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KING_HENRY_V.JPG
*Alex
JAMES_IV.JPG
JAMES IV OF SCOTLAND
James IV was the King of Scotland from June 1488 until his death in battle at the age of 40 on the 9th September, 1513.
James IV's mother, Margaret of Denmark, was more popular than his father, James III, and though somewhat estranged from her husband she raised their sons at Stirling Castle until she died in 1486. Two years later, a rebellion broke out, where the rebels set up the 15-year-old Prince James as their nominal leader. The rebels fought James III at the Battle of Sauchieburn where, on 11th June 1488, the king was killed. Prince James assumed the throne as James IV and was crowned at Scone on 24th of June. However he continued to bear an intense guilt for the indirect role which he had played in the death of his father.
James maintained Scotland's traditional good relations with France, and this occasionally created diplomatic problems with England, but James recognised nonetheless that peace between Scotland and England was in the interest of both countries, and established good diplomatic relations with England as well. First he ratified the Treaty of Ayton in 1497, then, in 1502 James signed the Treaty of Perpetual Peace with Henry VII which was sealed by his marriage to Henry's daughter Margaret Tudor the next year. Anglo-Scottish relations generally remained stable until the death of Henry VII in 1509.
James saw the importance of building a fleet that could provide Scotland with a strong maritime presence, he founded two new dockyards and acquired a total of 38 ships for the Royal Scots Navy. These including the "Great Michael" which, built at great expense, was launched in 1511 and was at that time the largest ship in the world.
When war broke out between England and France, James found himself in a difficult position as an ally by treaty to both countries. But relations with England had worsened since the accession of Henry VIII, and when Henry invaded France, James reacted by declaring war on England.
James sent the Scottish navy, including the "Great Michael", to join the ships of Louis XII of France and, hoping to take advantage of Henry's absence at the siege of Thérouanne, he himself led an invading army southward into Northumberland. However, on 9th September 1513 at the disastrous Battle of Flodden James IV was killed, he was the last monarch in Great Britain to be killed in battle. His death, along with many of his nobles including his son the archbishop of St Andrews, was one of the worst military defeats in Scotland's history and the loss of such a large portion of the political community was a major blow to the realm. James IV's corpse was identified after the battle and taken to Berwick, where it was embalmed and placed in a lead coffin before being transported to London. Catherine of Aragon, wife of Henry VIII, sent the dead king's slashed, blood-stained surcoat to Henry, who was fighting in France, with the recommendation that he use it as a war banner.
James IV's son, James V, was crowned three weeks after the disaster at Flodden, but he was not yet two years old, and his minority was to be fraught with political upheaval.
*Alex
KING_HENRY_VII.JPG
HENRY VII
Henry VII was the King of England from 22 August 1485 until his death in 1509. He was the first monarch of the House of Tudor.
Henry's mother, Margaret Beaufort, was a descendant of the Lancastrian branch of the House of Plantagenet. Henry's father, Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond, a half-brother of Henry VI of England, died three months before his son Henry was born. During Henry's early years, his uncle Henry VI fought against Edward IV, a member of the Yorkist Plantagenet branch. After Edward re-took the throne in 1471, Henry Tudor spent 14 years in exile in Brittany. Henry attained the throne when his forces, supported by France and Scotland, defeated Edward IV's brother Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field, the culmination of the Wars of the Roses. He cemented his claim to the throne by marrying Elizabeth of York, daughter of King Edward IV. Henry VII was the last king of England to win his throne on the field of battle.
Henry was successful in restoring power and stability to the English monarchy following the civil war and he is credited with a number of administrative, economic and diplomatic initiatives. His support of England's wool industry had long-lasting benefit to the whole English economy. He paid very close attention to detail, and instead of spending lavishly he concentrated on raising new revenues. Henry's new taxes stabilised the government's finances but, after his death, a commission found there had been widespread abuses in the tax collection process.
Henry VII reigned for nearly 24 years. He died of tuberculosis at Richmond Palace on 21 April 1509 and was buried in the chapel he commissioned in Westminster Abbey next to his wife, Elizabeth. His mother survived him, but she died two months later on 29 June 1509.
Henry VII was succeeded by his second son, Henry VIII.
*Alex
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HENRY VI
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471. The only child of Henry V, he succeeded to the English throne at the age of nine months when his father died.
This was during the period of the long-running Hundred Years' War (1337 - 1453) and Henry is the only English monarch to also have been crowned King of France (as Henri II), in 1431. During his early reign several people were ruling for him and by the time Henry was declared fit to rule in 1437 he found his realm in a difficult position, faced with setbacks in France and divisions among the nobility at home. Henry is described as timid, shy, passive, well intentioned, and averse to warfare and violence; he was also at times mentally unstable. Partially in the hope of achieving peace, Henry married the ambitious and strong-willed Margaret of Anjou in 1445. The peace policy failed and the war recommenced with France taking the upper hand such that by 1453 Calais was Henry's only remaining territory on the continent.
With Henry effectively unfit to rule, Queen Margaret took advantage of the situation to make herself an effective power behind the throne. Starting around 1453 Henry began suffering a series of mental breakdowns and tensions mounted between Margaret and Richard of York, not only over control of the incapacitated king's government, but over the question of succession to the throne. Civil war broke out in 1459, leading to a long period of dynastic conflict, now known as the Wars of the Roses. Henry was deposed on 29th March 1461 after a crushing defeat at the Battle of Towton by Richard of York's son, who took the throne as Edward IV. Margaret continuing to resist Edward, but Henry was captured by Edward's forces in 1465 and imprisoned in the Tower of London.
Queen Margaret, who was first exiled in Scotland and then in France, was still determined to win back the throne on behalf of her husband and son. So, when Edward IV fell out with two of his main supporters, Richard Neville the Earl of Warwick and George the Duke of Clarence, Margaret formed a secret alliance with them backed by Louis XI of France. Warwick returned with an army to England, forced Edward IV into exile, and restored Henry VI to the throne on 30th October 1470, though Henry's position was nominal as Warwick and Clarence effectively ruled in his name.
But Henry's return to the throne lasted less than six months. Warwick overreached himself by declaring war on Burgundy, whose ruler responded by giving Edward IV the assistance he needed to win back his throne by force. Edward retook power in 1471, killing Warwick at the Battle of Barnet and Henry's only son at the Battle of Tewkesbury. Henry was again imprisoned in the Tower where, during the night of 21st May he died, possibly killed on Edward's orders.
*Alex
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CARDINAL WOLSEY
When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509 he appointed Thomas Wolsey to the post of Almoner, a position that gave him a seat on the Privy Council and an opportunity for establishing a personal rapport with the King to such an extent that by 1514 Wolsey had become the controlling figure in virtually all matters of state. In 1515, he was awarded the title Archbishop of York and this, followed by his appointment that same year as Cardinal by Pope Leo X, gave him precedence over all other English clerics. His ecclesiastical power advanced even further in 1523 when the Bishop of Durham, a post with wide political powers, was added to his titles.
After Wolsey attained the position of Lord Chancellor, the King's chief adviser, he had achieved more power than any other Crown servant in English history and during his fourteen years of chancellorship Wolsey, who was often alluded to as an alter rex (other king), used his power to neutralise the influence of anyone who might threaten his position..
In spite of having made many enemies, Cardinal Wolsey retained Henry VIII's confidence until, in 1527, the King decided to seek an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon so that he could marry Anne Boleyn. Henry asked Wolsey to negotiate the annulment with the Pope and in 1528 the Pope decided to allow two papal legates, Wolsey himself and Cardinal Campeggio, to decide the outcome in England. Wolsey was confident of the outcome, but Campeggio took a long time to arrive, and then he delayed proceedings so much, that the case had to be suspended and the Pope decided that the official decision should therefore be made in Rome and not in England.
After his failure to negotiate the annulment, Wolsey fell out of favour with Henry and in 1529 he was stripped of his government office and property, including the magnificent Palace of Hampton Court, which Henry took as his own main London residence.
Wolsey was however permitted to retain the title of Archbishop of York and so he travelled to Yorkshire, for the first time in his career, to carry out those duties.
Now that he was no longer protected by Henry, Wolsey's enemies, including it is rumoured, Ann Boleyn, conspired against him and Henry had him arrested and recalled to London to answer to charges of treason, one of those being that with 'pompous and preposterous mind, he had enterprised to join and imprint the Cardinal's hat under the King's arms on the King's coin of groats made in the city of York'. But Wolsey, now in great distress, fell ill on the journey back to the capital and at Leicester, on 29 November 1530, aged about 57, he died from natural causes before he could be beheaded.
*Alex
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*Alex
THOMAS_ROTHERHAM2C_ARCHBISHOP_OF_YORK.JPG
THOMAS ROTHERHAM, ARCHBISHOP OF YORK
Thomas Rotherham, also known as Thomas (Scot) de Rotherham, was an English cleric and statesman. He served as bishop of several dioceses, most notably as Archbishop of York and, on two occasions as Lord Chancellor. Rotherham was educated at King's College, Cambridge, he graduated as a Bachelor of Divinity and became a Fellow of his college where he lectured on Grammar, Theology, and Philosophy. After his ordination as a priest, he became a prebendary of Lincoln in 1462 and then of Salisbury in 1465. He moved on to powerful positions in the Church, being appointed as Bishop of Rochester in 1468, Bishop of Lincoln in 1472, and then Archbishop of York in 1480, a position he held until his death in 1500.
In 1467, King Edward IV appointed Rotherham as Keeper of the Privy Seal. He was sent as ambassador to France in 1468 and as joint ambassador to Burgundy in 1471, and in 1475 was entrusted with the office of Lord Chancellor. When Edward IV died in April 1483, Rotherham was one of the celebrants of the funeral mass on 20th April 1483 and immediately after Edward's death he sided with the dowager queen, Elizabeth Woodville, in her attempt to deprive Richard, Duke of Gloucester of his role as Lord Protector of her son, the new King Edward V. When Elizabeth sought sanctuary after Richard had taken charge of the king, Rotherham released the Great Seal to her (though he later recovered it and handed it over to Thomas Bourchier, the Archbishop of Canterbury).
Rotherham's mishandling of the seal was perceived as indicative of questionable loyalty and led to his dismissal as Lord Chancellor. He was replaced by John Russell, who earlier had also been his successor as Bishop of Lincoln. On 13th June 1483, Rotherham was charged with being involved in a conspiracy between Lord Hastings and the Woodvilles against Richard and imprisoned in the Tower of London, but he was released a few weeks later, around the middle of July, after Richard's coronation as King Richard III. Rotherham was re-instated as Chancellor in 1485, however he was dismissed shortly afterwards by Henry VII and retired from public work.
Rotherham died of the plague in Cawood near York on 29th May 1500. His remains were transferred to a magnificent marble tomb in York Minster in 1506.
*Alex
C1B03836-C960-4D3A-99B6-A747ADD6D5E6.jpeg
Bithynia, Claudiopolis (as Bithynium). Gallienus AD 253-268, AE (25mm, 9.94 gram)
ΠOV ΛIK ΓAΛΛHNOC C; laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right
BIΘVNIEΩ-N AΔPIAN-ΩN; Zeus seated left, holding patera and scepter
RG 72; SNG von Aulock 343; BMC 20; Lindgren III 173 (this coin, illustrated); Good VF, green patina.

Ex CNG 35 (20 Sep 1995), lot 1075; Ex Dr. Henry Clay Lindgren collection and reportedly (in Lindgren catalogue) ex R.C. Lockett and Rogers collections
paul1888
James_V_of_Scotland.jpg
JAMES V OF SCOTLAND
James V was King of Scotland from 9th September 1513 until his death in 1542, following the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss.
James was the third son of King James IV of Scotland and his wife Margaret Tudor, a daughter of Henry VII of England and sister of Henry VIII. He became king at just seventeen months old when his father was killed at the Battle of Flodden on 9th September 1513.
James was crowned at Stirling Castle on 21st September 1513, but during his childhood the country was ruled by regents. In 1517, James moved from Stirling to Holyrood in Edinburgh and in the autumn of 1524, at the age of 12, he dismissed his regents and was proclaimed an adult ruler by his mother. But in 1525 Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, the young king's stepfather, took custody of James, exercising power on his behalf and it wasn't until 1528 that James finally assumed the reins of government himself.
The death of James' mother in 1541 removed any incentive for peace with England, and war soon broke out between the two countries. Initially, in August 1542, the Scots won a victory at the Battle of Haddon Rig. A conciliatory meeting between James V and Henry VIII in England was proposed, but not until after James' wife, Mary of Guise, had given birth to her child which was due a few months away. Henry would not accept this condition and mobilised his army against Scotland.
On 31st October 1542 James was with his army at Lauder but, although his plans were to invade England, he returned to Edinburgh, on the way writing a letter to his wife mentioning that he had had three days of illness. The next month James' army suffered a serious defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss and James fell ill shortly afterwards. Some accounts state this was brought on by the Scottish defeat, but other historians consider that it was probably just an ordinary fever. Whatever the cause of his illness, James was on his deathbed when his child, a girl, was born.
James died on the 14th of December at Falkland Palace and was succeeded by his infant daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots, who was just six days old. He was buried at Holyrood Abbey in January 1543 alongside his two sons and his first wife Madeleine. However his tomb was destroyed soon after, in 1544, by the English during the burning of Edinburgh.
*Alex
Louis_XIII_and_Anne_of_Austria_AE_(Brass)_Jeton.JPG
Louis XIII and Anne d'Autriche. AE (Brass) Jeton struck c.1615 - 1616Obverse: LVDO•XIII D G FR•ET•NA•ANNA•AVSTR•HISPAN. Crowned jugate busts of Louis XIII and Anne facing right, both wearing ruffs.
Reverse: Crown and two branches above two hearts, between which are the scrolled words CARITAS / *SPES* / *FIDES* in three lines above * L * - * A * (for Louis and Anne) either side of facing eagle. Below, scroll bearing the words •HANS•LAVFER•; in exergue H – L (for Hans Laufer) either side of floral device.

Struck at Nuremburg, Germany
Die engraver: Hans Laufer
Dimensions: 27.1mm | Weight: 3.87gms | Die Axis: 12
Ref. M: 3714 | Feuardent: 12329

Hans Laufer became Guild master at Nuremburg in 1611, though he had been responsible for issuing jetons from 1607. He died in 1632.

