places, the harp being placed between the French and Irish, and the lis between the Irish and English shields. There is no elephant. (137) MB. The rest have the sceptres correctly arranged. 1687 TERTIO and 1688 QVARTO without, and the same dates with, elephant and castle under bust. All in MB. Rud. xv. 13, 17.
TWO GUINEAS. Like the five guineas, except that the edges are milled instead of being inscribed, and that the sceptres are always correctly arranged. 1686 with elephant and castle, Rud. xv. 18. We do not know this coin, and Ruding does not say in what collection it was to be found. 1687, 1688, without elephant and castle. MB. Rud. xv. 14.
GUINEAS. Like the two guineas; 1685, 1686, 1687, 1688 without, and the same dates with, the elephant and castle. All in MB. (138) Rud. xv. 15, 19.
HALF GUINEAS. Like the two guineas. 1686, 1687, 1688 without, and 1686 with the elephant and castle. All in MB. Rud. xv. 16, 20.
FIVE GUINEAS. These are inscribed on the edge DECVS ET TVTAMEN ANNO REGNI, &c. 1686 SECVNDO. On this piece the sceptres are erroneously arranged, the harp and lis having changed places, the harp being placed between the French and Irish, and the lis between the Irish and English shields. There is no elephant. (137) MB. The rest have the sceptres correctly arranged. 1687 TERTIO and 1688 QVARTO without, and the same dates with, elephant and castle under bust. All in MB. Rud. xv. 13, 17.
TWO GUINEAS. Like the five guineas, except that the edges are milled instead of being inscribed, and that the sceptres are always correctly arranged. 1686 with elephant and castle, Rud. xv. 18. We do not know this coin, and Ruding does not say in what collection it was to be found. 1687, 1688, without elephant and castle. MB. Rud. xv. 14.
GUINEAS. Like the two guineas; 1685, 1686, 1687, 1688 without, and the same dates with, the elephant and castle. All in MB. (138) Rud. xv. 15, 19.
HALF GUINEAS. Like the two guineas. 1686, 1687, 1688 without, and 1686 with the elephant and castle. All in MB. Rud. xv. 16, 20.