A New Era

Whilst James I was unable to unite England and Scotland as one nation, one of the more lasting acts of his tenure was his move to translate the Bible into English as the King James Bible – a version that is still in use today. Whilst he led with good intentions, his reign also saw a number of controversial events. These include the historic voyage of the Mayflower – an exodus that led to the founding of the United States of America – and the notorious Gunpowder Plot, which is marked on 5 November in the United Kingdom every year.

With an unquestionably eventful reign, James I set the tone for the Jacobean era and the turbulent times to come, which would only worsen with his passing in 1625 and the infamous reign of his son and successor, Charles I.

The VI next to James I’s portrait is the denomination of the coin. i.e. VI=6 therefore this is a sixpence