Louis XIII became king of France and Navarre in 1610, shortly before his ninth birthday, after his father Henry IV was assassinated. He ruled France until he died of Tuberculosis in 1643. Anne was betrothed to him at the age of eleven and, on 24th November 1615, they were married by proxy in Burgos. The marriage following the tradition of cementing military and political alliances between France and Spain that had begun with the marriage of Philip II of Spain to Elisabeth of Valois in 1559 as part of the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis. Anne and Louis, both fourteen years old, were pressured to consummate their marriage in order to forestall any possibility of future annulment, but this was ignored and Louis' mother, Marie de Medici, continued to conduct herself as Queen of France, without showing any deference to her daughter-in-law. However, in 1617, Louis conspired with Charles d'Albert, Duke of Luynes, to dispense with his mother's influence and she was ousted in a palace coup d'état which also saw her favourite, Concino Concini, assassinated. Louis turned now to Cardinal Richelieu as his advisor but Anne was opposed to Richelieu and became embroiled in several intrigues against him. This inevitably created tension between Louis and Anne. But despite this, and after having endured several stillbirths, in 1638 Anne finally gave birth to a son, the future Louis XIV, and the Bourbon line was further secured when in 1640 she gave birth to a second son, Philippe.
*Alex
England-AR-penny-John-030000-temp-1.jpg
England: silver Short Cross penny of King John (1199-1216), struck in the name of Henry II, ca. 1205-1207lordmarcovan
henviihalfgroat.jpg
Henry VII (1485- 1509 A.D.)AR Half Groat
O: ҺЄnRIC’ × VII’ × DI’ × GRΛ × RЄX × ΛGL’, crowned bust right.
R: POSVI × DЄV’ × Λ DIVTO Є’ × mЄV’ ×, coat-of-arms over long cross fourchée; two keys below.
York Mint; under Archbishop Christopher Bainbridge Struck 1504-1509. IM: Rose
19mm
1.46g
SCBI 23 (Ashmolean), 964; North 1751/1; SCBC 2262
3 commentsMat
00084x00.jpg
UNITED STATES, Political campaign tokens. William Henry Harrison. President, March 4-April 4 1841.
Æ Political Medallet (23mm, 4.22 g, 12 h)
Belleville (New Jersey) mint. Dually dated 9 February 1773 and 1841
MAJ. GEN. W. H. HARRISON/ * BORN FEB. 9. 1773*
Bust of William Henry Harrison left in military uniform
STEAM BOAT VAN BUREN/ FOR SALT RIVER DIRECT.
Early steamboat sailing right with banner inscribed 1841; LOCO-FOCO/ LINE below. '
With attached contemporary ribbon.
Rulau HT 817; Low -
Ardatirion
00003x00~2.jpg
UNITED STATES TOKENS, Hard Times. Political issues.
CU Token (27mm, 6.59 g, 11 h)
Dies by Joseph B. Gardiner. Belleville (New Jersey) or Scoville mint. Struck 1840.
HENRY CLAY AND THE AMERICAN SYSTEM
Draped bust of Henry Clay right; IBG below
UNITED/ [WE]/ STAND within wreath
Rulau HT 79; Low 192

Rulau gives a struck date of 1840 for this issue, and assigns it to the Belleville mint. However, documentary evidence shows that Gardiner was by this time working at the Scoville mint in Waterbury, CT. Either the coin was struck prior to spring 1839, or it is an issue of the Scoville mint.
Ardatirion
00004x00~2.jpg
UNITED STATES TOKENS, Hard Times. New York, New York. Henry Law, baker.
CU Token (29mm, 8.60 g, 12 h)
Belleville (New Jersey) mint. Struck 1834-1835
ENGLISH BREAD/ TWIST & FANCY CAKES
Bushel of wheat
H. LAW BAKER/ 187 CANAL St NEW YORK
Eagle standing right, with wings spread and head left, shield on breast and olive branch in talons
Rulau HT 286; Low 261

Henry Law was married to Charlotte (née Stephens), the sister of William Stephens, a partner in one of the two firms that comprised the Belleville mint. Henry's bakery moved to Canal St. in 1834 and was closed in late 1834 or early 1835, when its proprietor died. Charlotte and her children later moved to Belleville.
Ardatirion
henri-ier-denier-paris.JPG
Dy.016 Henry I: denier (Paris, 1st type)Henry I, king of the Franks (1031-1060)
Denier (Paris, 1st type)

Silver, 1.23 g, diameter 21 mm, die axis 10h
O/ HΛNIRICVS REX ; Alpha et Omega hung in the field
R/ PΛISIVS CIVTAS around a cross pattée
henry7-souverain.JPG
S.2233 Henry VII Tudor (sovereign type penny, Durham)Henry VII Tudor, king of England (1485-1509) and Bishop Richard Fox
Sovereign type penny (mint: Durham)

A/ [hENRIC] DI [GRA RE]X A[NG]; king seated on throne with one pilar, holding scepter and orb
R/ [CIVI-TA]S-DIR-hAm; royal shield on cross, mitre above, D and R on the sides

silver, 0.55 g, diameter 15 mm, die axis 8h
0225_CAST_EnrII_Cy1313.jpg
0225 - 1 real Enrique II 1369-79 ACObv/ Crowned monogram, around in two lines DOMINVS : MICHI : AIDVTOR : EDEGO : DIS + / PICIAM : INIMICOS : MEOS
Rev/ Castles and lions divided by cross, around roses and S below; around ENRICVS : DEI : GRACIA : REX : CASTEL +

Ag, 26.9 mm, 3.46 g
Mint: Sevilla
AB406 - Cy 98/1247 - Cy/1313
ex-Cayón, speed auction 55, lot 9131
dafnis
0227_CAST_EnrIV_Cy98_1493a.jpg
0227 - 1 Real Enrique IV 1454-74 ACObv/ Bust of Henry IV l.; around, ENRICVS QARTVS DEI GRACIS REX C +, words separated by roses
Rev/ Castles and lions divided by cross; around, ENRICVS REX CASTELE ET LEGION +, words separated by roses; S below

Ag, 27.5 mm, 3.31 g
Mint: Sevilla
AB685 - Cy98/1493a
ex-Spink, The Numismatic Collector's Series, lot 741
dafnis
HENRY_I.JPG
1100 - 1135, HENRY I, AR Penny, Struck 1125 - 1135 at York, EnglandObverse: HENRICUS : R - . Crowned bust of Henry I, facing three-quarters to left, holding short sceptre topped with fleur-de-lys over his right shoulder.
Reverse: -- ULF : ON : EVERW surrounding quadrilateral figure with concave sides, each angle terminating in a fleur-de-lys, over a cross fleury with pellet in each angle, all within beaded circle.
Possibilities for the moneyer “ULF” include, amongst others, HEAWULF, HARTHULF and HEARDWULF.
BMC Type 15 "Quadrilateral on Cross Fleury" issue
Diameter: 20mm | Weight: 1.4gms | Die Axis: 2h
Flan chipped and cracked, legends largely illegible.
Found near Womersley, West Yorkshire, England. Recorded by UKDFD, February 2012, # 36152
SPINK: 1276
Rare

Henry I's coinage is remarkable for its deterioration in quality, and the public, losing faith in its silver content, often cut or mutilated them. In 1124, alongside his purge of the moneyers, Henry ordered that his coins be cut at the time of their issue so as to force the public to accept all his circulating coinage. This is why his later coins often contain a 'snick' or cut, it was to prove to people that the coins were silver all the way through.
In 1984 David Walker pointed out that only 11 of the 106 moneyers of type 14 recorded in Brooke's BMC were also known at the same mint in type 15, and that the number of mints declined from 46 to 19. J D Gomm suggested that this apparent upheaval was the result of Henry I's assize of moneyers in 1124-25. Brooke disputed that on the basis that he did not believe that type 15 could have remained in production for around ten years until the end of Henry I's reign in 1135. However, Gomm's suggestion has now received strong support from Blackburn's analysis of the activity of moneyers in the reign of Henry the first. This analysis has shown that the turnover of moneyers between types 14 and 15 was substantially greater than that between any of Henry I's other types. Blackburn also estimated that the loss of moneyers caused by the assize is likely to have been about 80-85 against the 94 victims of the purge recorded by the Margam annals which he thinks might have included mint officials whose names did not appear on the coins as moneyers.


After the death of William II in an alleged hunting accident in the New Forest, the fourth son of William the Conqueror, Henry I, was crowned King of England. Henry was well educated (hence his given epithet of 'Beauclerc') and he was the first Norman king able to speak fluent English. He appears to have been an energetic and decisive ruler, he increased the royal revenues and he made peace with Scotland by marrying Matilda of Scotland. Henry I died in 1135, reportedly from a 'surfeit of lampreys', leaving his only heir, his daughter also called Matilda, in line for the throne. However, within a month, Stephen of Blois, Matilda's cousin, had himself crowned king starting what was to become a bitter struggle for power during a period which became known as “The Anarchy”. Stability only returned when Henry II, son of Matilda, was crowned king on the death of Steven in 1154.
2 comments*Alex
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1154 - 1189, HENRY II, AR 'Tealby' Penny, Struck 1158 - 1163 at Canterbury, EnglandObverse: HENRI • REX • A -. Crowned facing bust of Henry II, his head turned slightly to the left, holding sceptre tipped with a cross potent in his right hand. Crown has three vertical uprights each topped by a fleur-de-lis.
Reverse: + ROGIER : ON : CANT surrounding short cross potent within beaded circle, small cross potents in each quarter. Moneyer: Rogier, cognate with the modern English name of Roger. Mintmark: Cross potent.
Class A bust
Diameter: 20mm | Weight: 1.3gms | Die Axis: 4h
Flan chipped and cracked, legends largely illegible
SPINK: 1337

The attribution to mint and moneyer is not 100% certain, but is the best fit I have been able to make from the remaining visible letters in the inscription

For the first few years of Henry II's reign the coins of King Stephen continued to be produced, but in 1158, a new 'cross and crosslet' coinage was introduced in England. While this coinage was acceptable in terms of weight and silver quality, it is notorious for its ugly appearance, bad craftsmanship and careless execution. It is a fact that this coinage is among the worst struck of any issue of English regal coinage. The cross and crosslet type coinage of King Henry II is more often called 'Tealby' because of the enormous hoard of these coins which was found in late 1807 at Bayons Manor farm near Tealby in Lincolnshire. This hoard, which originally amounted to over 5,700 pieces, was first reported in the Stamford Mercury of the 6th November 1807, but unfortunately the majority of the coins, more than 5,000 of them, were sent to be melted down at the Tower of London and only some 600 pieces were saved for national and important private collections.

Henry II became King of England in 1154 and reigned until his death in 1189. He was the first king of the House of Plantagenet. Henry became Count of Anjou and Maine upon the death of his father, Count Geoffrey V, in 1151, his marriage in 1152 to Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose marriage to Louis VII had recently been annulled, made him Duke of Aquitaine. He became Count of Nantes by treaty in 1185.
By the age of 14, Henry became actively involved in the efforts of his mother Matilda, daughter of Henry I of England, to claim the English throne, then occupied by Stephen of Blois. Stephen agreed to a peace treaty after Henry's military expedition to England in 1153, and Henry inherited the kingdom on Stephen's death a year later. Henry was an energetic and sometimes ruthless ruler, driven by a desire to restore the lands and privileges of his grandfather Henry I. During the early years of his reign Henry re-established hegemony over Wales and gained full control over his lands in Anjou, Maine and Touraine. Henry's desire to reform the relationship with the Church led to conflict with his former friend Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury. This culminated in the murder of Becket by the high altar in his own church in 1170. This horrified Christians and, although Beckett was apparently disliked by the monks in life, in death he became a martyr, was canonised, and a religious cult grew up around his sainthood.
Henry II soon came into conflict with Louis VII, and the two rulers fought what has been termed a "cold war" over several decades. Henry expanded his empire at Louis's expense, taking Brittany and pushing east into central France and south into Toulouse, but despite numerous conferences and treaties, no lasting peace agreement was reached.
Henry and Eleanor had eight children—three daughters and five sons. As the sons grew up, tensions over the future inheritance of the kingdom began to emerge, encouraged by Louis and his son King Philip II. In 1173 Henry's heir apparent, "Young Henry", rebelled in protest; he was joined by his brothers Richard (later king) and Geoffrey and by their mother, Eleanor. France, Scotland, Brittany, Flanders, and Boulogne all allied themselves with the rebels. This “Great Revolt” was only defeated by Henry's vigorous military action and talented local commanders. Young Henry and Geoffrey revolted again in 1183, resulting in Young Henry's death. Henry II's invasion of Ireland provided lands for his youngest son John, but Henry struggled to find ways to satisfy all his sons' desires for land and immediate power. By 1189, Young Henry and Geoffrey were dead, and Philip successfully played on Richard's fears that Henry II would make John king, which led to a final rebellion. Henry II was decisively defeated by Philip and Richard and, suffering from a bleeding ulcer, he retreated to Chinon Castle in Anjou. Henry died soon afterwards and was succeeded by his son Richard I (the lionheart).
Many of the changes Henry II introduced during his long reign had long-term consequences, his legal changes are generally considered to have laid the basis for the English Common Law, while his intervention in Brittany, Wales, and Scotland shaped the development of their societies and governmental systems.
1 comments*Alex
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1154 - 1189, HENRY II, AR Short-cross Penny, Struck 1180 - 1189 at Winchester, EnglandObverse: HENRICVS • REX around central circle enclosing a crowned, draped and bearded facing bust of Henry II holding a sceptre tipped with a cross pommee in his right hand.
Reverse: + GOCELM • ON • WIN. Voided short cross dividing legend into quarters, crosslets in each quarter of inner circle. Cross pattée in legend. Moneyer: Gocelm, which is a name of Germanic Frankish origin.
Issue type Class 1b
Diameter: 19mm | Weight: 1.3gms | Die Axis: 6h
SPINK: 1344

On the night of 14th/15th July 1180 the Winchester mint burnt down, and the fire spread to "the greater and better part" of the city. The production of the new Short Cross coinage had just started earlier in 1180, and Winchester evidently only had one centralized mint building from the beginning of the new coinage. At the time of the fire the mint appears to have had four moneyers (Clement, Gocelm, Henri, and Rodbert), and Short Cross Class Ia2 was in production. After the fire some of the mint's obverse dies of Classes Ia1 and Ia2 were used at the Wilton mint, apparently as an emergency measure. The coinage of the moneyer Henri ends abruptly at this time and he seems to have been replaced by Adam, whose known issues start in Class Ia2, and at Wilton in Class 1a2 it looks like Osbert replaced Iohan. Osbert continued to issue coins in Winchester after the fire, but he seems to have been regarded as a Wilton moneyer allowed to use the facilities of the Winchester mint. The Winchester coinage of Osbert and three other moneyers (Clement, Reinier, and Rodbert) whose issues end in Class Ib1 was probably restricted to the recoinage of 1180 to 1182. After that only two moneyers remained striking Class Ib2 at Winchester (Adam and Gocelm) and, from 1183 to 1184, it is recorded that these moneyers were responsible for a rent of 2 marks each per annum for the use of the mint building.

Henry II became King of England in 1154 and reigned until his death in 1189. He was the first king of the House of Plantagenet. Henry became Count of Anjou and Maine upon the death of his father, Count Geoffrey V, in 1151, his marriage in 1152 to Eleanor of Aquitaine, whose marriage to Louis VII had recently been annulled, made him Duke of Aquitaine. He became Count of Nantes by treaty in 1185.
By the age of 14, Henry became actively involved in the efforts of his mother Matilda, daughter of Henry I of England, to claim the English throne, then occupied by Stephen of Blois. Stephen agreed to a peace treaty after Henry's military expedition to England in 1153, and Henry inherited the kingdom on Stephen's death a year later. Henry was an energetic and sometimes ruthless ruler, driven by a desire to restore the lands and privileges of his grandfather Henry I. During the early years of his reign Henry re-established hegemony over Wales and gained full control over his lands in Anjou, Maine and Touraine. Henry's desire to reform the relationship with the Church led to conflict with his former friend Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury. This culminated in the murder of Becket by the high altar in his own church in 1170. This horrified Christians and, although Beckett was apparently disliked by the monks in life, in death he became a martyr, was canonised, and a religious cult grew up around his sainthood.
Henry II soon came into conflict with Louis VII, and the two rulers fought what has been termed a "cold war" over several decades. Henry expanded his empire at Louis's expense, taking Brittany and pushing east into central France and south into Toulouse, but despite numerous conferences and treaties, no lasting peace agreement was reached.
Henry and Eleanor had eight children—three daughters and five sons. As the sons grew up, tensions over the future inheritance of the kingdom began to emerge, encouraged by Louis and his son King Philip II. In 1173 Henry's heir apparent, "Young Henry", rebelled in protest; he was joined by his brothers Richard (later king) and Geoffrey and by their mother, Eleanor. France, Scotland, Brittany, Flanders, and Boulogne all allied themselves with the rebels. This “Great Revolt” was only defeated by Henry's vigorous military action and talented local commanders. Young Henry and Geoffrey revolted again in 1183, resulting in Young Henry's death. Henry II's invasion of Ireland provided lands for his youngest son John, but Henry struggled to find ways to satisfy all his sons' desires for land and immediate power. By 1189, Young Henry and Geoffrey were dead, and Philip successfully played on Richard's fears that Henry II would make John king, which led to a final rebellion. Henry II was decisively defeated by Philip and Richard and, suffering from a bleeding ulcer, he retreated to Chinon Castle in Anjou. Henry died soon afterwards and was succeeded by his son Richard I (the lionheart).
Many of the changes Henry II introduced during his long reign had long-term consequences, his legal changes are generally considered to have laid the basis for the English Common Law, while his intervention in Brittany, Wales, and Scotland shaped the development of their societies and governmental systems.
1 comments*Alex
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1169 - 1214, William I "the lion", AR Penny, Struck 1205 - 1230 at Perth or Edinburgh, ScotlandObverse: + LE REI WILAM•: Head of William I facing left, wearing crown of pellets, sceptre to left, within inner circle of pellets. All surrounded by outer circle of pellets. Cross potent in legend.
Reverse: + hVE WALTER: Voided short cross, six pointed star in each angle, within inner circle of pellets. All surrounded by outer circle of pellets. Cross potent in legend. (No mint name on coin. Moneyers: Hue (cognate with the modern English name of Hugh) and Walter, the Edinburgh and Perth moneyers working jointly)
Short cross, phase B. Late William I and posthumous issue struck c.1205 to c.1230.
Diameter: 21mm | Weight: 1.3gm | Die Axis: 6h
SPINK: 5029

