Author: BNS Blog Coordinator

A new Crockard type for John of Avesnes – Glenn Schaap & Denis Martin

It is now almost forty years since N. J. Mayhew published a masterly study of the coinage produced in Northern Europe in the late 13th and early 14th centuries imitating the English sterling. Inevitably new variations of his existing types have turned up in hoards or as detector finds. Seldom have the new finds revealed a coin which could be considered as a distinctive new type. The joint authors of this article have discovered a coin which they feel worthy of such a description.

A Newly Discovered Cut Halfpenny Struck for Henry of Anjou, and some Observations on Die Variants for Mack’s type 253 – A.G. Bliss

During the 1140s, an unusual series of coins began to be produced in the Southwest of England. These pieces effectively combine an obverse design utilised on the ‘Watford’ pence of Stephen with the reverse of Henry I type XV pieces (quadrilateral on cross-fleury). Encountered in the names of Earls William/Robert of Gloucester and Patrick of Salisbury, these coins were also struck in the name of Henry of Anjou (the future Henry II) – son of Henry I’s daughter Matilda and Count Geoffrey of Anjou. This article brings to light a new cut halfpenny struck for the latter, and demonstrates that the type (those struck in the name of Henry) in fact encompasses several different die-groups. 

The 1943 East Africa Shilling – Gary Oddie

This article looks at the shilling coins issued by the East African Currency Board struck at various mints between 1921 and 1952, and especially the scarce 1943 pieces struck at the Bombay mint. The existence of contemporary counterfeits of the 1943I shillings confirms that the pieces circulated and also highlights the poor state of the circulating medium at the time.

Two Unusual Counterfeit Victorian Shillings – Gary Oddie

Contemporary counterfeits of Victorian silver coins are typically cast from pewter-like metals, more rarely silver plated brass and very unusually silver. This note presents two shillings dated 1863 and 1882 which are of good weight and good silver and struck from hand engraved dies. The pieces also share the same obverse die. Being rare dates it is speculated that they are not contemporary but were manufactured in the third quarter of the twentieth century. This issue is compared with the halfcrowns that have been noted with dates 1861, 1866, 1868, and 1871 which were first discovered in the 1960’s during the change checking that accompanied decimalisation.

A Mid-Nineteenth Century Hoard of Counterfeit Silver Coins – Gary Oddie

A small hoard of counterfeit silver coins with dates ranging from 1816 to 1845 will be described. All of the pieces fall into the category of cast white metal, tin, pewter or lead-alloy counterfeits and many have been mutilated by cutting, sometimes into pieces. That many of the fragments of the broken pieces have remained together suggests that this group might have been together since the middle of the nineteenth century.

Henry III Long Cross Pennies – Analysis of the Use of the Letter “H” for an “N” – Robert Page

Throughout the Henry III long cross series one often sees the capital letter “H” used for an “N”.  This usage is not consistent, in that many coins have a mixture of “H” and “N” in their reverse legends. In this small study I have analysed the proportions of different usages of H/N for several mints and moneyers.  This has allowed various conclusions to be made about the die preparation process, and has highlighted some rarer lettering combinations that collectors may wish to look out for.  I would very much welcome feedback on the observations and conclusions presented.