The ‘Crown’ Quartered Series B Groat – A False Start to Edward III’s Fourth Coinage? – Duncan Russell

This article describes the unique Hunter Collection ‘Crown in Quarters’ Series B Groat of Edward III’s Fourth Coinage and places it into context with the ‘Trefoil of Pellets’ overcutting Crowns dies used in the early issues of the Fourth Coinage – in doing so it looks at Continental Prototypes with particular reference to the Anglo-Gallic Sterlings of ‘Aquitaine’ minted for Edward III. It also suggests that the failure of the earlier introduction of the Groat during Edward I’s Coinage reform of AD 1279 should not be repeated and so the innovative ‘Crown in Quarters’ design was suppressed in favour of the Trefoil of Pellets for the sake of continuity with existing and accepted reverse design prevalent since its introduction in the coinage reform of  AD 1247. The silent witnesses to this turn of events are the few surviving trefoil  of pellets overcutting Crowns’ Series B Groats.