William I was crowned on 24th December 1165, he came to the throne when his elder brother Malcolm IV died at the age of 24 on 9th December 1165.
Early in his reign William attempted to regain control of Northumbria which had been lost, in 1157 during the reign of Malcolm IV, to the Anglo-Normans under Henry II. He thereby lent support to the English barons who rebelled against Henry II in 1173. In 1174 however, while actively assisting the rebels at the Battle of Alnwick, William was captured by Henry's forces and taken to Falaise in Normandy. He was forced, under the terms of the Treaty of Falaise which he signed in December, to do homage for the whole of Scotland and also to hand over the castles of Roxburgh, Berwick and Edinburgh. Edinburgh, however, was later returned to him as part of the dowry of Ermengarde, a cousin of Henry II, whom William married in 1186.
The Treaty of Falaise remained in force for the next fifteen years until the new English King Richard the Lionheart, needing money for the Third Crusade, agreed to terminate it in return for 10,000 marks. William also attempted to purchase Northumbria from Richard, however his offer of 15,000 marks was rejected due to him wanting all the castles within the lands, something Richard was not willing to concede.
Relations between Scotland and England remained tense during the first decade of the 13th century and in August 1209 King John decided to exploit the weakening leadership of the ageing Scottish monarch by marching a large army to Norham on the south side of the River Tweed. William bought John off with the promise of a large sum of money, and later, in 1212, he agreed to his only surviving son Alexander, marrying John's eldest daughter, Joan.
William I died in Stirling in 1214 and lies buried in Arbroath Abbey, which he is credited with founding in 1178. He was succeeded by his son, who reigned as Alexander II.
William I was not known as "the Lion" during his own lifetime, the title was attached to him because of his flag or standard, a red lion rampant on a yellow background which went on to become the Royal Banner of Scotland which is still used today.
William I died in 1214 but although Alexander II was 16 years old when he came to the throne, it would appear that he continued his father's issues for some 15 years and struck no coins in his own name until around 1230.

*Alex
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1189 - 1199, RICHARD I (the lionheart), AR Denier minted at Melle, Poitou, FranceObverse: +RICARDVS REX. Cross pattée within braided inner circle, all within braided outer circle.
Reverse: PIC / TAVIE / NSIS in three lines within braided circle.
Diameter: 20mm | Weight: 1.0gms | Die Axis: 2h
SPINK: 8008 | Elias: 8

Poitou was an Anglo-Gallic province in what is now west-central France and its capital city was Poitiers, the mint at this time was however located at Melle. Melle was an active centre of minting during the early Middle Ages due to the important silver mines located under and around the city. This is the only coin issue struck during the reign of Richard I to bear his own name and titles as King of England.

Richard I was King of England from 1189 until his death on 6th April 1199. He also ruleNormandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Poitiers, Anjou, Maine, and Nantes, as well as being overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period. He was the third of five sons of Kind several territories outwith England, and was styled as Duke of g Henry II of England and Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine. He was known as Richard the Lionheart (Richard Cœur de Lion) because of his reputation as a great military leader and warrior when, at the age of 16 and commanding his own army, he had put down rebellions against his father in Poitou.
Richard was a commander during the Third Crusade, and led the campaign after the departure of Philip II of France. However, although he scored several notable victories against the Muslims led by Saladin, he failed to retake Jerusalem from them.
Although Richard was born in England and spent his childhood there before becoming king, he lived most of his adult life in the Duchy of Aquitaine. Following his accession, his life was mostly spent on Crusade, in captivity, or actively defending his lands in France. Rather than regarding England as a responsibility requiring his presence as ruler, he appears to have used it merely as a source of revenue to support his armies. Nevertheless, he was seen as a pious hero by his subjects and he remains one of the few kings of England who is remembered by his epithet rather than by his regnal number, and even today he is still an iconic figure in both England and France.
2 comments*Alex
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1199 - 1216, John, AR Short cross penny, Struck 1205 - 1216 at Winchester, EnglandObverse: HENRICVS REX around central circle enclosing a crowned, draped and bearded facing bust of the king holding a sceptre tipped with a cross pommee in his right hand, bust extending to edge of flan.
Reverse: +ANDREV•ON•WI around voided short cross within circle, crosslets in each quarter. Moneyer: Andrev, cognate with the modern English name of Andrew.
Diameter: 19mm | Weight: 1.2gms | Die Axis: 4h
Class 5b
SPINK: 1351

The class four type short cross pennies of Henry II continued to be struck during the early years of John's reign, but in 1205 a recoinage was begun and new short cross pennies of better style replaced the older issues. Sixteen mints were initially employed for this recoinage but they were reduced to ten later on. All John's coins continued to bear his father's (Henry II) title of henricvs rex.

John was King of England from 1199 until his death in 1216. The baronial revolt at the end of John's reign led to the sealing of the first Magna Carta, a document sometimes considered an early step in the evolution of the constitution of the United Kingdom.
John, the youngest of the five sons of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, was not expected to inherit significant lands which resulted in him being given the nickname John Lackland. However, after the failed rebellion of his elder brothers between 1173 and 1174, John became Henry's favourite child. He was appointed Lord of Ireland in 1177 and given lands in England and on the continent. John's elder brothers William, Henry and Geoffrey died young and when Richard I became king in 1189, John was the potential heir to the throne. John unsuccessfully attempted a rebellion against Richard's administration whilst his brother was participating in the Third Crusade but despite this, after Richard died in 1199, John was proclaimed King of England.
Contemporary chroniclers were mostly critical of John's performance as king, and his reign has been the subject of much debate by historians from the 16th century onwards. These negative qualities have provided extensive material for fiction writers since the Victorian era, and even today John remains a recurring character within popular culture, primarily as a villain in films and stories regarding the Robin Hood legends.
2 comments*Alex
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1199-1216, John, AR Penny, Struck 1207 - 1211 at Dublin, IrelandObverse: IOHANNES REX around triangle enclosing a crowned and draped facing bust of King John holding, in his right hand, a sceptre tipped with a cross pommée which extends through the side of the triangle into the legend. Quatrefoil to right of bust.
Reverse: ROBERD ON DIVE around triangle containing sun over crescent moon and a star in each angle. Cross pattée at apex of each point of the triangle and above legend on each of the three sides. Moneyer: Roberd, cognate with the modern English name of Robin.
Diameter: 18mm | Weight: 1.2gms | Die Axis: 4h
SPINK: 6228

Third issue "REX" coinage. This was the only coinage struck by King John in his own name.

John was King of England from 1199 until his death in 1216. The baronial revolt at the end of John's reign led to the sealing of the first Magna Carta, a document sometimes considered an early step in the evolution of the constitution of the United Kingdom.
John, the youngest of the five sons of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, was not expected to inherit significant lands which resulted in him being given the nickname John Lackland. However, after the failed rebellion of his elder brothers between 1173 and 1174, John became Henry's favourite child. He was appointed Lord of Ireland in 1177 and given lands in England and on the continent. John's elder brothers William, Henry and Geoffrey died young and when Richard I became king in 1189, John was the potential heir to the throne. John unsuccessfully attempted a rebellion against Richard's administration whilst his brother was participating in the Third Crusade but despite this, after Richard died in 1199, John was proclaimed King of England.
King John contracted dysentery at Lynn in 1216 but, just before his death, he managed to dictate a brief will. This will still survives and as part of it John requested: "I will that my body be buried in the church of St. Mary and St. Wulfstan of Worcester".
Some of King John's favourite hunting grounds were in Worcester, at Kinver and Feckenham, and he had a special affection for Saint Wulfstan, one of the two great Anglo-Saxon saints whose shrines and tombs were also at Worcester. Both Saint Wulfstan and Saint Oswald can be seen in miniature beside the head of the effigy of King John on his tomb.
Medieval effigies usually show the subject in the prime of life, however the effigy on King John's tomb is unique in that not only is it a life-like image of him, it is also the oldest royal effigy in England.
King John's tomb has been opened twice, once in 1529 and again in 1797. At the first opening it was said that John's head was covered with a monk's cowl, however it is now thought that this was probably his coronation cap. When the tomb was opened for the second time the antiquarians responsible discovered that a robe of crimson damask had originally covered the king's body but, by 1797, most of the embroidery had deteriorated. They also found the remains of a sword which lay down the left side of the body along with parts of its scabbard.
3 comments*Alex
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1216 - 1272, Henry III, AR Penny, Struck 1217 - 1242 at London, England (Short Cross Issue)Obverse: HENRICVS REX around central circle enclosing a crowned, draped and bearded facing bust of Henry III holding a sceptre tipped with a cross pommee in his right hand.
Reverse: + GIFFREI ON LVND. Voided short cross dividing legend into quarters, crosslets in each quarter of inner circle. Cross pattée in legend. Moneyer: Giffrei, cognate with the modern English name of Geoffrey.
Issue type 7c, distinguished by the degraded portrait and large lettering.
Diameter: 19mm | Weight: 1.1gms | Die Axis: 4h
SPINK: 1356C

HENRY III AND WESTMINSTER ABBEY
Henry III was the eldest son of King John and came to the throne at the age of nine. He was king of England from 1216 until his death in 1272, ruling longer than any other English monarch until the reign of George III.
Henry expressed a lifelong interest in architecture and much of what constitutes the Tower of London today is a result of Henry's work, he added several towers and a curtain wall to expand the White Tower beginning in 1238. Westminster Abbey however, is considered to be Henry's greatest building work. The project began in 1245, when Henry sent his architect Henry de Reynes to visit the French cities of Rheims, Chartres, Bourges and Amiens and Paris' royal chapel Sainte-Chapelle to learn the Gothic technique that he much admired.
The Westminster Abbey that stood previously on the site had been erected by Edward the Confessor in 1042. Edward the Confessor was a hero of Henry's, and he probably named his son (the future Edward I) after him. The foundations and crypt are still those of Edward the Confessor's Abbey, but everything above ground today is the building begun by Henry III. The tomb of Edward the Confessor was moved to a new position of honour in 1269 at the very centre of the new abbey, and when Henry III died in 1272 he was buried beside Edward's shrine in the exact position the bones of his hero had lain for 200 years.

*Alex
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1216 - 1272, Henry III, AR Penny, Struck 1248 - 1250 at London, England (Long Cross Issue)Obverse: HENRICVS REX : III. Crowned bust of Henry III facing within circle of pellets. Mintmark: Six pointed star.
Reverse: NICOLE ON LVND. Voided long cross dividing legend into quarters, trefoil in each quarter of inner circle. Moneyer: Nicole, cognate with the modern English name of Nicholas. The surname Nicole originates in the Netherlands where it was notable for its various branches, and associated status or influence. The modern given name Nicole is a French feminine derivative of the masculine given name Nicolas.
Diameter: 19mm | Weight: 1.3gms | Die Axis: 6h
SPINK: 1363

HENRY III OF ENGLAND
The First Barons' War (1215 - 1217) was a civil war in England in which a group of rebellious barons led by Robert Fitzwalter and supported by a French army under the future Louis VIII of France, waged war against King John of England. The war resulted from King John's refusal to accept and abide by the Magna Carta, which he had been forced to put his seal to on 15th June 1215, as well as from Louis' own ambitions regarding the English throne.
It was in the middle of this war that King John died leaving his son, the nine year old Henry III (who had been moved to safety at Corfe Castle in Dorset along with his mother, Queen Isabella) as his heir.
On his deathbed John appointed a council of thirteen executors to help Henry reclaim the kingdom, requesting that his son be placed into the guardianship of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke. The loyalists decided to crown Henry immediately to reinforce his claim to the throne. William knighted the boy, and Cardinal Guala Bicchieri, the papal legate to England, then oversaw his coronation at Gloucester Cathedral on 28th October 1216. In the absence of the archbishops of either Canterbury or York, Henry was anointed by the bishops of Worcester and Exeter, and crowned by Peter des Roches, bishop of Winchester. During the civil war the royal crown had been lost, so instead, the ceremony used a simple gold corolla belonging to Queen Isabella. In 1217, Henry's forces, led by William Marshal, finally defeated the rebels at the battles of Lincoln and Sandwich.
Henry's early rule was dominated first by Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent and Justiciar of England and Ireland, then by Peter des Roches, and they re-established royal authority after the war. In 1225 Henry promised to abide by the final and definitative version of the Magna Carta, freely authenticated by the great seal of Henry III himself, which protected the rights of the major barons and placed a limit on royal power. It is the clauses of this, the 1225 Magna Carta signed by Henry III, not the King John Magna Carta of 1215, which are on the Statute Books of the United Kingdom today.
4 comments*Alex
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1249 - 1286, Alexander III, AR Penny, Struck 1280 - 1286 at Roxburgh, ScotlandObverse: + ALEXANDER DEI GRA . Crowned head of Alexander III facing left within circle of pellets; sceptre topped with fleur-de-lis before. Cross potent in legend.
Reverse: REX SCOTORVM +. Long cross pattée dividing legend into quarters, with three pierced mullets of six points and one mullet of seven points in quarters of inner circle. The total of 25 points is indicative of the mint of Roxburgh.
Class Mb with unbarred "A", wider portrait and cross potent mintmark in legend.
Roxburgh only accounts for some 9% of Alexander's second coinage so issues from this mint are quite rare.
Diameter: 18mm | Weight: 1.0gm | Die Axis: 3h
SPINK: 5054

Alexander III's reign saw the introduction of the round halfpenny and farthing to Scottish medieval coinage.
Following the English recoinage of Edward I in 1279, Alexander introduced his second coinage which began in 1280 and ended when he died in 1286. This coin was therefore struck between those dates.


Alexander III was born at Roxburgh, he came to the throne when he was just 7 years old following the death of his father, Alexander II.
At the age of ten, in 1251, Alexander married Margaret, daughter of Henry III of England. Henry seized the opportunity to demand from his son-in-law homage from the Scottish kingdom. Alexander did not comply but In 1255, after a meeting between the English and Scottish kings at Kelso, he was compelled to consent to the creation of a regency representative of both monarchs.
The early years of Alexander III's reign were dominated by a power struggle between the two factions, but when he reached the age of 21 he was able to rule in his own right. His first action was to claim control of the Western Isles which were then under the domination of Norway. The Norwegian King Haakon rejected the claim, and in 1263, responded with a formidable invasion force which sailed around the west coast of Scotland and halted off the Isle of Arran. Alexander craftily delayed negotiations until the autumn storms began which resulted in the Norwegian ships being greatly damaged. Haakon, losing patience, attacked the Scots at Largs, but the battle proved indecisive and his position became hopeless. The Norwegians set sail for home but Haakon died en route, on Orkney, towards the end of the year. In 1266, at the Treaty of Perth, Norway formally ceded the Western Isles and the Isle of Man to Scotland in return for a monetary payment.
Alexander, when only 44 years old, met his end on the night of 19th March 1286. After entertaining guests at Edinburgh Castle he decided that night that he would return home to his wife near Kinghorn. His aides advised against it because there was a storm and the party would have to travel in darkness for many miles along a treacherous coastal path. Alexander was determined to travel anyway and ignored his advisors. It is not clear what happened, but it seems he got separated from the rest of his group and his horse lost its footing in the dark. The following day Alexander's body, and that of his horse, was found on the shore at the foot of the cliffs, the King's neck was broken. In 1886, a monument to him was erected in Kinghorn, on the side of the cliffs, at the approximate location of Alexander's death.
Alexander had no heirs, which ultimately led to a war with England that lasted almost thirty years.
1 comments*Alex
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1272 - 1307, EDWARD I, AR Farthing, Struck 1279 - 1299 at London, EnglandObverse: + EDWARDVS REX. Crowned bust of Edward I facing within circle of pellets. Cross pattée in legend.
Reverse: LONDONIENSIS. Long cross dividing legend into quarters, trefoil in each quarter of inner circle.
Undated Farthing, Class 3c
Diameter: 13mm | Weight: 0.42gms | Die Axis: 2h
SPINK: 1445

This is an early issue farthing with the reverse legend “LONDONIENSIS” which was later replaced by the ubiquitous legend “CIVITAS LONDON” for the London mint. Edward I began a major recoinage in 1279 which consisted not only of pennies, but new round half-pennies and farthings as well, and also introduced a new denomination, the fourpenny piece called the "Groat".

