ANGEL

angel, a gold coin, first used in france (_angelot, ange_) in 1340, and introduced into england by edward iv. in 1465 as a new issue of the "noble," and so at first called the "angel-noble." it varied in value between that period and the time of charles i. (when it was last coined) from 6s. 8d. to 10s. the name was derived from the representation it bore of st. michael and the dragon. the angel was the coin given to those who came to be touched for the disease known as king's evil; after it was no longer coined, medals, called touch-pieces, with the same device, were given instead.