U's and V's in Coin Inscriptions

It's Easy if You Speak Latin
The commonest language worldwide for coin inscriptions is Latin, and in Latin the letters U and V are the same, and are the 20th letter in the Roman alphabet. They are both a vowel and a consonant, so that the Romans would have spelt Venus as VENVS, the first V being pronounced vee as a consonant, and the second V being pronounced uh as a vowel.

Revised Coin Inscriptions
In our original Coin Inscriptions on British Coins page, as elsewhere on our site, we automatically convert Latin V into English U if it is used as a vowel, and leave it as a V if it is a consonant.
To help you find an original version of the inscription as it would normally appear on a coin, we have recreated below our table of inscriptions on British coins, with the V's changed back into U's.
The following list gives major variations of inscriptions found on British coins. There will be many variations and abbreviations which we have not shown. If you spot any errors or omissions, please let us know using the form at the end of this page.

World Coins
As stated, this list shows inscriptions in British coins, although when we have time, if ever, we may try to add a few of the commonest non-British inscriptions also.

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
A DOMINO FACTVM EST ISTVD ET MIRABILE IN OCVLIS NOSTRIS	This is the Lord's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes	Fine sovereign of Mary
AMOR POPVLI I PRAESIDIVM REGIS	The love of the people is the King's protection	Charles I angels (Charlies' Angels?)
ANNO REGNO PRIMO, etc.	In the first year of the reign, etc.	large milled coins, e.g. Victoria Old head crowns
ANNO REGNO (roman numerals for year)	In the year of the reign, etc.	large milled coins, e.g. Victoria Old head crowns

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
BRITANNIA	Britannia	Halfpence & Farthings of Charles II onwards
BRITANNIARVM REX	King of the Britains
BRITANNIARVM OMNIVM, abbr. to BRIT(T) OMN	King of all the Britains
BRITT OMN REX FID DEF IND IMP	King of all the Britains, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India
BRVNSVICIENSIS ET LVNEBVRGENSIS DVX, abbr. to BR ET L D	Duke of Brunswick & Luneburg	George I, II, III

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
CHARITIE AND CHANGE	Charity & change	Cromwell farthing
CHRISTO AVSPICE REGNO	I reign under the auspices of Christ	Charles I onwards
CIVITAS BRISTOLL, (variations)	City of Bristol	Edward I onwards
CIVITAS CANTOR	City of Canterbury	Edward I onwards
CIVITAS COVETRE	City of Coventry
CIVITAS DVNELMIS	City of Durham	Edward I onwards
CIVITAS DVREME	City of Durham	Edward I onwards
CIVITAS EBORACI	City of York	Edward I onwards
CIVITAS LONDON	City of London	Edward I onwards
CIVITAS NORVIC	City of Norwich
CIVITAS TORNACEN	City of
CIVIVM INDVSTRIA FLORET CIVITAS	By the industry of its citizens, the city flourishes	1951 Crown
CVLTORES SVI DEVS PROTEGIT	God protects his worshippers	Charles I Gold crowns

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
DECVS ET TVTAMEN	An ornament and a safeguard	Edge of many milled coins
DEI GRA ANGL ET FRAN DO N HYB ET AQVIT	By the Grace of God, King of England & France, Lord of Ireland & Aquitaine
DEI GRATIA	By the Grace of God
DIEU ET MON DROIT	God and my right	George IV halfcrowns onwards
D GR P ANG SCO ET HIB & PRO		Cromwell Coins
D G M B FR ET H REX F D BR ET L D S R I A TH ET EL	By the Grace of God, King of Great Britain France & Ireland, Defender of The Faith, Duke of Brunswick & Luneburg, High Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire	George I, II, III
DIRIGE DEVS GRESSVS MEOS	May The Lord protect my steps	Una and the lion £5 piece 1839
DOMINE NE IN FVRORE TVO ARGVAS ME	O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger	Edward III half florin onwards
DVM SPIRO SPERO	While I breathe, I hope	Charles I Pontefract issues

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
EXVRGAT DEVS ET DISSIPENTVR INIMICE EIVS	Let The Lord arise and his enemies be scattered	James I coins

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
FACIAM EOS IN GENTEM VNAM	I will make them one nation	James I unites & laurels
FIDEI DEFENSOR, often abbr. to FID DEF, F D, etc.	Defender of the Faith	George IV first issue farthings
FLORENT CONCORDIA REGNA	Kingdoms flourish through concord	Charles I unites
FRANCIAE ET HIBERNIAE, often abbrev. to FRA ET HIB, et.	King of the French and Scots

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
GOD WITH VS		Commonwealth coins (Cromwell)

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
HANC DEVS DEDIT	God has given this	Charles II Pontefract siege money
HAS NISI PERITVRVS MIHI ADIMAT NEMO	Let no one remove these from me under pain of death	Cromwell crowns and halfcrowns
HENRICVS ROSAS REGNA JACOBVS	Henry united the roses, James the kingdoms	James I gold
HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE	Evil be to him he evil thinks thereof	Order of the Garter Charles I Halfcrowns onwards

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
IHC AVTEM TRANSIENS
INDIAE IMPERATOR, abbr. to IND IMP	Emperor of India
INIMICOS EIVS INDVAM CONFVSIONE	As for his enemies, I shall clothe them in shame	Edward VI Durham House shillings