Edward I was King of England from 1272 - 1307. He was the eldest surviving son of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence. The contests between his father and the barons led by Simon de Montfort called Edward early into active life when he restored the royal authority within months by defeating and killing de Montfort at the battle of Evesham in 1265. He then proceeded to Palestine, where no conquest of any importance was achieved. After further campaigns in Italy and France he returned to England on his father's death and was crowned at Westminster Abbey in 1274.
Edward was popular because he identified himself with the growing tide of nationalism sweeping the country, displayed later in his persecution and banishment of the Jews which was the culmination of many years of anti-semitism in England.
Edward now turned his attention to the west and so, following a revolt in the Principality of Wales against English influence, Edward commenced a war which ended in the annexation of the Principality to the English Crown in 1283. He secured his conquest by building nine castles to watch over it and created his eldest son, Edward the Prince of Wales in 1301.
Edward's great ambition, however, was to gain possession of Scotland, but the death of Margaret, the Maid of Norway, who was to have been married to Edward's son, for a time frustrated the king's designs. However the sudden death of the King of Scotland, Alexander III, and the contested succession soon gave him the opportunity to intervene. He was invited by the Scots to arbitrate and choose between the thirteen competitors for the Scottish throne. Edward's choice, John Balliol, who he conceived as his puppet, was persuaded to do homage for his crown to Edward at Newcastle but was then forced to throw off Edward's overlordship by the indignation of the Scottish people. An alliance between the French and the Scots now followed, and Edward, then at war with the French king over possession of Gascony, was compelled to march his army north. Edward invaded Scotland in 1296 and devastated the country, which earned him the sobriquet 'Hammer of the Scots'. It was at this time that the symbolic Stone of Destiny was removed from Scone. Edward's influence had tainted Balliol's reign and the Scottish nobility deposed him and appointed a council of twelve to rule instead. Balliol abdicated and was eventually sent to France where he retired into obscurity, taking no more part in politics. Scotland was then left without a monarch until the accession of Robert the Bruce in 1306.
Meanwhile Edward assumed the administration of the country. However the following summer a new opposition to Edward took place under William Wallace whose successes, notably at Stirling Bridge, forced Edward to return to Scotland with an army of 100,000 men. Although he defeated Wallace's army at Falkirk, and Wallace himself was betrayed, Edward's unjust and barbaric execution of him as a traitor in London made Wallace a national hero in Scotland, and resistance to England became paramount among the people. All Edward's efforts to reduce the country to obedience were unravelling, and after the crowning of Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick, as Robert I of Scotland in 1306 an enraged Edward assembled another army and marched yet again against the Scots. However, Edward only reached Burgh-on-Sands, a village near Carlisle, when he died. His body was taken back to London and he was buried at Westminster Abbey.
Edward I was married twice: to Eleanor of Castile, by whom he had sixteen children, and Margaret of France by whom he had three. Twelve memorials to his first wife stood between Nottingham and London to mark the journey taken by her funeral cortege. Three of those memorials, known as "Eleanor Crosses", can still be seen today.
*Alex
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1272 - 1307, EDWARD I, AR Penny, Struck 1305 - 1306 at London, EnglandObverse: + EDWAR ANGL DNS HYB. Crowned bust of Edward I facing within circle of pellets. Cross pattée in legend.
Reverse: CIVITAS LONDON. Long cross dividing legend into quarters, trefoil in each quarter of inner circle.
Undated Penny, type 10cf1
Diameter: 18.5mm | Weight: 1.2gms | Die Axis: 9h
SPINK: 1410

Edward I began a major recoinage in 1279 which consisted not only of pennies and new round half-pennies and farthings, but also introduced a new denomination, a fourpenny piece called the "Groat".

Edward I was King of England from 1272 - 1307. He was the eldest surviving son of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence. The contests between his father and the barons led by Simon de Montfort called Edward early into active life when he restored the royal authority within months by defeating and killing de Montfort at the battle of Evesham in 1265. He then proceeded to Palestine, where no conquest of any importance was achieved. After further campaigns in Italy and France he returned to England on his father's death and was crowned at Westminster Abbey in 1274.
Edward was popular because he identified himself with the growing tide of nationalism sweeping the country, displayed later in his persecution and banishment of the Jews which was the culmination of many years of anti-semitism in England.
Edward now turned his attention to the west and so, following a revolt in the Principality of Wales against English influence, Edward commenced a war which ended in the annexation of the Principality to the English Crown in 1283. He secured his conquest by building nine castles to watch over it and created his eldest son, Edward the Prince of Wales in 1301.
Edward's great ambition, however, was to gain possession of Scotland, but the death of Margaret, the Maid of Norway, who was to have been married to Edward's son, for a time frustrated the king's designs. However the sudden death of the King of Scotland, Alexander III, and the contested succession soon gave him the opportunity to intervene. He was invited by the Scots to arbitrate and choose between the thirteen competitors for the Scottish throne. Edward's choice, John Balliol, who he conceived as his puppet, was persuaded to do homage for his crown to Edward at Newcastle but was then forced to throw off Edward's overlordship by the indignation of the Scottish people. An alliance between the French and the Scots now followed, and Edward, then at war with the French king over possession of Gascony, was compelled to march his army north. Edward invaded Scotland in 1296 and devastated the country, which earned him the sobriquet 'Hammer of the Scots'. It was at this time that the symbolic Stone of Destiny was removed from Scone. Edward's influence had tainted Balliol's reign and the Scottish nobility deposed him and appointed a council of twelve to rule instead. Balliol abdicated and was eventually sent to France where he retired into obscurity, taking no more part in politics. Scotland was then left without a monarch until the accession of Robert the Bruce in 1306.
Meanwhile Edward assumed the administration of the country. However the following summer a new opposition to Edward took place under William Wallace whose successes, notably at Stirling Bridge, forced Edward to return to Scotland with an army of 100,000 men. Although he defeated Wallace's army at Falkirk, and Wallace himself was betrayed, Edward's unjust and barbaric execution of him as a traitor in London made Wallace a national hero in Scotland, and resistance to England became paramount among the people. All Edward's efforts to reduce the country to obedience were unravelling, and after the crowning of Robert Bruce, Earl of Carrick, as Robert I of Scotland in 1306 an enraged Edward assembled another army and marched yet again against the Scots. However, Edward only reached Burgh-on-Sands, a village near Carlisle, when he died. His body was taken back to London and he was buried at Westminster Abbey.
Edward I was married twice: to Eleanor of Castile, by whom he had sixteen children, and Margaret of France by whom he had three. Twelve memorials to his first wife stood between Nottingham and London to mark the journey taken by her funeral cortege. Three of those memorials, known as "Eleanor Crosses", can still be seen today.
*Alex
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1390 - 1406, Robert III, AR Halfgroat struck 1390 - 1403 at Perth, ScotlandObverse: + ROBERTVS ‡ D ‡ G ‡ REX ‡ SCOTORV. Facing crowned bust of Robert III within double tressure of five arches, broken at the king's shoulders, surrounded by diamond beaded inner circle. Mintmark, cross pattée in legend and small crosses in spaces between words. The whole within diamond beaded outer circle.
Reverse: + DnS PTECTOR MS LIBATOR MS (God is my protector and redeemer) / VILLA : DE PERTh X. Long cross pattée dividing two concentric legends separated by two beaded circles into quarters, trefoil in each quarter of inner circle. Mintmark, cross pattée in outer legend, cross set as saltire in inner legend. The whole within beaded outer circle.
Flan has been holed and later plugged
Diameter: 21.13mm | Weight: 1.23gms | Die Axis: 6h | Rare
SPINK: 5175

Robert III, born John Stewart, was King of Scotland from 1390 until his death in 1406. He was the eldest son of Robert II and Elizabeth Mure and was legitimised with the marriage of his parents in 1347. He was around 53 years old when he ascended the throne.
Early in 1363 John joined his father in a rebellion against his great-uncle David II but submitted to David soon afterwards. By 1367 John had married Anabella Drummond and in 1368 David II created him Earl of Carrick.
John's father, Robert II, became king in 1371 after David II, who was childless, died unexpectedly. In the succeeding years John, who was influential in the government, became progressively more impatient at his father's longevity and in 1384 he got himself appointed the king's lieutenant after having coerced the general council to remove Robert II from direct rule.
John's administration saw a renewal of the conflict with England and, in 1388, the Scots defeated the English at the Battle of Otterburn during which the Scots' commander, James, Earl of Douglas, was killed.
By this time John had been badly injured from being kicked by a horse, but it was the loss of his powerful ally, Douglas, that saw a turnaround in support in favour of John's younger brother Robert, Earl of Fife, to whom the council transferred the lieutenancy in December 1388.
In 1390, Robert II died and John ascended the throne as Robert III, parliament having granted John permission to change his regnal name to Robert III, probably in part to maintain the link back to Robert I but also to disassociate himself from King John Balliol.
Robert, Earl of Fife continued as King's Lieutenant until February 1393 when power was returned to the king. However, at a council in 1399 owing to the king's 'sickness of his person', David, now Duke of Rothesay, became King's Lieutenant under the supervision of a special parliamentary group dominated by Robert, Earl of Fife, now styled Duke of Albany.
After this, Robert III withdrew to his lands in the west and for a time played little or no part in affairs of state. He was powerless to interfere when a dispute between his brother, Robert, Duke of Albany, and his son, David, Duke of Rothesay arose in 1401, which led to David's imprisonment and death in 1402. The general council absolved the Duke of Albany from blame and reappointed him as the King's Lieutenant. The only impediment now to Robert, Duke of Albany inheriting the throne was Robert III's surviving son, James, Earl of Carrick. In 1406, the 11-year-old James, along with the Earl of Orkney, fled to the Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth after being attacked by allies of the Duke of Albany. They remained there for over a month before a ship picked them up to take them to France. However, when their ship was off Flamborough head, it was captured by the English who handed James over as a prisoner to King Henry IV of England. Robert III was at Rothesay Castle where, after hearing of his son's captivity, he died on 4th April 1406. Robert III was buried in Paisley Abbey and in 1888 Queen Victoria provided a new canopy for his tomb.

*Alex
Henry_IV_AR_Hardi.JPG
1399 - 1413, Henry IV, AR Hardi d'Argent, Struck 1399 -1453 at Bordeaux, Aquitaine, FranceObverse: ERIC R ANGLIE ✤ Crowned and robed half-length figure of Henry facing under Gothic canopy, holding sword in right hand, left hand raised with finger pointing in benedictory position. Mullet over crown, rosette either side of crown. Rosette (marked in text by ✤) in legend.
Reverse: FRA-CIE ✤ DNS AQI ✤ Long cross collarino, pattée at the ends, extending through legend. Fleur de lis with roundel underneath in second and third quarters; lion passant, guardant in first and fourth quarters, roundel over lion in fourth quarter. Rosettes (marked in text by ✤) in legend.
Diameter: 18mm | Weight: 1.13gms | Axis 10h
SPINK: 8147 | Elias: 233h
Ex. Bazas Hoard | Ex. Jean Elsen (Belgium) | Scarce

The last series of these Anglo-Gallic coins was likely struck under more than one Henry and they have not currently been differentiated by ruler because the legends and types are generic. However, over time, Anglo-Gallic issues suffered from regular debasement and a deterioration in workmanship, the size, weight and quality of the strike of this coin would therefore all seem to point to it being an early example.

Henry IV
In 1399, Henry, Duke of Lancaster, overthrew his cousin, Richard II and took the throne as Henry IV, ruling until his death in 1413. Henry's first major problem as monarch was what to do with the deposed Richard. In January 1400, soon after an early assassination plot against Henry was foiled, Richard died in prison, allegedly of starvation. Though Henry was suspected of having had Richard murdered, it was also claimed that he took his own life.
Henry, also known as Henry Bolingbroke, was a grandson of Edward III and when he took the throne he asserted his grandfather's claim to the Kingdom of France. He founded the Lancaster branch of the House of Plantagenet and he was the first King of England since the Norman Conquest whose mother tongue was English rather than French.
Early in his reign, Henry hosted the visit of Manuel II Palaiologos, the only Byzantine emperor ever to visit England, and he gave monetary support to Manuel II to aid him against the Ottoman Empire.
Despite the example set by most of his recent predecessors, after their deaths, Henry and his second wife, Joan of Navarre, Queen of England, were buried not at Westminster Abbey but at Canterbury Cathedral, on the north side of Trinity Chapel and directly adjacent to the shrine of St Thomas Becket.

The Bazas Hoard
This hoard was discovered in May 2004 by a builder at Bazas in south West France when he was renovating a house. Bazas was a regional centre in the middle ages. The hoard consisted of a mixture of medieval coins which had been minted in Spain, Portugal, Italy, England, the Netherlands and various French duchies. Of the 1010 coins found, 157 were gold, 300 were silver and the remainder were billon. The oldest coin was a King Jean II franc from 1360 and the rarest coin was a gold castellano from the time of Henry IV of Castile, of which only one other example is known to exist.


Henry is depicted here standing in a similar pose to that shown on this coin.
3 comments*Alex
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1413 - 1422, Henry V, AR Penny struck at York, EnglandObverse: + HENRICVS REX ANGLIE. Crowned facing bust of Henry V, mullet (left) and trefoil (right) at each side of crown, all within circle of pellets. Pierced cross in legend.
Reverse: CIVITAS ‡ EBORACI. Long cross pattée dividing legend around inner circle of pellets into quarters, trefoil in each quarter of circle, incuse quatrefoil in centre of cross.
York, Class F (Local dies)
Diameter: 18mm | Weight: 0.8gms | Die Axis: 10h
SPINK: 1788

HENRY V
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his sudden death on 31st August 1422. He is thought to have died from dysentery contracted during the siege of Meaux in France. He was 36 years old and had reigned for nine years. He was the second English monarch of the House of Lancaster.
During the reign of his father, King Henry IV, Henry had acquired an increasing share in England's government due to his father's declining health. After his father's death in 1413, Henry assumed control of the country and asserted the pending English claim to the French throne.
In 1415, Henry embarked on war with France in the ongoing Hundred Years' War between the two countries. Despite his relatively short reign, Henry's outstanding military successes, most notably in his famous victory at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, made England one of the strongest military powers in Europe.
In 1420, after months of negotiation with Charles VI of France, the Treaty of Troyes was signed recognising Henry V as regent and heir apparent to the French throne. To seal the pact Henry married Charles' daughter, Catherine of Valois. Henry's sudden death however, prevented the prospect of the English King taking the French throne from ever taking place.
Immortalised in the plays of Shakespeare, Henry V is known and celebrated as one of the great warrior kings of medieval England.


CLICK ON IMAGE BELOW TO ENLARGE IT
1 comments*Alex
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1413 - 1422, Henry V, AR Half-penny struck at London, EnglandObverse: + HENRIC ‡ REX ‡ ANGL. Crowned facing bust of Henry V, broken anulets at each side of crown, all within circle of pellets. Cross pattée in legend.
Reverse: CIVITAS LONDON. Long cross pattée dividing legend around inner circle of pellets into quarters, trefoil in each quarter of circle.
London, Class C, ordinary bust
Diameter: 14mm | Weight: 0.4gms | Die Axis: 12h
SPINK: 1794

Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his sudden death on 31st August 1422. He is thought to have died from dysentery contracted during the siege of Meaux in France. He was 36 years old and had reigned for nine years. He was the second English monarch of the House of Lancaster.

