Author: BNS Blog Coordinator

A true type Ia Edward I penny of Berwick with a double initial cross – Denis Martin

In August 2018 the BNS research blog published an article by the present author which described an unusual Edward I mule penny of the Berwick mint. The coin had a type Ia obverse with a double initial cross, coupled with a type IIa reverse. A very recent detector find has at last revealed a type Ia with a double initial cross obverse linked with a true Ia reverse. This is the only example known to the author. or… Click here for the 2018 article

EXPANDING CROSS/POINTED HELMET MULES : SIX NOW KNOWN – Hugh Pagan

Mules between coins of Edward the Confessor’s Expanding Cross and Pointed Helmet types, struck in succession to each other in the middle years of Edward’s reign, have historically been evidenced by four coins only. This article describes the recognition of a further two examples, one a cut-half.  Any readers aware of any more examples of this rare type are invited to contact the author via the comment section below.

Letter Regarding the Countermarking of the Base Testoons of Edward VI at Bedford – 16th October 1560 – Gary Oddie

This note presents a previously un-noticed letter sent to the Mayor and Burgesses of Bedford, dated 16th October 1560, regarding the countermarking of the base testoons of Edward VI with a portcullis or greyhound. Following a brief introduction to the state of the coinage and the countermarking campaign around the country, the full document is reproduced, along with a transcription. The document confirms that the town of Bedford received just one each of the portcullis and greyhound punches.  The Bedford document is very similar to one known for the city of Wells, but has a missing sentence when compared to a draft dated 10th October 1560 in The National Archives.

Unrecorded White Metal 18th Century Tokens – Part 3 – The DNW Forgery Cabinet – Gary Oddie

The previous two notes described several groups of white metal 18th Century Tokens that have all proved to be of later manufacture. Following their publication, thanks to Peter Preston-Morley, similar pieces from the DNW forgery cabinet were made available for study. Once again, close inspection of the surfaces and edges gives away the deception and the metallurgy allows the copies to be grouped as before: similar to the Baldwin’s basement group, almost pure tin, high tin (80-90%), tin (40-60%) to which is added a new group of four pieces with faint oblique edge milling and a high lead content group. All of the original envelopes and tickets are included to identify past ownership (both dealers and collectors) so that they are not used to create new additions to listings of the series.  Links for previous articles: Unrecorded White Metal 18th Century Tokens? Unrecorded White Metal 18th Century Tokens – Part 2

Henry III Long Cross Pennies – The Coinage of the Northampton Mint –  Class 2bi – Ian M Heavisides & Rob Page

There were three provincial mints that issued pennies of Class 2bi; Lincoln, Northampton and Winchester.  It appears that the class was short-lived, and that the issue of dies was limited.  We have taken each mint in turn and examined the dies known to exist, identifying these along with the corresponding reverse dies used with them. A recent article (Link) presented the class 2bi coins of Lincoln, and this article now moves on to Northampton, where there appear to be three obverse dies for Class 2bi. Included here are copious illustrations and some suggested means of die identification.

Numismatic Graffiti – End the BBC Monopoly – Fight for Free Radio – Gary Oddie

The chance find of two bronze pennies with political graffiti added in white tipp-ex brought back vague memories of pirate radio in the North Sea. I was too young for the original story to register properly, but I do recall the navy raids on the transmitter ships in 1989. Ironically, the subsequent litigation confirmed that pirate radio had been ended by government piracy. The graffiti can be dated to sometime after 19 February 1967 with the formation of the Free Radio Association and its headline message ‘FIGHT FOR FREE RADIO’.

A New Coin from the Collection of Sir Hans Sloane – Andrew Burnett

A recently discovered book annotation allows a unique and spectacular coin of the Roman emperor Severus Alexander, minted by the city of Cyzicus in Asia Minor, to recover its provenance. It belonged to the collection of Sir Hans Sloane, which was to become the founding collection of the British Museum, where the coin can still be found. The MS catalogue of the Sloane collection was lost in the Second World War, so we depend on chance finds such as this for its reconstruction.

The Limerick Soviet Shilling Notes – 1919 and 2019 – Gary Oddie

Shortly after the Irish war of Independence began in January 1919, several areas declared themselves as self-governing Soviets. When Limerick was declared a Special Military area by the British army on 9 April, a general strike was called to start on the 14th and the Limerick Soviet began. Negotiations brought an end to the strike on 27 April. From 15-27 April a series of 1, 5 and 10 shilling notes were issued, and these are well-known to collectors.  Less well known are the 1, 5 and 10 shilling notes that were issued in Limerick for the centenary celebrations. The notes circulated in several Limerick shops and businesses, exchanging at 1 shilling = 1 euro, and ceased circulation at midnight on 1 May 2019. There are similarities with the British Transition Town notes such as the Bristol, Lewes or Totnes Pounds.

The annotations of Robert Kerr in a copy of The Coinage of Scotland by Edward Burns – David Rampling

An annotated book provides access to the informal discernments of one who has shared thesame interests as the reader. The annotations are of particular value if their author wasknowledgeable in the subject under review. Robert Kerr was one such person, having had aworking relationship over an extended period with the National collection of Scottish coins.His annotations in the seminal text on Scottish numismatics may therefore be of interest tostudents of the series.I have endeavoured to organise Kerr’s jottings in a compact and accessible format. Quiteapart from their value as commentary and expansion of the text, they are evidence of thecuratorial oversights of a former age.