Author: BNS Blog Coordinator

Edward I class 1a pennies with a forked crown – Denis Martin

In the last few years more coins have emerged displaying a peculiar variation in the crown on the obverse of the Edward I class 1a type. This unusual so-called “forked crown” is found on only a relatively few examples and little comment can be found in the easily accessible literature. The author has decided that it is time for a review of the situation and has made an attempt to gather as much data as possible with the object of producing a Corpus of the known forked crown coins.

An Enigmatic Commonwealth Farthing – Tracing Edward Rowland’s Patterns of 1652 – Gary Oddie

This note presents a farthing with the legends PITTY THE POOR 1652 / SVCH GOD LOVES ER (Williamson Uncertain 76, Peck 369). Contemporary documents confirm that this is a pattern issued by Edward Rowland to support a petition to Parliament to issue a base metal token coinage. Edward Rowland is identified as a wealthy goldsmith, with premises close to Blossom’s lane that were destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666.

A Die Study of James I Shillings – Second Issue, mm Book – Gary Oddie

Previous die studies have covered the third issue shillings (mintmarks Spur Rowel, Rose, Thistle, Lis and Trefoil) and the second issue (mintmark Plain Cross). This note tackles another of the rarer mintmarks, the Book, sometimes called Book on Lectern. The three obverse and two reverse dies were more than sufficient to strike the silver that resulted in the 9s 2d at the Trial of the Pyx on 15th May 1618. PREVIOUS ARTICLES BY GARY ODDIE ON JAMES I … A Die Study of James I Shillings – Second Issue, mm Plain Cross (Link) A Die Study of James I Shillings – Third Issue, mm Spur Rowell (Link) A Die Study of James I Shillings – Third Issue, Sixth Bust, mm Rose (Link) A Die Study of James I Shillings – Third Issue, Sixth Bust, mm Lis (Link) A Die Study of James I Shillings – Third Issue, Sixth Bust, mm Thistle (Link) A Die Study of James I Shillings –

read more A Die Study of James I Shillings – Second Issue, mm Book – Gary Oddie

William Clowes and the Tokens For The King’s Evil – Gary Oddie

Much has already been written about the numismatic aspects of the King’s Evil. The gold angels of Charles I especially struck and pierced for the ceremony and the admission tickets and gold touch pieces of the time of Charles II and later are well known, but no convincing candidates for the earliest documented admission tokens have been put forward. This note will present three possible admission tokens used for the touching ceremony of Charles I.

An Early Lead Weight for Twelve Pence? – Gary Oddie

This note presents a lead object, found at Ewell in Surry in 1995, that found its way into the David Rogers collection of lead weights. With the design of an Edward I groat and weight corresponding to twelve pennyweights, it was catalogued as such.Revisiting the object revealed that the surface had deteriorated (turned to dust) whilst in storage and the note presents a possible method to conserve what remains of the surface using Paraloid B-72. Closer inspection reveals two small bumps on the reverse and thus the piece is now considered to be a lead brooch of the same period when the Edward I groats were being gilded and converted into brooches.