CLICK ON IMAGE BELOW TO ENLARGE IT
*Alex
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1413 - 1422, Henry V, Billon Niquet (Double Tournois) struck in 1421 at Rouen, FranceObverse: + H REX ANGL HERES FRANC. Crowned lion passant facing left, fleur-de-lis above. Pellet mintmark below first letter of legend = Rouen mint.
Reverse: + SIT NOME DNI BENEDICTV. Cross pattée with lis in angles and lombardic 'h' in centre. Pellet mintmark below first letter of legend.
Diameter: 24mm | Weight: 1.9gms | Die Axis: 9h
SPINK: 8162 | Elias: 260 (Scarce)

This Anglo-Gallic coin, colloquially called a "leopard" after its obverse design, bears the titles of Henry V as king of England and heir to the French kingdom.

CLICK ON IMAGE BELOW FOR INFO ON HENRY V
3 comments*Alex
1430_-_1434_Henry_VI_AR_Halfpenny.JPG
1422 - 1461, HENRY VI (First Reign), AR Halfpenny, Struck 1430 - 1434 at Calais, FranceObverse: HENRICVS (pinecone) REX (mascle) ANGL. Crowned facing bust of Henry VI within circle of pellets. Mintmark: Cross patonce in legend.
Reverse: VIL(mascle)LA CALISIE (pinecone). Long cross pattée dividing legend around inner circle of pellets into quarters, trefoil in each quarter of circle.
Diameter: 15mm | Weight: 0.45gms | Axis: 6h
SPINK: 1885

This issue of coins is known as the pinecone-mascle issue because these symbols are incorporated in the obverse and reverse legends. This issue was struck between 1430 and 1434 at the mints of London and Calais.

CLICK ON IMAGE BELOW FOR INFO ON HENRY VI
1 comments*Alex
Henry_VII_AR_Penny.JPG
1485 - 1509, HENRY VII, AR Penny, Struck 1485 - 1500 under Archbishop Rotherham at York, EnglandObverse: HENRIC DI GRA REX AN. Crowned and robed figure of Henry VII holding a lis topped sceptre in his right hand and a globus cruciger in his left, seated facing on throne, the one visible pillar of which is topped with a lis, all except the king's crown within a circle of pellets.
Reverse: CIVITAS EBORACI. Shield bearing coat-of-arms of England and France on cross fourchée, two keys below shield.
Diameter: 17mm | Weight: 0.6gms | Die Axis: 3h
SPINK: 2237

CLICK ON IMAGES BELOW FOR INFO ON HENRY VII AND THOMAS ROTHERHAM
1 comments*Alex
1526_-_1530_Henry_VIII_AR_Halfgroat.JPG
1509 - 1547, HENRY VIII, AR Half-groat, Struck 1526 - 1530 at York, England under Archbishop Thomas (Cardinal) WolseyObverse: HENRIC•VIII•D•G•R•AGL•Z•F•. Youthful profile crowned bust of Henry VIII facing right within circle of pellets. Mint-mark: Voided cross.
Reverse: CIVITAS EBORACI. Shield bearing coat-of-arms on cross fourchée; T - W in upper field divided by shield; galero (cardinal's hat) below.
Diameter: 19mm | Weight: 1.0gm | Die Axis: 8h
Virtually uncirculated but with a dark, almost black, tone
SPINK: 2346

The T W on the reverse of this coin refers to Thomas Wolsey, known to posterity as Cardinal Wolsey, one of the most powerful figures at the court of Henry VIII. Although this coin is undated, the issue of Henry VIII's second coinage only began in 1526 and so, since Cardinal Wolsey died in 1530, it must have been struck between those two dates.

CLICK ON IMAGES BELOW TO ENLARGE AND FOR MORE INFO ON CARDINAL WOLSEY
*Alex
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1791 AE Halfpenny Token. Leeds, Yorkshire.Obverse: ARTIS NOSTRÆ CONDITOR •. Standing figure of Bishop Blaize (patron saint of woolcombers) holding a wool comb in his raised right hand and a book and crosier in his left; at his feet, to right, a lamb facing right with it's head turned to left.
Reverse: LEEDS HALFPENNY 1791. Coat of arms of the City of Leeds consisting of a shield containing three stars and a hanging fleece, crested by an owl. The date, 17 - 91, bisected by the base of the shield.
Edge: “PAYABLE AT THE WAREHOUSE OF RICHARD PALEY •XX•".
Diameter: 29mm | Axis: 6
Dalton & Hamer: 45 | Conder: 20 (Yorkshire)

This token was issued by Richard Paley, a freeholder, maltster, soap-boiler and chandler with a business in a locality known as the “Calls” in Leeds. The token was manufactured by Matthew Bolton at his SOHO Mint in Birmingham, the dies were engraved by Henry Brownbill.

Bishop Blaise, also known as Saint Blasius, was a well-known martyr from Armenia, who as the price of his faith, back in the 4th century, had been put to death by being raked with red-hot rakes. Later he was adopted as the Patron Saint of Woolcombers and, appropriately, his effigy is usually shown holding a rake. On this token, however, Bishop Blaise is shown holding the traditional bishop's crosier.
*Alex
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1792 AE Farthing Token. Birmingham, Warwickshire.Obverse: IOHN HOWARD • F • R • S. Bare headed and draped bust of John Howard facing left.
Reverse: BIRMINGHAM PROMISSORY FARTHING •. HH cypher (for Henry Hickman) with the date, 1792, above.
Edge: "Plain".
Diameter: 23mm | Die Axis: 6
Dalton & Hamer : 481a

This token was issued by Henry Hickman, a wholesale and retail dealer in sheet, bar and rod iron with a business at 3, Edgbaston Street, Birmingham. Hickman is also recorded as a die-sinker and toolmaker in Wrightson’s triennial Birmingham directory, 1818. The token was probably manufactured by William Mainwaring who worked as a diesinker for William Lutwyche at the latter's works in Birmingham, but Hickman himself, given his profession, may have been involved in creating the dies. William Mainwaring died in 1794.

John Howard, in whose name this token was issued, was an expert in prisons and published the book "The State of the Prisons in England & Wales" in 1777.
*Alex
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1794 - 1795, AE Halfpenny. Lancaster, Lancashire.Obverse: IOHN OF GAUNT DUKE OF LANCASTER ★. Bust of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, facing left.
Reverse: SUCCESS TO THE COMMERCE OF BRITAIN. Britannia standing on the shore facing left, holding a spray of leaves in her outstretched right hand, and a shield and spear in her left; three ships at sea to the left in front of her and another vessel in the distance behind her; two men ploughing the ground behind her to the right. Below, in exergue, lion facing right and sprig of three leaves.
Edge: Plain.
Diameter: 29mm
Dalton & Hamer: 54
RARE

This token was probably manufactured by Peter Kempson in Birmingham, the dies were engraved by J.G.Hancock.
In the 18th century, token manufacturers often used their dies to their own advantage by striking “mules”, solely with the object of creating rare varieties which were sold to the collectors of the day.
The Britannia design has been copied from a silver medal commemorating the Treaty of Utrecht by John Croker which was originally struck under Queen Anne in 1713

JOHN OF GAUNT
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, was a member of the House of Plantagenet, he was the third surviving son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault. He was called "John of Gaunt" because he was born in Ghent, then anglicised as Gaunt.
John of Gaunt's legitimate male heirs, the Lancasters, included Kings Henry IV, Henry V, and Henry VI. John fathered five children outside marriage, one early in life by a lady-in-waiting to his mother, and four surnamed "Beaufort" (after a former French possession) by Katherine Swynford, Gaunt's long-term mistress and third wife. The Beaufort children, three sons and a daughter, were legitimised by royal and papal decrees after John and Katherine married in 1396; a later proviso that they were specifically barred from inheriting the throne was inserted with dubious authority by their half-brother Henry IV. The three succeeding houses of English sovereigns from 1399, the Houses of Lancaster, York and Tudor, were descended from John through Henry Bolingbroke, Joan Beaufort and John Beaufort, respectively.
John of Gaunt's eldest son and heir, Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Hereford, was exiled for ten years by King Richard II in 1398. When John of Gaunt died at the age of 58 on 3rd February, 1399, his estates and titles were declared forfeit to the crown because King Richard II named Henry Bolingbroke a traitor and sentenced him to exile for life, but Henry returned from exile to reclaim his inheritance and depose Richard. Henry Bolingbroke then reigned as King Henry IV of England from 1399 to 1413, the first of the descendants of John of Gaunt to hold the throne of England.
John of Gaunt, due to his land grants, was one of the wealthiest men to have ever lived, his estates are estimated to have been worth a modern equivalent of $110 billion.
*Alex
1794_COVENTRY_CROSS_HALFPENNY.JPG
1794 AE Halfpenny Token. Coventry, Warwickshire.Obverse: PRO BONO PUBLICO. Lady Godiva riding side-saddle on horse to left; in exergue, 1794.
Reverse: COVENTRY HALFPENNY. Representation of Coventry's old town cross with COV CROSS in small letters at base.
Edge: PAYABLE AT THE WAREHOUSE OF ROBERT REYNOLDS & CO.
Diameter 29.5mm | Axis 12
Dalton & Hamer: 249
RARE

This token was manufactured by William Lutwyche and the dies were engraved by William Mainwaring.
It was issued by Robert Reynolds & Co., who were ribbon weavers with a business in Coventry.


The original Coventry Cross stood at the place where Broadgate met Cross Cheaping, near Spicer Stoke, a very short row which led through from Broadgate to Butcher Row and Trinity church. Though it is likely that a cross had been standing in this place since the 13th century, the first actual record for the building of a cross was on 1st July 1423 when the Mayor, Henry Peyto, officially sanctioned that a new cross should be built. Although it was quite a substantial structure, within a century it was rather the worse for wear, and by 1506 discussions had begun about replacing it.
In 1541, the former mayor of London, Sir William Hollis, left £200 in his will toward the building of a new cross, and by 1544 the 57 foot high cross was completed. As well as being brightly painted, the cross was also covered with much gold and it was renowned for its fame and beauty. It was built in four sections, with statues in the top three storeys: the lower of these holding statues of Henry VI, King John, Edward I, Henry II, Richard I and Henry. Above these were Edward III, Henry II, Richard III, St Michael and St George. The top storey held statues of St Peter, St James, St Christopher and two monks, with representations of Liberty and Justice at the highest point. In 1608 repairs were carried out to the cross during which the figure of Christ was replaced with one of Lady Godiva. Possibly the obverse of this token is based on this statue since there is no record of there being any other Lady Godiva memorial statues before 1949.
After standing gloriously for two centuries, decay once more set into the cross and, in 1753 and 1755, the top two stages were removed to avoid the danger of collapse. By 1771 the cross was declared to be in too ruinous a state to retain, and it's demolition was authorised. The remains stood for a short while longer though, at least until after 1778 when a visitor to Coventry wrote that the decayed cross "...has no longer anything to please".
This token is dated 1794, but must depict the cross as it was in it's heyday before it was totally demolished and it's parts reused. Two of the statues from the cross now reside at St. Mary's Guildhall.
A modern replica of the cross was unveiled in 1976, it is situated about 100 metres away from the site of the original one.
*Alex
1794_(UNDATED)_BATH_HALFPENNY.JPG
1794 Undated AE Halfpenny Token. Bath, Somerset.Obverse: IOHN HOWARD F•R•S• HALFPENNY•. Bust of John Howard facing left.
Reverse: REMEMBER THE DEBTORS IN GOAL (sic) ✤. A female figure, the personification of Benevolence, seated facing left, a variety of vessels at her feet and beside her. She is holding a laurel-branch in her left arm and pointing towards a building with a barred window (Ilchester Prison) directing the small figure of a cherub or a child carrying a key to open the prison doors. "GO FORTH" in small letters emanating amid rays from the sky above the small figure.
Edge: PAYABLE AT LONDON OR DUBLIN • + • + • +.
Diameter 29mm | Die Axis 6
Dalton & Hamer: 36d

Thomas Wyon engraved the dies for this token and it was manufactured by William Lutwyche at his works in Birmingham. Lutwyche, besides being a major supplier of genuine tokens, is also known to have made large amounts of spurious coin.

This token was struck in the name of John Howard, who was an expert in prisons and published the book "The State of the Prisons in England & Wales" in 1777, but he did not issue it. The token was issued by William Gye, born in 1750, who worked in his father’s printing works at 4 Westgate Buildings, Bath, before opening an establishment at 13 Market Place. He was an active and successful printer and bookseller, and sometime publisher of the “Bath Courant”, he was highly respected for his attempts to improve the conditions of the city’s poor. His greatest philanthropic endeavours were connected with the relief of the prisoners in the county gaol at Ilchester, which he visited every week with food, clothing and money. He issued trade tokens, and when they were redeemed in his shop, it was his custom to point out the inscription on them (“Remember the debtors”) in order to elicit donations. He died of an apoplectic fit in 1802, and was remembered for his ‘strict integrity and unblemished reputation’. His wife Mary, whom he had married in 1774, inherited his printing and stationery business. Mary managed the business herself before it was passed on to the couple's third son, Henry.
*Alex
43-Henry-I.jpg
43. Henry I.Penny, 1122-1124; Sandwich mint.
Obverse: +HENRICVS REX / Crowned bust, facing, holding sceptre.
Reverse: + VL N: SANǷI / Quatrefoil with star in center, pellets on limbs, and four lis around.
1.32 gm., 20 mm. North #870; Seaby #1275.

The moneyer's name can not be read. At Sandwich there were three moneyers who had a VL near the front of their names: Wulfric, Wulfwart, and Wulfstan.
2 commentsCallimachus
45-Henry-II.jpg
45. Henry II.Penny, 1180-1189; London mint.
Obverse: HENRICVS . REX / Crowned bust, facing, with sceptre at left.
Reverse: +PIERES . ON . LVND / Short cross voided, with quatrefoil in each angle.
Moneyer: Pieres.
1.44 gm., 21 mm. North #963; Seaby #1344.

Classification from North Vol. 1, p. 163-64, and Seaby 1994 p. 87:
- Class 1: Narrow face, five pearls to crown, five curls to right and two to left.
- b : Round C and E. Seaby also mentions "a stop before REX on most coins."


1 commentsCallimachus
46-Richard-I.jpg
46. Richard I.Penny, London mint.
Obverse: HENRICVS REX / Crowned bust, facing, with sceptre at left.
Reverse: +STIVENE . ON . LVN / Short cross voided, with quatrefoil in each angle.
Moneyer: Stivene.
1.36 gm., 19 mm.
North #968; Seaby #1348A (old #1348).

Classification from North, Vol.1, p. 163-64, 170, Addendum; and Seaby 1994:
- The moneyer Stivene coined types 2 - 4b.
- Types 2 and 3 can be eliminated because the beard consists of small curls.
- Type 4 has beard consisting of pellets (as does this coin).
- Type 4b has a much coarser portrait and letters; the pellets in the crown run into one line.

North (1963) assigns type 4 to John, but later works (Seaby 1994, for example) assign 4a-4b to Richard. It appears that Stivene coined only for Richard. The difficulty in attribution stems from the fact that both Richard and John kept the name of their father (Henry II) on their coins.

Callimachus
47-John.jpg
47. JohnPenny, London mint.
Obverse: HENRICVS REX / Crowned bust, facing, with sceptre at left.
Reverse: +ILGER . ON . LVND / Short cross voided, with quatrefoil in each angle.
Moneyer: Ilger.
1.46 gm., 18 mm.
North #970; Seaby #1351.

Classification from North Vol. 1, p. 163-64:
- Type 5 had oval eyes, two curls on each side enclosing a pellet, and five pearls on crown.
- Type 5a or 5b has a small X.
- Type 5b has a cross pattee as a mint mark on the reverse, and a normal S.