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
JESVS AVTEM TRANSIENS PER MEDIVM ILLORVM IBAT	But Jesus, passing through the midst of them, went his way	English gold nobles, ryals & sovereigns
JVSTITIA THRONVM FIRMAT	Justice strengthens the throne	Charles I halfgroats & pennies

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
LVCERNA PEDIBVS MEIS VERBVM EST	The word is a lamp unto my feet	Edward VI Durham House half sovereign

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
MAG BR FRA ET HIB REX	King of Great Britain France & Scotland
MAG BR FR ET HIB REX ET REGINA	King & Queen of Great Britain & Ireland	William & Mary
MAGNA BRITANNIAE, often abbr. to M B, MAG BR etc.	Great Britain
M B F ET H REX F D B ET L D S R I A T ET E	By the Grace of God, King of Great Britain France & Ireland, Defender of The Faith, Duke of Brunswick & Luneburg, High Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire	George I, II, III
MIRABILIA FECIT	He made it marvellously	Viking coins of York

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
NEMO ME IMPVNE LACESSIT	No one provokes me with impunity	1984 Scottish Pound
NVMMORVM FAMVLVS	The servant of the coinage	C17 tin coinage

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
OBS NEWARK	Newark besieged	Charles I Newark siege coins
O CRVX AVE SPES VNICA	Hail O Cross, our only hope	All half angels

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
PAX MISSA PER ORBEM	Peace sent throughout the world	Anne farthing
PAX QVAERITVR BELLO	Peace is sought by war	Cromwell broad
PAXS	Peace
PER CRVCEM TVAM SALVA NOS CHRISTE REDEMPTOR	By thy Cross, save us, O Christ, our Redeemer	angels
PLEIDOL WYF I'M GWLAD	True am I to my country	1985 Pounds
POST MORTEM PATRIS PRO FILIO	For the son after the death of the father	Pontefract siege coins of 1648
POSVI DEVM ADIVTOREM MEVM	I have made God my helper	Edward III silver onwards
PROTECTOR LITERIS LITERAE NVMMIS CORONA ET SALVS	A protection to the letters, the letters are a garland and a safeguard to the coinage	Cromwell fifty shillings

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
QVAE DEVS CONIVNXIT NEMO SEPARET	What God has joined, let no one separate	James I large silver coins

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
REDDE CVIQVE QVOS SVVM EST	Render to each that which is his own	Edward VIII Durham House groat
REGINA, often abbrev. to REG, R, etc	Queen
RELIGIO PROTESTANTIVM LEGES ANGLIAE LIBERTAS PARLIAMENTI	The religion of the Protestants, the laws of England and the liberty of Parliament	Charles I civil war issues
REL PROT LEG ANG LIB PAR	The religion of the Protestants, the laws of England and the liberty of Parliament	Charles I civil war issues
REX	King
REX ANGL	King of the English
REX ANGLORVM	King of the English
REX SAXONVM OCCIDENTALIVM	King of the West Saxons
ROSA SINE SPINA	A rose without thorns	Henry VIII onwards
RUGBY WORLD CUP 1999		1999 £2 coin
RVTILANS ROSA SINE SPINA	A dazzling rose without a thorn	Henry VIII onwards

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
SACRI ROMANI IMPERII ARCHI-THESAVRARIVS ET ELECTOR, abbr. to S R I A TH ET EL	High Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire	George I, II, III
SCVTVM FIDEI PROTEGET EAM	The shield of Faith will protect her	Elizabeth I gold
SCVTVM FIDEI PROTEGET EVM	The shield of Faith will protect him	Edward VI gold
SIC VOS NON VOBIS	Thus we labour, but not for ourselves	Edge of 1994 £2 coins
STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS		Bi-metallic £2 coins

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
TALI DICATA SIGNO MENS FLVCTVARI NEQVIT	Consecrated by such a sign the mind cannot waver	Henry VIII George noble
THE COMMONWEALTH OF ENGLAND	Commonwealth of England	Commonwealth under Cromwell 1649 - 1660
TIMOR DOMINI FONS VITAE	The fear of The Lord is the fountain of life	Edward VI shillings
FAITH AND TRUTH I WILL BEAR UNTO YOU		Elizabeth II crowns 1953 and 1993
TVEATVR VNITA DEVS	May God guard those united	James I coins

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
VERITAS TEMPORIS FILIA	Truth, the daughter of time	Mary coins
VIGO	Vigo Bay	Anne 1702 & 1703
VILLA CALESIE	Town of Calais	Edward III onwards
VIVAT REGINA ELIZABETHA	Long live Queen Elizabeth	1996 crown
WHAT'S PAST IS PROLOGUE		Millennium Crowns

Notes
For the anglicised or modernised version of this page, please see Inscriptions on British Coins

And Just For Our American Friends
The following table is not meant to be exhaustive. We are British coin dealers not American ones, these are just the few we fond in a five minute search of Yeoman's Redbook of U.S. Coins.

Inscription	Translation	Found Where
IN GOD WE TRVST	In God We Trust	Quarters, Standing Liberty Type 1916 - 1930
IN GOD WE TRVST	In God We Trust	Silver "Peace" Dollars 1921 - 1935

You may wish to visit some of our other pages:
Value of my Coin. What's it Worth?
British Coin Denominations. What's a Groat,? etc.
Common Names of British Coins. What's a Tanner?
Engravers and Sculptors of British Coins

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