The BNJ of 1977 included an article by C.J.Wood examining early penny dies of Edward I from the Berwick mint. In it he mentioned a mule coin of type Ia/IIa which displayed a double initial cross although there was no indication as to where he had seen an example. The author of this note has been looking out for this die combination for many years but only recently, like London buses, two have come along. Annoyingly, the first to turn up had the region of the initial cross poorly struck up although in other respects it had the other features mentioned by Wood. Fortunately, the second coin to come along was much more conclusive…..!
CLICK HERE TO READ THE RESEARCH NOTE
To provide comments on the article please scroll down to the bottom of this page.
BNS Research Blog 
Denis, since publishing your article has anyone else come forward with one of these double mintmark coins?
Not yet. Perhaps if owners of Berwick 1a/2a mules which are not struck up well would like to compare dies with my coin they might find that they too have a double cross one. The spacing at the top of the obverse legend is a clue as is the apostrophe after hyB.
There is one of the coins – same obv. die – in the collections of the National Museum of Scotland; ex Loch Doon hoard (BNJ XXXVIII, 1999, p. 43, no. 4). This may well have been the coin seen by Wood.
Hello Nick,
Thanks for your reply. I have seen the article on the Loch Doon hoard but, of course, the coin in question is neither illustrated nor discussed in detail. Since Wood does not acknowledge any help in writing his article either from institutions or from other private collectors I have often wondered where he examined this large number of coins. You have been very helpful in unearthing one possibility. If there was a visitors’ book going back enough years at the NMS we might spot Wood’s name confirming his visit. His collection resides in Spink at the moment and, I believe, will soon be auctioned. I await the possible appearance of another specimen!
Thanks again and best wishes,
Denis.