The difficulty in attribution stems from the fact that both Richard and John kept the name of their father (Henry II) on their coins.

Callimachus
48-Henry-III.jpg
48. Henry IIIPenny, ca 1251-1272; London mint.
Obverse: HENRICVS REX III / Crowned bust, facing, sceptre in right hand.
Reverse: HENRI ON LVNDE / Long cross voided, with three pellets in each angle.
Moneyer: Henri.
1.49 gm., 18 mm.
North #992; Sear #1368.

Classification from North, Vol. 1, p. 166-68:
- Type 4 and 5 are with sceptre.
- Type 5 has legend starting at left above sceptre.
- Types 5a and 5b have new crown (fig.3) and round eyes.
- Type 5b has wedge tail on R.

Callimachus
coin486.JPG
501b. Crispus BEATA TrierTrier

The Romans under Julius Caesar subdued the Celtic Treverans in 58 to 50 BC. When the Roman provinces in Germany were reorganised in 16 BC, Augustus decided that Trier, then called Augusta Treverorum, should become the regional capital. From 259 to 274 Trier was the capital of the break away Gallic Empire. Later for a few years (383 - 388) it was the capital of Magnus Maximus, who ruled most of the western Empire.


The ruins of the Roman baths.Sacked by Attila in 451, it passed to the Franks in 463, to Lorraine in 843, to Germany in 870, and back to Lorraine in 895, and was finally united to Germany by Henry I the Fowler. The Archbishop of Trier was, as chancellor of Burgundy, one of the electors of the empire, a right which originated in the 12th or 13th century, and which continued until the French Revolution. The last elector removed to Koblenz in 1786; and Trier was the capital of the French department of Sarre from 1794 till 1814, after which time it belonged to Prussia.

RIC VII Trier 308

ecoli
54-Henry-IV.jpg
54. Henry IV.Penny, heavy coinage: 1399-1412, York mint.
Obverse: +HENRIC REX ANGL Z FRANC / Crowned bust, facing.
Reverse: CIVITAS EBORACI / Long cross with three pellets in each angle, quatrefoil at center.
Classification: The identifying feature of the mint of York is the Quatrefoil at the center of the reverse cross. The broad face with rounded chin identifies the specific catalog numbers in both North and Seaby.

1.03 gm., 18 mm.
North #1351; Seaby #1722.

Provenance: ex. Lord Stewartby collection.
1 commentsCallimachus
55-Henry-V.jpg
55. Henry V.Groat, London mint.
Obverse: +HENRIC DI GRA REX ANGLIE Z FRANC / Crowned bust, facing; mullet on right shoulder.
Reverse: +POSVI DEVM ADIVTORE MEVM CIVITAS LONDON / Lond cross with three pellets in each angle.
3.72 gm., 25 mm.
North #1367; Seaby #1765.

Classification: The identifying feature on this coin is the mullet on the right shoulder. That places it in "class C" in both North and Seaby.

Callimachus
56-Henry-VI.jpg
56a. Henry VI, first reign.Groat, 1422-1427; Calaise mint.
Obverse: +HENRIC DI GRA REX ANGL Z FRANC / Crowned bust facing, with annulet on each side of neck.
Reverse: +POSVI DEVM ADIVTORE MEVM VILLA CALISIE / Long cross with three pellets in each angle, annulet in two quarters and after POSVI.
3.43 gm., 27 mm.
North #1424 or #1427; Seaby #1836.

Classification: North, Vol. 2, p. 56 is a bit confused as to the differences between #1424 and #1427. Otherwise this coin is very easy to assign to the "annulet issue" of 1422-1427.

Callimachus
56b-Henry-VI-2nd-reign.jpg
56b. Henry VI, second reign.Groat, 2'nd (Restored) Reign, Oct. 1470 - Apr. 1471. London mint.
Obverse: +HENBICV DI GBA BEX ANGL Z FBANC / Crowned bust facing.
Reverse: +POSVI DEVM ADIVTOBE MEVM CIVITAS LONDON / Long cross with three pellets in each angle.
Mint Marks: Cross pattee (6) on obverse; Restoration Cross (13) on reverse.
2.84 gm., 26 mm.
North #1617; Seaby #2082.

Classification: - On many coins of this reign the R looks like a B.
- Many coins of this reign are missing the S at the end of the king's name.
- The mint marks also identify it as coming from Henry's 2'nd (restored) reign.

2 commentsCallimachus
61-Henry-VII.jpg
61. Henry VII.Groat, 1504-1507, London mint.
Obverse: HENRIC DI GRA REX AGLI Z FR / Crowned bust, facing.
Reverse: POSVI DEV' ADIVTORE' MEV' CIVITAS LONDON / Long cross, with three pellets in each angle.
Mint mark: crosslet on both sides.
2.93 gm., 25 mm.
North #1706; Seaby #2201

Classification: The arch on the crown is a double bar with six uprights or crockets as jewels. This makes it type 4b. According to the table of mint marks (initial marks) on page 77 of North, Vol. 2, the crosslet mintmark was used 1504-1507.

Callimachus
62-Henry-VII.jpg
62. Henry VII.Groat, 1505-1509, London mint.
Obverse: HENRIC VII DI GRA REX AGL Z FR / Crowned bust, right.
Reverse: POSVI DEV' ADIVTORE MEV' / Royal shield over cross.
Mint mark: crosslet & arrow on obverse, arrow on reverse.
2.97 gm., 27 mm.
North #1747; Seaby #2258.
Callimachus
63-Henry-VIII.jpg
63. Henry VIII.Groat, Second coinage 1526-1544, London mint.
Obverse: HENRIC VIII D G R AGL Z FRANC / Crowned bust, right.
Reverse: POSVI DEV' ADIVTORE' MEV' / Royal shield over cross.
Mint mark: Fleur-de-lis both sides.
2.57 gm., 24 mm.
North #1797; Seaby #2337E.

Dating: North, Vol. 2, p. 85, presents several types of Fs and Ms which appear on this issue (second coinage). The M on this coin is obviously M1. This dates the coin to 1529-1532.
Callimachus
Nero AE Sestertius.jpg
706a, Nero, 13 October 54 - 9 June 68 A.D.6, Nero, 13 October 54 - 9 June 68 A.D. AE setertius, Date: 66 AD; RIC I 516, 36.71 mm; 25.5 grams; aVF. Obverse: IMP NERO CAESAR AVG PONT MAX TR POT PP, Laureate bust right; Reverse: S C, ROMA, Roma seated left, exceptional portrait and full obverse legends. Ex Ancient Imports.

NERO (54-68 A.D.)

It is difficult for the modern student of history to realize just how popular Nero actually was, at least at the beginning of his reign. Rome looked upon her new Emperor with hope. He was the student of Seneca, and he had a sensitive nature. He loved art, music, literature, and theatre. He was also devoted to horses and horse racing—a devotion shared by many of his subjects. The plebs loved their new Emperor. As Professor of Classics Judith P. Hallett (University of Maryland, College Park) says, “It is not clear to me that Nero ever changed or that Nero ever grew-up, and that was both his strength and his weakness. Nero was an extraordinarily popular Emperor: he was like Elvis” (The Roman Empire in the First Century, III. Dir. Margaret Koval and Lyn Goldfarb. 2001. DVD. PBS/Warner Bros. 2003).

De Imperatoribus Romanis: An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Rulers and their Families

Herbert W. Benario
Emory University

Introduction and Sources
The five Julio-Claudian emperors are very different one from the other. Augustus dominates in prestige and achievement from the enormous impact he had upon the Roman state and his long service to Rome, during which he attained unrivaled auctoritas. Tiberius was clearly the only possible successor when Augustus died in AD 14, but, upon his death twenty-three years later, the next three were a peculiar mix of viciousness, arrogance, and inexperience. Gaius, better known as Caligula, is generally styled a monster, whose brief tenure did Rome no service. His successor Claudius, his uncle, was a capable man who served Rome well, but was condemned for being subject to his wives and freedmen. The last of the dynasty, Nero, reigned more than three times as long as Gaius, and the damage for which he was responsible to the state was correspondingly greater. An emperor who is well described by statements such as these, "But above all he was carried away by a craze for popularity and he was jealous of all who in any way stirred the feeling of the mob." and "What an artist the world is losing!" and who is above all remembered for crimes against his mother and the Christians was indeed a sad falling-off from the levels of Augustus and Tiberius. Few will argue that Nero does not rank as one of the worst emperors of all.

The prime sources for Nero's life and reign are Tacitus' Annales 12-16, Suetonius' Life of Nero, and Dio Cassius' Roman History 61-63, written in the early third century. Additional valuable material comes from inscriptions, coinage, papyri, and archaeology.


Early Life
He was born on December 15, 37, at Antium, the son of Cnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbusand Agrippina. Domitius was a member of an ancient noble family, consul in 32; Agrippina was the daughter of the popular Germanicus, who had died in 19, and Agrippina, daughter of Agrippa, Augustus' closest associate, and Julia, the emperor's daughter, and thus in direct descent from the first princeps. When the child was born, his uncle Gaius had only recently become emperor. The relationship between mother and uncle was difficult, and Agrippina suffered occasional humiliation. But the family survived the short reign of the "crazy" emperor, and when he was assassinated, it chanced that Agrippina's uncle, Claudius, was the chosen of the praetorian guard, although there may have been a conspiracy to accomplish this.

Ahenobarbus had died in 40, so the son was now the responsibility of Agrippina alone. She lived as a private citizen for much of the decade, until the death of Messalina, the emperor's wife, in 48 made competition among several likely candidates to become the new empress inevitable. Although Roman law forbade marriage between uncle and niece, an eloquent speech in the senate by Lucius Vitellius, Claudius' closest advisor in the senatorial order, persuaded his audience that the public good required their union. The marriage took place in 49, and soon thereafter the philosopher Seneca [[PIR2 A617]] was recalled from exile to become the young Domitius' tutor, a relationship which endured for some dozen years.

His advance was thereafter rapid. He was adopted by Claudius the following year and took the name Tiberius Claudius Nero Caesar or Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus, was preferred to Claudius' natural son, Britannicus, who was about three years younger, was betrothed to the emperor's daughter Octavia, and was, in the eyes of the people, the clear successor to the emperor. In 54, Claudius died, having eaten some poisoned mushrooms, responsibility for which was believed to be Agrippina's, and the young Nero, not yet seventeen years old, was hailed on October 13 as emperor by the praetorian guard.


The First Years of Rule
The first five years of Nero's rule are customarily called the quinquennium, a period of good government under the influence, not always coinciding, of three people, his mother, Seneca, and Sextus Afranius Burrus, the praetorian prefect. The latter two were allies in their "education" of the emperor. Seneca continued his philosophical and rhetorical training, Burrus was more involved in advising on the actualities of government. They often combined their influence against Agrippina, who, having made her son emperor, never let him forget the debt he owed his mother, until finally, and fatally, he moved against her.

Nero's betrothal to Octavia was a significant step in his ultimate accession to the throne, as it were, but she was too quiet, too shy, too modest for his taste. He was early attracted to Poppaea Sabina, the wife of Otho, and she continually goaded him to break from Octavia and to show himself an adult by opposing his mother. In his private life, Nero honed the musical and artistic tastes which were his chief interest, but, at this stage, they were kept private, at the instigation of Seneca and Burrus.

As the year 59 began, Nero had just celebrated his twenty-first birthday and now felt the need to employ the powers which he possessed as emperor as he wished, without the limits imposed by others. Poppaea's urgings had their effect, first of all, at the very onset of the year, with Nero's murder of his mother in the Bay of Naples.

Agrippina had tried desperately to retain her influence with her son, going so far as to have intercourse with him. But the break between them proved irrevocable, and Nero undertook various devices to eliminate his mother without the appearance of guilt on his part. The choice was a splendid vessel which would collapse while she was on board. As this happened, she swam ashore and, when her attendant, having cried out that she was Agrippina, was clubbed to death, Agrippina knew what was going on. She sent Nero a message that she was well; his response was to send a detachment of sailors to finish the job. When she was struck across the head, she bared her womb and said, "Strike here, Anicetus, strike here, for this bore Nero," and she was brutally murdered.

Nero was petrified with fear when he learned that the deed had been done, yet his popularity with the plebs of Rome was not impaired. This matricide, however, proved a turning point in his life and principate. It appeared that all shackles were now removed. The influence of Seneca and Burrus began to wane, and when Burrus died in 62, Seneca realized that his powers of persuasion were at an end and soon went into retirement. Britannicus had died as early as 55; now Octavia was to follow, and Nero became free to marry Poppaea. It may be that it had been Burrus rather than Agrippina who had continually urged that Nero's position depended in large part upon his marriage to Octavia. Burrus' successor as commander of the praetorian guard, although now with a colleague, was Ofonius Tigellinus, quite the opposite of Burrus in character and outlook. Tigellinus became Nero's "evil twin," urging and assisting in the performance of crimes and the satisfaction of lusts.


Administrative and Foreign Policy
With Seneca and Burrus in charge of administration at home, the first half-dozen years of Nero's principate ran smoothly. He himself devoted his attention to his artistic, literary, and physical bents, with music, poetry, and chariot racing to the fore. But his advisors were able to keep these performances and displays private, with small, select audiences on hand. Yet there was a gradual trend toward public performance, with the establishment of games. Further, he spent many nights roaming the city in disguise, with numerous companions, who terrorized the streets and attacked individuals. Those who dared to defend themselves often faced death afterward, because they had shown disrespect for the emperor. The die was being cast for the last phases of Nero's reign.


The Great Fire at Rome and The Punishment
of the Christians

The year 64 was the most significant of Nero's principate up to this point. His mother and wife were dead, as was Burrus, and Seneca, unable to maintain his influence over Nero without his colleague's support, had withdrawn into private life. The abysmal Tigellinus was now the foremost advisor of the still young emperor, a man whose origin was from the lowest levels of society and who can accurately be described as criminal in outlook and action. Yet Nero must have considered that he was happier than he had ever been in his life. Those who had constrained his enjoyment of his (seemingly) limitless power were gone, he was married to Poppaea, a woman with all advantages save for a bad character the empire was essentially at peace, and the people of Rome enjoyed a full measure of panem et circenses. But then occurred one of the greatest disasters that the city of Rome, in its long history, had ever endured.

The fire began in the southeastern angle of the Circus Maximus, spreading through the shops which clustered there, and raged for the better part of a week. There was brief success in controlling the blaze, but then it burst forth once more, so that many people claimed that the fires were deliberately set. After about a fortnight, the fire burned itself out, having consumed ten of the fourteen Augustan regions into which the city had been divided.

Nero was in Antium through much of the disaster, but his efforts at relief were substantial. Yet many believed that he had been responsible, so that he could perform his own work comparing the current fate of Rome to the downfall of Troy. All his efforts to assist the stricken city could not remove the suspicion that "the emperor had fiddled while Rome burned." He lost favor even among the plebs who had been enthusiastic supporters, particularly when his plans for the rebuilding of the city revealed that a very large part of the center was to become his new home.

As his popularity waned, Nero and Tigellinus realized that individuals were needed who could be charged with the disaster. It so happened that there was such a group ready at hand, Christians, who had made themselves unpopular because of their refusal to worship the emperor, their way of life, and their secret meetings. Further, at this time two of their most significant "teachers" were in Rome, Peter and Paul. They were ideal scapegoats, individuals whom most Romans loathed, and who had continually sung of the forthcoming end of the world.

Their destruction was planned with the utmost precision and cruelty, for the entertainment of the populace. The venue was Nero's circus near the Mons Vaticanus. Christians were exposed to wild animals and were set ablaze, smeared with pitch, to illuminate the night. The executions were so grisly that even the populace displayed sympathy for the victims. Separately, Peter was crucified upside down on the Vatican hill and Paul was beheaded along the Via Ostiensis. But Nero's attempt, and hope, to shift all suspicion of arson to others failed. His popularity even among the lower classes was irrevocably impaired.

