The Pontefract Siege pair consists of two rare Charles I Pontefract Siege Shillings, octagonal and lozenge shapes, which are described as follows:

Pontefract Siege Shilling (Octagonal)
Obverse: HANC DEVS DEDIT in two lines, crown above, 1648 below. Text around CAROL II D G MAG BE ET H REX.

Reverse: Castle gateway with flag dividing PC, OBS to left and cannon protrudes to right. Text around POST MORTEM PATRIS PRO FILIO.

History: The Pontefract siege occurred during the so-called 'Second Civil War', a group of royalist rebellions that broke out in 1648. This is a very rare later issue of the coin, and was struck between the execution of Charles I (30 January), and the surrender of the castle (22 March), these later coins were changed to read 'for the son [Charles II], after the father's death'.

Date: Second posthumous type, 1648.

Size: 3.2cm across.

Pontefract Siege Shilling (Lozenge)
Obverse: Crown over the initials CR. Text around DMV SPIRO SPERO.

Reverse: Castle gateway with three turrets, the central turret has a flag. OBS to left and PC divided by XII (the value of the coin) to right, the date 1648 below.

History: The Pontefract siege occurred during the so-called 'Second Civil War', a group of royalist rebellions that broke out in 1648. This is a very rare lozenge shaped type II coin.

Date: 1648

Size: 4cm x 3.1cm