This note presents a contemporary counterfeit of a Scottish twopence (turner) of Charles I. It was found on the Thames foreshore and as it has not been cut from its original copper strip, it is unlikely to have circulated due to the sharp corners. It was probably made in London using a roller press. A “large mass” of similar scissel and uncut strips of counterfeit Royal Patent farthings was found during an excavation in the well in Scarborough Castle in 1907. Though widely dispersed, several pieces from this group are also presented for comparison. In both cases, it would appear that the contemporary counterfeiters were keeping up with the latest technology being used to make the official coins and tokens.
Scotland
Insertions in a copy of Robertson’s ‘A Handbook to the Coinage of Scotland’ – David Rampling
The late nineteenth century saw a major advance in the study of Scottish coins. Pre-eminent in this development were two enthusiasts, Robert Cochran-Patrick and Edward Burns. The popularisation of Scottish numismatics was further aided by those who drew inspiration from these luminaries. This note draws attention to one whose interests and abilities proved conducive to this process.
The Fourth variety of Fleur-de-lis groats of James II of Scotland – David Rampling
This paper presents a review of Burns’ sub-classification of the fourth variety of the fleur-de-lis issue of groats under James II, paying particular attention to die combinations as evidence for the validity of his division into two groups. The relatively large number of dies exhibited by the still relatively small cohort available for study, points to a larger mintage than surviving numbers would suggest.
The Forty-Shilling piece of James VI revisited – David Rampling
A rare Scottish Forty-Shilling piece of James VI, has recently featured on the ‘English hammered and early milled coin collectors’ group of Facebook. The coin is of interest for reasons briefly discussed in this article.
The ‘ED PERTH’ mint signature on the coins of Robert II – David Rampling
This note concerns an enigmatic rendition of the mint signature on some groats, halfgroats and pennies issued under Robert II. On these coins the signature of VILLA DE PERTH is rendered as VILLA ED PERTH. This latter legend has been attributed to die-sinker error, born of familiarity with producing VILLA EDINBURGH mint signatures. The representation of this anomaly across three denominations, involving multiple dies and many coins, suggests that the ED PERTH reading may have been intentional.
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