[For a detailed and interesting discussion of Nero’s reign please see http://www.roman-emperors.org/nero.htm]

The End - Nero's Death and its Aftermath
Nero's and Tigellinus' response to the conspiracy was immediate and long-lasting. The senatorial order was decimated, as one leading member after another was put to death or compelled to commit suicide. The year 66 saw the suicides of perhaps the most distinguished victims of the "reign of terror," Caius Petronius and Thrasea Paetus. Petronius, long a favorite of Nero because of his aesthetic taste, had been an able public servant before he turned to a life of ease and indolence. He was recognized as the arbiter elegantiae of Nero's circle, and may be the author of the Satyricon. At his death, he left for Nero a document which itemized many of the latter's crimes. Thrasea, a staunch Stoic who had been for some years an outspoken opponent of Nero's policies, committed suicide in the Socratic manner. This scene is the last episode in the surviving books of Tacitus' Annals.

In the year 68, revolt began in the provinces. . . the end of Nero's reign became inevitable. Galba claimed the throne and began his march from Spain. Nero panicked and was rapidly abandoned by his supporters. He finally committed suicide with assistance, on June 9, 68, and his body was tended and buried by three women who had been close to him in his younger days, chief of whom was Acte. His death scene is marked above all by the statement, "Qualis artifex pereo," (What an artist dies in me.) Even at the end he was more concerned with his private life than with the affairs of state.

The aftermath of Nero's death was cataclysmic. Galba was the first of four emperors who revealed the new secret of empire, that an emperor could be made elsewhere than in Rome. Civil war ensued, which was only ended by the victory of the fourth claimant, Vespasian, who established the brief dynasty of the Flavians. The dynasty of the Julio-Claudians was at an end.

Nero's popularity among the lower classes remained even after his death.

. . . .

It is not excessive to say that he was one of the worst of Rome's emperors in the first two centuries and more of the empire. Whatever talents he had, whatever good he may have done, all is overwhelmed by three events, the murder of his mother, the fire at Rome, and his savage treatment of the Christians.

Precisely these qualities are the reasons that he has remained so well known and has been the subject of many writers and opera composers in modern times. These works of fiction particularly merit mention: Henryk Sienkiewicz's Quo Vadis, one of the finest works of the 1907 Nobel Laureate in Literature, and John Hersey's The Conspiracy. Nero unquestionably will always be with us.

Copyright (C) 2006, Herbert W. Benario.
Published: De Imperatoribus Romanis: An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Rulers and their Families http://www.roman-emperors.org/startup.htm. Used by permission.

Edited by J. P. Fitzgerald, Jr.

1 commentsCleisthenes
74_6-Hamerani-medal.jpg
74.6. Charles Edward Stuart & Henry Benedict Stuart.Legitimacy of Jacobite Succession, ca 1732. Bronze Medal by Ottone Hamerani.

Obverse: MICAT INTER OMNES / Bust of Charles Edward Stuart as a child (about age 11), in armor with straps and lion’s head on the shoulder, and ermine mantle. Star in right field.
Reverse: ALTER AB ILLO / Bust of Henry Benedict Stuart as a child (about age 6), in figured breast-plate and ribbon across chest. H on bust truncation.
Edge: DIE XXI DECEMBR MDCCXX EXTVLIT OS SACRVM COELO

33.27 gm., 41 mm.
MI ii 492/34; Eimer 521; Woolf 43:1.

Translations:

Obverse: He shines in the midst of all . . .
Reverse: . . . And the next after him . . .
Edge: On December 31, 1720, he produced his sacred countenance from Heaven (A quote adapted from Virgil).
1 commentsCallimachus
Hamerani-medal-1737-1-400-pix.jpg
74.8 Charles Edward Stuart & Henry Benedict Stuart.Legitimacy of Jacobite Succession, ca 1737-40. Bronze Medal attributed to Ermenegildo Hamerani.

Obverse: HVNC SALTEM EVERSO IVVENEM [svccvrrere sæclo] / Bust of Charles Edward Stuart as an adolescent (about age 16 or 17), in armor and wearing ermine mantle. Wolf & Twins on bust truncation.

Reverse: TRIPLICIS SPES TERTIA GENTIS / Bust of Henry Benedict Stuart as a child (about age 11 or 12), in armor.

44.80 gm., 45 mm.
MI ii 493/35; Eimer 544A; Woolf 47:1.

Translations:
Obverse: A quote from Virgil, of which only the first 4 words appear on the medal: HVNC SALTEM EVERSO IVVENEM which translates as “At Least Permit This Youth . . . “ But Virgil continues with the words “svccvrrere sæclo” which are not on the medal. The meaning of the entire quote is usually given as “At least permit this youth to repair the ruins of the age.”

Reverse: The Third Hope of a Triple Nation.

The Wolf & Twins on the truncation of the obverse bust indicate this medal was struck in Rome.
Callimachus
74_9-Hamerani-medal-1737-1-detail.jpg
74.9. Detail of item 74.8.Detail of the previous Jacobite medal showing the Wolf & Twins on the bust truncation of the obverse.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=182170
Callimachus
Lincoln_Medallion.jpg
Abraham Lincoln 1893 Columbian Exposition MedalObverse: 1809 * ABRAHAM * LINCOLN * 1865, portrait of a young, beardless Lincoln, facing, head turned right. Artist's name H. ZEARING in field above left shoulder.

Reverse: A shield with lance heads separated with circles in borders; WITH MALICE TOWARD NONE - WITH CHARITY FOR ALL - WITH FIRMNESS IN THE RIGHT AS GOD GIVES VS TO SEE THE RIGHT LET VS STRIVE ON * * * LET VS HAVE FAITH THAT RIGHT MAKES MIGHT AND IN THAT FAITH LET VS TO THE END DARE TO DO OVR DVTY AS WE VNDERSTAND IT. (Excerpts from Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address on March 4th, 1865 and the Cooper Union Speech on February 27, 1860)

Engraver: Henry H. Zearing

Medal was made for the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893.

Bronze, Diameter: 45.4 mm, Axis: 0°

References: King 504, Eglit 85
Matt Inglima
henry-ii-ag-1b.jpg
Aquitaine (1152-1189) Henry IDenier of Henry I, duke of Aquitaine 1152-1189
S.8001
O: +hENRICVS REX
R: o+o AQVI TANI oEo

Henry, also king of England as Henry II, was duke of Normandy, count of Anjou, and duke of Aquitaine by right of his wife Eleanor.

Ex- CNG eAuction 477 (lot 926), T.Hansen, Gimble's
St. George's Collection
Argolis,_Hermione,_AE_Chalkous_-_BCD_1298_5_(this_coin).jpg
Argolis, Hermione, 360-320/10 BC, Æ Dichalkon Wreathed head of Demeter Chthonia right.
Torch between letters E and P, all within a wreath of grain.

HGC 5, 754 (S); Grandjean Group II, emission 3B d40/r38; BCD Peloponnesos 1298.5 (this coin); Lindgren 1692 (this coin); BMC 15.

(13 mm, 1.80 g, 12h).
Kirk Davis Classical Numismatics, October 2008; Kirk Davis Catalogue 50, Fall 2006, 51; ex-BCD Collection: LHS 96, 8-9 May 2006, 1298.5; ex- Henry Clay Lindgren Collection #1692
n.igma
CONSERVATORI-Athens_Owl_Tetradrachm__2.png
Athens Owl AR Tetradrachm, Ex Berk FPL #2 (1974) & Weaver FPL #2 (1975)Greek (Classical). Attica, Athens AR Tetradrachm (17.2g, 26mm, 1h). "Mass Classical" type, struck c. 454-404 BCE.
Obv: Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet ornamented with three laurel leaves and vine scroll. Rev: AΘE. Owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent moon behind, all within incuse square.
Ref: Sear GCV 2526; HGC 4, 1597; SNG Copenhagen 31-40; Kroll 8.
Prov: Ex Morton & Eden 104 (London, 14 Nov 2019), Lot 69 (part); HJB Fixed Price List #2, Fall 1974, #80 (illustrated on p. 41, $295) [LINK]; Douglas Weaver Fixed Price List, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Cleburne, TX, November 1975), Lot 698 (illustrated on Pl. 22, $350), cataloged by Tom Stanton.

Notes: Both old catalog provenances were lucky finds ("in the wild," at least). Having scanned all the Buy-Bid Sales for anything I might recognize, I then combed through Berk's less well-known FPLs. The Weaver list isn't online, but I got it in a group lot of FPLs from the 2021 sale of BCD Library Duplicates. It still had the postage & address label to the well-known coin dealer Henry Christensen. (The interesting provenance for the catalog itself makes finding the coin even more exciting! Those are my favorites-of-favorites. I shared it in "Old Auction Catalogue Madness!" reply 298: [LINK].)
Curtis JJ
leBon.jpg
Auxonne in France, 1424-1427 AD., Duchy of Burgundy, Philippe le Bon, Blanc aux écus, Poey d'Avant # 5735.France, Duchy of Burgundy, Auxonne mint (?), Philip the Good (Philippe le Bon, 1419-1467), struck 1424-1427 AD.,
AR blanc aux écus (26-28 mm / 3,27 g),
Obv.: + DVX : ET : COMES : BVRGVDIE , Ecus accolés de Bourgogne nouveau et Bourgogne ancien sous PhILIPVS.
Rev.: + SIT : NOMEN : DNI : BENEDICTVM , Croix longue entre un lis et un lion, au-dessus de PhILIPVS.
B., 1230 ; Dumas, 15-7-1 ; Poey d'Avant # 5735.

"PotatorII": "This coin is atributed to Auxonne mint because of the presence of a "secret dot" under the first letter (S) on reverse."

Rare

Imitation du blanc aux écus d'Henri VI d'Angleterre, frappé en France à partir de novembre 1422.

Philip the Good (French: Philippe le Bon), also Philip III, Duke of Burgundy (July 31, 1396 – June 15, 1467) was Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death. He was a member of a cadet line of the Valois dynasty (the then Royal family of France). During his reign Burgundy reached the height of its prosperity and prestige and became a leading center of the arts. Philip is known in history for his administrative reforms, patronage of Flemish artists such as Jan van Eyck, and the capture of Joan of Arc. During his reign he alternated between English and French alliances in an attempt to improve his dynasty's position.
Born in Dijon, he was the son of John the Fearless and Margaret of Bavaria-Straubing. On the 28 January 1405, he was named Count of Charolais in appanage of his father and probably on the same day he was engaged to Michele of Valois (1395–1422), daughter of Charles VI of France and Isabeau of Bavaria. They were married in June of 1409.
Philip subsequently married Bonne of Artois (1393–1425), daughter of Philip of Artois, Count of Eu, and also the widow of his uncle, Philip II, Count of Nevers, in Moulins-les-Engelbert on November 30, 1424. The latter is sometimes confused with Philip's biological aunt, also named Bonne (sister of John the Fearless, lived 1379 - 1399), in part due to the Papal Dispensation required for the marriage which made no distinction between a marital aunt and a biological aunt.
His third marriage, in Bruges on January 7, 1430 with Isabella of Portugal (1397 - December 17, 1471), daughter of John I of Portugal and Philippa of Lancaster, produced three sons:
* Antoine (September 30, 1430, Brussels – February 5, 1432, Brussels), Count of Charolais
* Joseph (April 24, 1432 – aft. May 6, 1432), Count of Charolais
* Charles (1433–1477), Count of Charolais and Philip's successor as Duke, called "Charles the Bold" or "Charles the Rash"
Philip also had some eighteen illegitimate children, including Antoine, bastard of Burgundy, by twenty four documented mistresses [1]. Another, Philip of Burgundy (1464-1524), bishop of Utrecht, was a fine amateur artist, and the subject of a biography in 1529.
Philip became duke of Burgundy, count of Flanders, Artois and Franche Comté when his father was assassinated in 1419. Philip accused Charles, the Dauphin of France and Philip's brother-in-law of planning the murder of his father which had taken place during a meeting between the two at Montereau, and so he continued to prosecute the civil war between the Burgundians and Armagnacs. In 1420 Philip allied himself with Henry V of England under the Treaty of Troyes. In 1423 the alliance was strengthened by the marriage of his sister Anne to John, Duke of Bedford, regent for Henry VI of England.
In 1430 Philip's troops captured Joan of Arc at Compiègne and later handed her over to the English who orchestrated a heresy trial against her, conducted by pro-Burgundian clerics. Despite this action against Joan of Arc, Philip's alliance with England was broken in 1435 when Philip signed the Treaty of Arras (which completely revoked the Treaty of Troyes) and thus recognised Charles VII as king of France. Philip signed for a variety of reasons, one of which may have been a desire to be recognised as the Premier Duke in France. Philip then attacked Calais, but this alliance with Charles was broken in 1439, with Philip supporting the revolt of the French nobles the following year (an event known as the Praguerie) and sheltering the Dauphin Louis.
Philip generally was preoccupied with matters in his own territories and seldom was directly involved in the Hundred Years' War, although he did play a role during a number of periods such as the campaign against Compiegne during which his troops captured Joan of Arc. He incorporated Namur into Burgundian territory in 1429 (March 1, by purchase from John III, Marquis of Namur), Hainault and Holland, Frisia and Zealand in 1432 (with the defeat of Countess Jacqueline in the last episode of the Hook and Cod wars); inherited the duchy of Brabant and Limburg and the margrave of Antwerp in 1430 (on the death of his cousin Philip of Saint-Pol); and purchased Luxembourg in 1443 from Elisabeth of Bohemia, Duchess of Luxembourg. Philip also managed to ensure his illegitimate son, David, was elected Bishop of Utrecht in 1456. It is not surprising that in 1435, Philip began to style himself "Grand Duke of the West". In 1463 Philip returned some of his territory to Louis XI. That year he also created an Estates-General based on the French model. The first meeting of the Estates-General was to obtain a loan for a war against France and to ensure support for the succession of his son, Charles I, to his dominions. Philip died in Bruges in 1467.

my ancient coin database
1 commentsArminius
BAVARIA_LANDSHUT_HEIN_IV_HELMET.jpg
BAVARIA/LANDSHUT -- Henry XVI (IV) the RichBAVARIA/LANDSHUT -- Henry XVI (IV) the Rich (1392–1450) Silver Pfennig, Landshut Mint. Obv.: Helmet. Rev.: Gothic H between 2 flowers. Reference: Saurma #417.dpaul7
BAVARIA_LANDSHUT_HEIN_IV_DOG.jpg
BAVARIA/LANDSHUT -- Henry XVI (IV) the RichBAVARIA/LANDSHUT -- Henry XVI (IV) the Rich (1392–1450) Silver Pfennig, Neuötting Mint. Obv.: Dog running left, tree behind him. Rev.: Gothic "H" between 2 stars. Reference: Wittelsbach 3433; Saurma #418.dpaul7
BHM 710.JPG
BHM 0710. The Duke of Gloucester elected Chancellor of Cambridge University, 1811.Obv. Draped, cuirassed bust of the Duke of Gloucester right, H R H WILLIAM FREDERICK DUKE OF GLOUCESTER
Rev. Inscription within closed wreath of laurel and roses ELECTED MARCH 26 INSTALLED JUNE 29 MDCCCXI, around: CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE.

WM48. BHM 710.

