This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from IOP via http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0953-2048/28/6/065011 ; The direct current (dc) characterization of high temperature superconducting (HTS) coils is important for applications, such as electric machines, superconducting magnetic energy storage and transformers. In this paper, the dc characterization of a triangular-shaped, epoxy-impregnated HTS coil wound with YBCO coated conductor intended for use in an axial-flux HTS motor is presented. Voltage was measured at several points along the coil to provide detailed information of its dc characteristics. The coil is modelled based on the H -formulation using a new three-dimensional (3D) technique that utilizes the real superconducting layer thickness, and this model allows simulation of the actual geometrical layout of the HTS coil structure. Detailed information on the critical current density's dependence on the magnitude and orientation of the magnetic flux density, Jc(B,?), determined from experimental measurement of a short sample of the coated conductor comprising the coil is included directly in the numerical model by a two-variable direct interpolation to avoid developing complicated equations for data fitting and greatly improve the computational speed. Issues related to meshing the finite elements of the real thickness 3D model are also discussed in detail. Based on a comparison of the measurement and simulation results, it is found that non-uniformity along the length exists in the coil, which implies imperfect superconducting properties in the coated conductor, and hence, coil. By evaluating the current?voltage (I?V) curves using the experimental data, and after taking into account a more practical n value and critical current for the non-uniform region, the modelling results show good agreement with the experimental results, validating this model as an appropriate tool to estimate the dc I?V relationship of a superconducting coil. This work provides a further step towards effective and efficient 3D modelling of superconducting devices for large-scale applications. ; Di Hu and Jin Zou would like to acknowledge the support of Churchill College, Cambridge, the China Scholarship Council and the Cambridge Commonwealth, European and International Trust. Dr Mark Ainslie would like to acknowledge the support of a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship.