Bust right / Hilaritas standing

Rome

Rare

RCV6086; 17mm, 2.97g

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Young head left / Wreath with date under

AD 1865

die no. 92

S3905; 23mm, 5.66g

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Draped bust left / Crowned shield

Lettered edge

S3226; 39mm, 29.71g

A pleasing crown, even wear and previously graded by PCGS as VF30.

Indirectly descended from Henry VIII chief minister Thomas Cromwell, Oliver Cromwell was born in AD 1599 to a landowning family from Huntingdon. He entered Parliament in AD 1628 and initially he did not oppose King Charles although he was leading campaigner against the king’s bishops and their lack of religious toleration. When the Civil War started Cromwell’s ability as a leader and organiser led to his rapid promotion with the creation of the New Model army which became known as Roundheads by their opponents. This army started to triumph over the king’s forces after several lacklustre campaigns at the start of the campaign. By keeping control of London and the main sources of finance the Royalist forces were eventually forced to sue for peace.
King Charles though managed to escape and tried to reclaim his kingdom by raising fresh forces in Scotland. Defeated again he was brought back to London where he was tried and executed in AD 1649. The monarchy was abolished and initially the country was governed as a Republic under the Commonwealth. Rivalries however forced Cromwell to take over as Lord Protector in AD 1653. Although invited to become king Cromwell refused although many of the trappings of royalty were reinstated including Cromwell draped and laureate bust which appeared on milled coins minted that were minted between AD 1656 and 1658.
Cromwell’s campaigns against the Scots and particularly the Irish are well known. There were also a number of naval campaigns against the Dutch and Spanish which saw the resurgence of the Royal Navy and beginnings of what was to become the British Empire.

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Type XV Quadrilateral

Crowned bust facing holding sceptre/Quatrelateral on cross fleury

Winchester / Saiet

S1276; 19mm, 1.38g

Much better than usual for this type, a decent coin.

Henry I – Following the death of William Rufus, his younger brother Henry claimed the thrown of England. Notably, there was a period of monetary crisis during the reign, which led to a public lack of confidence in the quality of the coinage minted. The obverse for portrays a crowned bust, three-quarters to the right, holding a sceptre in right hand, with three stars in the field; the reverse a cross potent over a saltire cross, with annulet-quatrefoils at the end of each of the angular limbs.

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Alpha / Cross

S960, 19mm, 1.19g

This coin comes with a previous dealers handwritting label

Saint Edmund’s pennies

Perhaps the most numerous of the Anglo-Viking issues struck in the Danelaw are the so-called ‘St Edmund Memorial’ pennies, copying issues of Edmund – the King of East Anglia who was martyred in 869. These coins were struck in several phases from c. 895-910 by a dizzying array of moneyers, who demonstrate not only indigenous Anglo-Saxon names but also Scandinavian and even continental ones. These attest to a thriving, internationally-reaching polity that was probably somewhat diverse.

It might seem bizarre to think that the sons and grandsons of those who had originally killed Edmund had now moved to striking coins celebrating him as ‘SC EADMUND’ (Saint Edmund) within their own territory. However, perhaps there is a relevant point here to be made concerning the extent to which Christian beliefs had been adopted and the hold which Edmund’s cult held over the local populace. Perhaps the newly-converted Danes, feeling guilty for their ancestors’ martyrdom of Edmund, were trying to make spiritual amends by venerating him on their coins?

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Crowned bust right, larger squarer face with roman nose and crown arch within circle/Shield

mm. lis

S2337E; 25mm, 2.59g

A most attractive, sharply struck coin on a full flan and with little wear.

Henry VIII was the second son of Henry VII and before becoming king had considered an ecclesiastical career. He is largely remembered for his break with Rome, the dissolution of the monasteries and for having 6 wives. He is also remembered for his de basement of the currency which helped finance his wars with France and Scotland. By the time of the 3rd Issue some of the coinage contained so little silver that the copper alloy underneath was revealed. This earnt Henry the nickname Old Coppernose.

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St Michael spearing dragon/Ship with shield

mm. Latin Cross

S2525; 29mm, 5.12g

A field find with associated scuffs and creases.

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Elizabeth was one of England’s most famous queens as a result of her victory over the Spanish Armada as well as the exploits of Francis Drake, Walter Rayleigh and Shakespeare.
Elizabeth was the surviving child of Henry VIII and Henry’s second wife Anne Boleyn. Born in AD 1533 and brought up as a Protestant she was declared illegitimate when her mother was beheaded and was thus rarely seen at court. When Mary became queen Elizabeth refused to renounce her faith which put her in considerable danger. For much of Mary’s reign Elizabeth was held in Hatfield House.
Upon the death of Mary Elizabeth was proclaimed queen. Her open and gracious responses quickly endeared her to her subjects particularly when she oversaw a settlement that tolerated both Catholic and Protestant worship. Still unmarried she considered marriage to Robert Dudley however objections were raised and instead a search began to find a more acceptable husband. Despite a number of proposals, including one from Mary’s husband Philip of Spain, she remained unmarried and later became known as the Virgin queen. The lack of an heir became an increasing problem which was later only resolved by the execution of Mary Queen of Scots and the nomination of Mary’s son James VI of Scotland as Elizabeth’s heir.
Elizabeth’s reign saw increasing rivalry with Spain and the establishment of England as a naval power which in turn resulted in the beginnings of empire with the establishment of the East India Company.
Elizabeths reign is interesting numismatically due to the large number of different denominations issued. Her reign also saw the first introduction of milled coinage when silver shillings and sixpences were introduced between AD 1561 and 1570. Despite their high quality these coins were only issued for a few years and were not to re appear again until the reign of Charles I.

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Crowned bust right/ Crowned shield

mm. key

S2623; 27mm, 4.46g

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The son of Mary Queen of Scots, James acceded the Scottish throne as James VI when only 1 year old upon his mother’s abdication in AD 1567. He married Anne of Denmark and upon the death of the childless Elizabeth succeeded the English throne in AD 1603 being the nearest heir. Following the Gunpowder plot of AD 1605 James brought in severe sanctions against Catholics and also introduced the King James Bible. Scotland remained a separate kingdom and retained its own currency James established a currency of similar weight and fineness in both realms although a 12:1 ratio between Scottish and English denominations was maintained.

The reign saw a number of reforms in the English coinage most notably the introduction of the gold Unite, itself replaced in AD 1619 by the Laurel. Copper coins were also issued for the first time when a licence was issued to Lord Harrington to issue farthings.

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Transitional Treaty

Shield in tressure/Royal Cross in tressure

London

S1501; 20mm, 1.90g

This coin comes with rough find area provenance

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Son of Edward II Edward III is another great warrior king of The Middle Ages and is most famous for his campaigns in France and the great English victories at Sluys, Crecy and Poitiers at the start of the Hundred Years War. A campaign against the Scots at the start of his reign was unsuccessful however when Edward dismissed his chief minister, Roger Mortimer, he agreed a truce before taking up arms against France. The English won a naval victory at Sluys in AD 1340 which gave them control of the Channel. Landing an army in France Edward beat the French at Crecy capturing Calais. Ten years later his son Edward, The Black Prince, won an impressive victory at Poitiers thanks in part to the effectiveness of the English longbows. The Treaty of Bretigny in AD 1360 granted Edward additional territory in France although he also renounced his claim to the French throne. There was then a lull in the war and as Edward became older he became more lethargic leaving most of the campaigning to his sons
Edward’s reign saw the devastation of England’s population as well as those of most other European countries. Edward instigated various Legal reforms but is better known for his creation of various orders of chivalry which include the Order of the Garter. Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales were also written towards the end of his reign.
The Groat was reintroduced during Edward’s reign together the first issue of gold coinage. Firstly the florin or leopard followed by the noble. In Ireland there was a small issue of silver halfpennies however there was a large issue of Anglo Gallic coins both in Edward’s name and also his son the Black Prince.

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Crowned bust facing with pellet below bust/Long cross with pellets in angles

mm. sun and rose

London

S2158; 25mm, 2.88g

Clear name and portrait, a scarce variety with pellet below bust.

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Richard III was the younger brother of Edward IV and one of the principal Yorkists during the War of the Roses. Created Duke of Gloucester when Edward became king he was an able administrator and was responsible for governing much of northern England during the reign of his brother. When Edward died suddenly in AD 1483 Richard was nominated Lord Protector. Conflict with the Woodvilles resulted in Richard imprisoning the two sons of Edward IV in the Tower. When a bishop then declared that the princes were illegitimate Richard claimed the throne and was crowned in place of Edward V in July AD 1483.
A rebellion by the Duke of Buckingham in the autumn of AD 1483 was quickly put down however in the summer of AD 1485 Henry Tudor landed in Wales with an army raised in France. The 2 armies met at Bosworth Fields where Richard was defeated and killed. Richard’s body has recently been found beneath a car park and has now been reburied in Leicester Cathedral. Richard was the last English king to be killed in battle and is also the last of the last of the Plantagenets.

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