William Frederick, second Duke of Gloucester (1776—1834), son of William Henry the first Duke, and Maria, Dowager Countess of Waldegrave. The second Duke served as colonel of the 1st foot-guards in Flanders in 1794 and was promoted to Major-General in 1795. His advancement continued, finally being promoted Field-Marshal in 1816. He was appointed Privy Councillor in 1806 and Governor of Portsmouth in 1827. -from British Historical Medals 1760-1960, Volume I, pp. 173
LordBest
1Costanzo_II_Nicomedia_delta.jpg
Campgate: Costanzo II, AE3, zecca di Nicomedia, IV officinaConstantius II, Nicomedia mint, IV officina (328-329 AD)
AE3, 3.052 gr, 19.8mm, 0°, aVF
D/ FL IVL CONSTANTIVS NOB C, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust left
R/ PROVIDENTIAE CAES•, campgate with seven rows, two turrets, star above, MN∆ in ex
RIC VII Nicomedia 128, LRBC 1106
Provenienza: collezione Berardengo (Roma Italia dal 29 novembre 2014, numero catalogo 226), ex FAC (Morehead City NC, Usa, fino al novembre 2014), ex Butte College Foundation (Oroville, CA, Usa fino al 2013), ex Henry Clay Lindgren collection (San Francisco State University, CA , Usa)
paolo
Gordian_III_Tarsus_Ex_Lindgren_1635_Triptych_E.jpg
Cilicia Tarsos, Gordian III Großbronze (36mm, 34g), Ex Lindgren & Kovacs 1635Roman Provincial. Cilicia, Tarsos, Gordian III AE Hexassarion (?) (36mm, 33.94 g, 6h), 238-244 CE.
Obv: Radiate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind, holding spear and shield decorated with gorgoneion.
Rev: Gordian, laureate and in military dress, on horseback right, thrusting spear at lion running right below.
Ref: Lindgren & Kovacs 1635 (this coin); SNG Levante 1132; RPC VII.2 3060 (this coin = ex. 29 Online [LINK].
Prov: Ex Collection of Dr. Henry Clay Lindgren (1914-2005), published in Lindgren I (w/ Frank Kovacs, 1985), No. 1635; M.D.A. Collection (acq. Aug 2000; CNG EA 509 [9 Feb 2022], 360); Antioch Associates MBS 15 (1 Jun 1998), 150.

Notes: Heavy specimen. Of 29 Specimens in RPC Online (or the 60 total of similar types, RPC 3060-3064), only 1 is heavier (3060.6, but it has been modified -- mounted and tooled). I find no other heavier specimens in RPC among the other related large bronzes of Gordian III at Tarsos.
[ALT: Tarsus, Kilikia]
1 commentsCurtis JJ
Civil_Wars_RIC_121.jpg
clippedhendytypeC21mm__1_79g.jpg
Clipped Bulgarian imitative of Alexius IIIObv: IC XC in field, bust of Christ beardless and nimbate, wearing tunic and kolobion scroll in left hand
Rev: Full length figures of emperor on left and St. Constantine on r, globus cruciger? between them. Emperor wears six jeweled loros, saint wears it appears a six jeweled loros. it is this combination that defines it as a likely imitative and not official coinage.
Mint: Unk mint in Bulgaria
Date: 1200-1210 CE
21mm; 1.79g
Henry type C; CLBC 10.3.2
wileyc
WashingtonBeforeBoston.JPG
Comitia Americana - Washington before Boston, 1776.Obv. Bust of George Washington right, GEORGIO WASHINGTON SVPREMO DVCI EXERCITVVM ADSERTORI LIBERTATIS COMITA AMERICANA [at neck truncation] DU VIVIER / PARIS . F.
Rev. Siege of Boston, HOSTIBUS PRIMO FUGATIS [in exergue] BOSTONIUM RECUPERATUM / XVII MARTII / MDCCLXXVI [at bottom right of canon in the foreground] DU VIV
AE68. 20th century US mint striking.

One of the most encouraging early victories during the Revolutionary War was the British evacuation of Boston on March 17, 1776. During the harsh winter months Henry Knox had transported a number of canon from Fort Ticonderoga in western New York to Boston. As soon as this heavy artillery arrived Washington mounted the canons on Dorchester Heights overlooking the city. Under the threat of bombardment the British troops quickly fled, making Boston the first major city liberated from British occupation. Eight days later, on March 25, 1776, the Continental Congress authorized a medal to commemorate this event. Up through 1787 Congress authorized ten additional medals commemorating war heroes, however no medals were actually produced until 1790. In that year the federal Congress commissioned the Paris mint to produce these long overdue items. The Washington Before Boston medal was considered the most important and was the largest in the series, which is now referred to as the Comitia Americana (or American Congress) medal series. A gold example was presented to Washington along with a collection of eleven silver medals (nine of which were from the eleven medals authorized by congress); the gold exampe is now in the Boston Public Library while Washington's collection of eleven silver medals now resides in the Massachusetts Historical Society.
1 commentsLordBest
Constantine_Trier_208A.jpg
Constantine I VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP from TrierConstantine I
A.D. 318-319
Silvered nummus
18mm 3.2g
IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG; high crested helmet, cuirassed, spear over right shoulder, in l. parazonium(?).
VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP; two Victories stg., facing one another, together holding wreath inscribed VOT PR on altar.
In ex. PTR
RIC VII Trier 208A

this silvered type is much rarer than the same coin in billon struck A.D. 313

Ex Brian Henry Grover Collection
Victor C
10039b.jpg
Crusader States, Normans of Sicily, William II, AD 1166-1189, AE Trifollaro, Spahr 117.Crusader States, Sicily, William II, AD 1166-1189, AE Trifollaro (24-25 mm), 8,82 g.
Obv.: Facing head of lioness within circle of dots.
Re.: Palm tree with five branches and two bunches of dates, within circle of dots.
Biaggi 1231, Spahr 117 ; Grie 210 (Roger II); Thom 2480 .

William II of Sicily (1153-1189), called the Good, was king of Sicily and Naples from 1166 to 1189.
William was only thirteen years old at the death of his father William I, when he was placed under the regency of his mother, Margaret of Navarre.
Until the king came of age in 1171 the government was controlled first by the chancellor Stephen du Perche, cousin of Margaret (1166-1168), and then by Walter Ophamil, archbishop of Palermo, and Matthew of Ajello, the vice-chancellor.
William's character is very indistinct. Lacking in military enterprise, secluded and pleasure-loving, he seldom emerged from his palace life at Palermo. Yet his reign is marked by an ambitious foreign policy and a vigorous diplomacy. Champion of the papacy and in secret league with the Lombard cities he was able to defy the common enemy, Frederick I Barbarossa. In 1174 and 1175 he made treaties with Genoa and Venice and his marriage in February 1177 with Joan, daughter of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine, marks his high position in European politics.
In July 1177, he sent a delegation of Archbishop Romuald of Salerno and Count Roger of Andria to sign the Treaty of Venice with the emperor. To secure the peace, he sanctioned the marriage of his aunt Constance, daughter of Roger II, with Frederick's son Henry, afterwards the emperor Henry VI, causing a general oath to be taken to her as his successor in case of his death without heirs. This step, fatal to the Norman kingdom, was possibly taken that William might devote himself to foreign conquests.
Unable to revive the African dominion, William directed his attack on Egypt, from which Saladin threatened the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem. In July 1174, 50,000 men were landed before Alexandria, but Saladin's arrival forced the Sicilians to re-embark in disorder. A better prospect opened in the confusion in Byzantine affairs which followed the death of Manuel Comnenus (1180), and William took up the old design and feud against Constantinople. Durazzo was captured (June 11, 1185). Afterwards while the army marched upon Thessalonica, the fleet sailed towards the same target capturing on their way the Ionian islands of Corfu, Cephalonia,Ithaca and Zakynthos. In August Thessalonica surrendered to the joint attack of the Sicilian fleet and army.
The troops then marched upon the capital, but the troop of the emperor Isaac Angelus overthrew the invaders on the banks of the Strymon (September 7, 1185). Thessalonica was at once abandoned and in 1189 William made peace with Isaac, abandoning all the conquests. He was now planning to induce the crusading armies of the West to pass through his territories, and seemed about to play a leading part in the Third Crusade. His admiral Margarito, a naval genius equal to George of Antioch, with 60 vessels kept the eastern Mediterranean open for the Franks, and forced the all-victorious Saladin to retire from before Tripoli in the spring of 1188.
In November 1189 William died, leaving no children. Though Orderic Vitalis records a (presumably short-lived) son in 1181: Bohemond, Duke of Apulia. His title of "the Good" is due perhaps less to his character than to the cessation of internal troubles in his reign. The "Voyage" of Ibn Jubair, a traveller in Sicily in 1183-1185, shows William surrounded by Muslim women and eunuchs, speaking and reading Arabic and living like "a Moslem king."

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

my ancient coin database
1 commentsArminius
ccs28.jpg
Crusaders, Kingdom of Cyprus , Henry I 1218-1253. Æ Fractional denier Crusaders, Kingdom of Cyprus , Henry I 1218-1253. Æ Fractional
Uncertain (Nicosia?) mint . 2.6 Gr.
+ hЄNRICVS: large cross pattée .
RЄX above entrance . Gateway with three crenelated towers and arched entrance.
CCS 28
Rare
Vladislav D
24.jpg
Crusaders, Kingdom of Cyprus, Henry II, 1285 - 1306 and 1310 - 1324 Billon denierCrusaders, Kingdom of Cyprus, Henry II, 1285 - 1306 and 1310 - 1324 Billon denier
reverse + IhRL' m E D' ChIPR', lion of Cyprus rampant left
obverse + hEnRI:REI:DE:, cross pattée, pellet in each quarter.
CCs 66
Vladislav D
cp.jpg
Crusaders, Kingdom of Cyprus, Henry II, Second Reign 1310 - 1324 AR grosCrusaders, Kingdom of Cyprus, Henry II, Second Reign 1310 - 1324 AR gros
4.6 gr
hENRI REI DE, enthroned king holding globus cruciger in left hand and scepter in right over shoulder .
+ IERUSAL'M E D ChIP cross of Jerusalem .
CCS 64 ; Metcalf "The silver coinage of Cyprus , 1285-1382" Pl. 17 , 7. die D
Very rare reverse legend variant .
2 commentsVladislav D
Diocletian_28CT_2_01_003_-_Tx_-_White_SMALL29.jpg
CT 2.01.003; RIC VI 6a & 16ADiocletian BI Nummus. London, c. AD 296-303. IMP C DIOCLETIANVS P F AVG, laureate and cuirassed bust right / GENIO POPVLI ROMANI, Genius standing left, chlamys over left shoulder, holding patera and cornucopiae. 10.38g, 29mm, 6h.

Ex Brian Henry Grover Collection (Roma Numismatics E-Sale 72, 25th June 2020, Lot 1394).

CT Rarity: C (many examples).

An exceptional example of this issue, struck on a medallic flan and with a fine Allectan-style portrait. One of my favourite London mint coins in my collection.
1 commentsPaulus J
Constantine_I_28CT_5_04_008_-_Tx_-_Grey_Reduced_Quality29.jpg
CT 5.04.008; RIC VI 108Constantine I BI Nummus. London, AD 307-310. IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG, laureate and cuirassed bust right / MARTI PATRI PROPVG, Mars advancing right, holding transverse spear and shield; PLN in exergue. 6.90g, 28mm, 7h.

Ex Brian Henry Grover Collection (Roma Numismatics E-Sale 72; Lot 1516).
Paulus J
Crusaders_Cyprus_HenryII_MPS-CCS-50_.jpg
Cyprus, Henry II. 2nd reign. Gross Petit. Crusaders. Cyprus, Henry II. 2nd reign, 1310‑1324 AD. AR Gross (4.50 gm, 25.5mm, 2ʰ), light series of Nicosia. King seated, facing, on curule chair ornamented with lion heads, cloak fastened, holding scepter and orb. ✠hЄȠRI RЄI DЄ (Henry, King of…). / Short cross of Jerusalem, ☩, w/ crosslets in each quarter. ✠IЄRVSAL'ᙏ Є D'ChIPR (…Jerusalem and Cyprus). VF. Bt. Ancient Imports (Marc Breitsprecher), 2007. Metcalf NC 143 (1983) Series 1a #29-31, Crusades (1983 ed. #496-497),(1995 ed. #674-675); Malloy Preston Seltman CCS (Cyprus) #50; Schlumberger pl.VI #20 var (no star).1 commentsAnaximander
Crusaders_Cyprus_HenryII_MPS-CCS-66a_.jpg
Cyprus, Henry II. 2nd reign. Short Cross/Lion Rampant Denier.Crusaders. Cyprus, Henry II. 2nd reign, 1310‑1324 AD. Billon Denier (0.96ᵍᵐ 16.0ᵐᵐ 6ʰ). Short cross pattée. ✠hЄNRI˙ RЄI׃ DЄ (Henry, King of…). / ✠IRL'ᙏ Є D' ChIPR' (...Jerusalem and Cyprus). Heraldic lion of Cyprus rampant left, pellet within curl of tail. VF. Bt. Louis di Lauro, 1999. Malloy Preston Seltman CCS (Cyprus) #66a; Schlumberger pl.VI #23.Anaximander
cyenaica_drusus.jpg
CYRENAICA, Cyrene. Drusus, with Tiberius and Germanicus GemellusObverse: Laureate head of Drusus right
Reverse: Bare heads of Tiberius and Germanicus, vis-à-vis
Mint : Cyrene
Date : Struck circa AD 23
Reference : RPC 947; Lindgren III 1589 (this coin)
Grade : VF
Weight : 9.23 g
Denom : As
Metal : AE
Dealer : CNG
Acquired: 14/05/08
Comments : Black-green patina. From the Patrick Villemur Collection. Ex Henry Clay Lindgren Collection (Classical Numismatic Group 37, 20 March 1996), lot 1223.
Peattie
AngloGallic_EdwardI_Withers11_.jpg
Edward I. Denier au lion of Bordeaux.Anglo-Gallic. Edward I. Duke of Aquitaine, 1252-1272. AR Denier au lion (0.94 gm, 18.5mm, 4h) of Bordeaux. Léopard passant left. ✠ЄDVVΛRDˀ FILI "Edward, son…" / Short cross pattée ✠h' RЄGIS ΛNGLIЄ ("…of Henry, King of England."). VF. CNG EA377 #724. Withers AGC 11 (3/a); Boudeau 474; Duplessy Féodales I #1037; Elias 13; Poey d'Avant Féodales II #2786; Roberts 6751; Spink 8013.Anaximander
1Elena_completo.jpg
Elena, follis (326 d.C.), Boyd & Gaviller collectionElena, prima moglie di Costanzo e madre di Costantino I.
Follis di bronzo, zecca di Treviri I officina, 326 d.C.
AE, gr 3,46, mm 18,0, BB (VF)
D/ FL HELENA AVGVSTI, Busto a sx, diademato, mantellato con collana
R/ SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE, Securitas stante a sin. tiene un ramo rivolto in basso e con la mano destra regge un mantello. PTRU in ex.
RIC 481

Provenienza: collezione Berardengo, Roma Italia (9 luglio 2010, numero archivio 1), ex George Henry Gaviller Collection (morto c.1880), acquisita per legato testamentario da W. C. Boyd (1840-1906). Collezione Boyd dispersa da Baldwin's Auctions (42), 26 September 2005. Moneta acquistata da Antony Wilson (York coins, London-New York).
paolo
HENRY III.jpg
ENGLAND - HENRY IIIHENRY III 1216-1272. AR Penny (1.39 gm). Long Cross class 5g, circa 1251-1272. Canterbury mint; Alein, moneyer.
dpaul7
HENRY_III_PENNY_2.jpg
ENGLAND - HENRY III ENGLAND - HENRY III (1216-1272), AR Penny, Voided Long Cross Coinage, Class 5c, (1251-1272), Ricard - London minter. Obv.: Crowned facing bust of Henry, HENRICVS REX III Rev.: Voided long cross with trefoil of pellets in each angle, RICARD ON LVND Reference: (N.997; S.1373).dpaul7
HENRY V.jpg
ENGLAND - HENRY VEngland, Henry V, 1413-1422, AR Penny (15mm), VG/F, Seaby/Spink 1788 or 1790, York mint. Obv.+ hENRIC REX ANGL, crowned bust facing, mullet to left, trefoil to right. Rev. CIVITAS EBORACI, long cross with three pellets in each angle, quatrefoil in center. The coin is gray, on a clipped flan. Very little of the obverse legend is pesent, and only about 1/3 of the reverse legend, as most letters are off of the flan. The crown on the portrait is clear, but little else is visible. The reverse is better struck.dpaul7
HENRY VI.jpg
ENGLAND - HENRY VISILVER GROAT OF HENRY VI annulet issue 1422-1427 HENRIC DI GRA REX ANGL E FRANC DNS HYB/POSI DEVM ADIVTORE MEVM - (1422-1461) Calais mint, mm: pierced cross. Crowned bust facing within polylobe, annulets flanking / Long cross pattée. North 1424. SEAR 1836.
dpaul7
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