20090828

Medieval English Coins with interesting provenances

Not quite my usual post, though I have always had a weakness for interesting stories and these are examples for sure:


Henry III (1216-1272), Penny, 1.44g., Voided Long Cross Coinage, Class 3b, (1248-1250), London - Nicole, crowned facing bust of Henry, i.m. star, HENRICVS REX III, rev., voided long cross with trefoil of pellets in each angle, NICOLE ON LVND, [Nicholas of St. Albans] (N.987; S.1363)

Provenance: Old Spink stock ticket in the hand of Douglas G. Liddell (1918/9-2003, see info below).
Ex Stepengley/Steppingley Church Hoard, Bedfordshire, September 1912.

(deposition c. CE 1270 according to Michael Dolley & W.A. Seaby “The Anomalous Long Cross Coins in the Anglo-Irish Portion of the Brussels Hoard” p. 294, Mints, Dies and Currency: Essays Dedicated to the Memory of Albert Baldwin By R. A. G. Carson, 2006)

Hoard consisted of 518 coins (2 Short Cross, 485 Voided Long Cross, 13 Irish Voided Long Cross, 16 Scottish Voided Long Cross and Stars, 2 Lippe Sterling imitations), found in the Church of St. Lawrence at Steppingley, (Thompson Directory #342, also NC 1914).




Tomb of Henry III at Westminster Abbey


St Lawrence Church , Steppingley

The church of St. Lawrence, rebuilt in 1860 by the Duke of Bedford and the rector, is a building of local sandstone in the Early Decorated and Perpendicular styles, consisting of chancel, nave, north aisle and a tower containing 4 bells : it is seated with open oak benches for 240 persons. The register dates from 1562, but is continuous only from 1647.

13th Century: The church consisted of a chancel, nave, north and south porches and west tower. It was said to be the smallest church in the county. The Gentleman's Magazine of 1849 said "it is probably the smallest in the county with a low tower not rising above the neighbouring hayricks."


1858-60: The east wall of the chancel collapses and brings down most of the church with it. The Duke of Bedford agreed to rebuild the church and commissioned Henry Clutton. Work began in December 1858 and the new church was opened on the 19th October 1860.

1912: During restoration work on the church a hoard of 13th century silver coins were found beneath the chancel floor.

from: http://www.galaxy.bedfordshire.gov.uk/webingres/bedfordshire/vlib/0.digitised_resources/steppingly_timeline.htm


from: Lawrence, L.A. & Brooke, G.C. “The Steppingley Find of English Coins” Numismatic Chronicle 1914 (page. 60)[ full article pp. 60-76] This coin falls under types 231-258 listed in the catalogue of which there were six of this variety noted.


-->
Douglas G. Liddell (1918/9-2003)
Mr Liddell was a former Managing Director of Spink and one of the biggest influences in British Numismatics, from his induction into Spink in 1946 right through to retirement in December 1987. He was made a Director of the company on the 1st June 1965 and Managing Director from 1977.
www.spink.com/news/newsletters/2003/200305coin_news.asp
****************************************************************


-->
Henry VI, first reign 1422-1461
AR Groat, 25 mm, 3.4 g, Calais mint Annulet issue 1422-1427
North 1424; SCBC 1836
O: Crowned facing bust in tressure of arches; pine cone stops, +HENRIC' DI' GRA' REX ANGLIE Z FRANC
R: Long cross; three pellets in each quarter. VILLA CALISIE, double saltire stops, POSVI DEVM ADIVTORE MEVM
Auction notes: Near Fine, toned
Ex: Reigate Hoard (closed after 1455 likely during the War of the Roses), 1990
Ex: Glendining & Co, 8 December 1992
Ex: VAuctions 237, lot 85 (closed 19 November 2009)

THE REIGATE HOARD OF
ENGLISH SILVER

In 1985 Roger Minty took up metal detecting and living in Reigate already knew of a hoard of 987 medieval coins which had been discovered there in 1972. For five years Roger carried on his hobby finding the usual everyday items such as musket balls, buttons, rings and various other items. On Saturday 22nd September 1990 Roger had two hours to kill before it went dark and so decided to go to a nearby field. A medieval trackway ran about 50 yards away and as the field was shortly to be developed, Roger felt it was worth 'one last go'. Almost as soon as he started detecting Roger picked up a massive signal but thought his detector had gone out of tune. He retuned the machine and moved on. After an hour or so he'd found nowt but junk and found himself over the massive signal again. This time he decided to dig the signal, it was going dark and he didn't have time for more detecting anyway. Six inches down he encountered hard cracked clay and carefully removed two blocks. He removed more earth and bits of pottery then found two medieval groats. Pulling away at the pottery in the hole revealed masses of coins stacked vertically in concentric circles at the botom of the hole. It was a medieval coin hoard. By 10.45 pm that night Roger had a heavy bucketful of medieval coins, silver and gold, containing about 2500 coins! Roger and the local archaeologist spent all the next day digging and checking the hole. In all they retrieved 6,701 coins, 135 gold and the rest silver. The hoard dated from 1272 to 1455 (as did the 1972 hoard) and contained gold nobles, half-nobles and quarters and silver groats, half-groats and pennies. It is the largest post-1351 UK hoard on record. One coin, a Henry 6th Leaf Trefoil half-noble, was previously unrecorded. Also in the hoard were 10 French gold saluts, 21 Scottish silver coins and 6 other non-English issues.

Source:

http://www.whites.co.uk/component/story/title/the-reigate-hoard.html


 


Edward I (1272-1307), Penny, 1.15g., 2nd Coinage, Dublin mint, (S.6246-6253), poor

Ex: Llanddona Hoard cf.
http://yorkcoins.com/llanddona_hoard.htm   for more info.


2011.05.16

Elizabeth I (1558-1603)



AR Shilling (31 mm, 5.37g) Second Issue 1560-1561, Tower mint, m.m. Martlet, bust 3C


S. 2555 v


O: ELIZABETH DG ANG FRA ET HIB REGINA crowned bust left


R: POSVI DEV. ADIVTOREM MEV. large cross over COA


Elizabeth I 1558-1603

AR Half Groat, 16 mm 1.03 g. fifth issue, c. 1590-1592 mm hand

S. 2579

O: E.D.G. ROSA SINE SPINA, crowned bust left, two pellets behind
R: CIVITAS LONDON, shield on long cross fourchée

John Lackland (1199-1216), Short Cross Cut Half Penny, 0.59g., class 5b (1205- Ricard B - London), S. 1351