Observations of the reverses of 48 King John pennies of the moneyer Roberd at Dublin has revealed the presence of pellets on many of the coins. This brief article illustrates the different varieties observed and speculates on their meaning. Reader comments and suggestions are encouraged, as are comments on additional pellet configurations, including those from other moneyers or denominations.
Plantagenets
Henry III – Long Cross Penny – A Challenging Piece – A striker’s foible or just an undetected error? – Ian M. Heavisides and Robert Page
An unusually thin and lightweight Henry III penny is described; the authors are hoping to receive reader suggestions as to what this coin may represent.
A New Reverse Type for Edward III Reading Halfpenny – D.I. Greenhalgh
A new variety of a Edward III halfpenny from the Reading mint is described.
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.
A new obverse local die from the Durham mint of Edward I – Denis Martin
The local dies sunk in Durham around 1300 during the reign of Edward I produced a small series of scarce coins often not recognised by collectors. These coins were discussed by J.J.North in a ground- breaking article in the British Numismatic Journal, 1984. In it he discussed some reverse local dies which carry very distinctive lettering. Only recently discovered is an obverse die with the same unusual lettering. The coin is now in the author’s collection.
A New Sub Variety of Edward I Penny Class 3a London Mint – D. I. Greenhalgh
A New sub-type of Edward I penny of London for Class 3a. The Early sub classes of class 3 are surprisingly scarce and so it is of note when a new die comes up especially when it is possible to place the coin right at the start of the Class 3a issue.
A Guide to the Long Cross Pennies of Henry III (and Edward I) – Rob Page
I have recently updated my online guide to the voided long cross coinage of Henry III and Edward I. The links below provide access to both a copy which can be read with the Calameo reader, and also a downloadable pdf version. The target audience comprises not only collectors and students of Plantagenet coinage, but also metal detectorists. Read the publication using Calameo
A Rare “Cut Half” Rescued from a Leicestershire Field: Henry III, Class 1a – Continental Imitation – Robert Page
A coin recently spotted on a popular online auction site has been identified as a very rare continental imitation of a Henry III class 1a long cross penny. It was a Leicestershire metal detecting find and is a “cut half” which originated from the German town of Blomberg in Westphalia. It is not surprising that this continental imitation has been found in Leicestershire as the county had flourishing cloth and wool industries in the first half of the 13th century, and would have been involved in trade with the continent.
A Second Find of a Rare Henry III Long Cross Class 2a/1b Mule – Robert Page
The first Henry III long cross class 2a/1b mule was discovered by a metal detectorist in 2006 and until recently was the only known specimen. This short article documents a second example of this rare class that was found by a detectorist in south Bedfordshire last year. If any reader knows of any additional examples the author would appreciate being informed. Please click here to read the article.
Edward III Florin coinage of Durham – The “VILA” reverse die – Denis Martin
The third coinage of Edward III, usually referred to as the Florin coinage, is a complex issue particularly so in the case of those coins produced at the Durham mint. This article focuses on a particularly puzzling reverse die, the VILA or Villa die, which has been shown to have been used in the period 1348 to 1351 towards the end of the series. The author has identified two VILA dies, described how they can be distinguished and produced a corpus of the coins known to him. Click here to access the article
