A RARE £1 coin dating back to the English Civil War could fetch up to £50,000 at auction.

The solid silver Declaration Pound dates back to 1643 and was struck in Oxford, which was then a newly-forged seat of power for Charles I after he left London.

A new parliament was set up along with a new mint at New Inn Hall in Oxford to create an official currency in Royalist control.

Timothy Medhurst, coin specialist and auctioneer at Dukes in Dorset said: “This coin marked Charles I’s attempts to regain his failing power and it represents a pivotal moment in the history of the British Isles.

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“It is a coin which is rare to find and it will cause a stir in the coin collecting world.

“The value of coins from this period are at an all-time high and it will be highly sought after.”

The coin, which is more than two inches across, remains in good condition.

A legend on the back translates to “Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered”

and is a declaration of the king’s power.

The coin is a rare piece from the doomed monarch’s reign and was discovered when the owner took it to Duke’s auction house without realising what it was.

It has an estimated value of £20,000 but it is believed it could go for up to £50,000 at auction on Thursday, March 12.

Mr Medhurst said: “It is fair to say that 1643 was a crucial year in the history of the Civil War and it is fascinating to think that this coin was produced by hand, in silver, at such a tumultuous time.”

It comes after another Charles I period coin was unearthed next to a skeleton from the same period by archaeologists at St Cross College in Pusey Street.

The remains were found during a building project at the college on Wednesday, February 25.

Archaeologists are puzzled by the find of the bones of a woman as they have no idea why she was buried there.

The Charles I silver shilling struck at the Tower Mint between 1640 to 1641 was found with the body.

It is thought to have been originally placed over her eyes or mouth.