A relatively small number of Charles II silver coins of anydenomination survive with the mark of an elephant, which relatesto a semi-private company that dominated British businessactivities in Africa.

Soon after his ascension to the throne in 1660, King CharlesII granted a charter to the Company of Royal Adventurers Tradingto Africa, which was renamed the Royal African Company (RAC) in1672. This company was given a monopoly over British trade with aregion in western Africa. The RAC lasted until 1752.

From 1688 to 1722, the RAC supplied gold to the Royal Mint andmany British coins struck from such gold featured a hallmark ofan elephant. In another words, a small portrait of an elephant ona British gold coin, as part of the design, indicated that it wasstruck with gold that was mined in West Africa and then broughtto England by the RAC.

An elephant and a castle was part of the emblem of thiscompany, and many gold coins struck in London by the Royal Mintfeatured an 'elephant & castle,' though a substantial numberhad just a portrait of an elephant. Each elephant mark, with orwithout a castle, is found below the bust on the obverse (frontof the coin).

These are regular issue coinsof the Royal Mint of England, not atypical strikings elsewhere.Such elephant marks are not mintmarks in the sense that the term'mintmark' is employed in the U.S. The Royal African Company didnot produce coins.

British gold coins of the era were called Guineas because muchof the gold used to strike them came from West Africa. The wordGuinea has more than one meaning. Undoubtedly, the British tradedin the area that is now known as the Republic of Guinea, a formerFrench colony. Over the centuries, however, the name Guineagenerally referred to a particular region of West Africa, not toany one specific kingdom, nation or colony.

The RAC brought gold from the region of Guinea to England andthe gold denominations that began in 1663 came to be known asGuineas. Soon, gold coins were issued with denominations ofHalf-Guinea, One Guinea, Two Guineas and Five Guineas. Muchlater, One-Third-Guinea coins were minted as well.

Only a miniscule percentage of silver coins of the era hadelephant (or 'elephant & castle') marks. During the reign ofCharles II, some Shillings, Halfcrowns and Crowns, dated 1666and, later, 1681, had elephant (or 'elephant & castle')marks. No other silver coin issues in the 1600s had such marks,as best I can recollect at the moment. There are more than a fewgold issues, though, during the reigns of James II, William III& Mary II, and Anne, that have such marks

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Rare 1681 silver Halfcrown of King Charles II, with mark of theRoyal African Company(www.coinweek.com/featured-news/the-1681-royal-african-company-halfcrown-of-king-charles-ii/)