Coins of the Tudors and Stuarts Edward VI Part 2

Fig.31. Edward VI, gold half sovereign, Fig.30. Edward VI, gold sovereign, third period, third period, Tower mint (© Fitzwilliam Tower mint (© Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge). Museum, Cambridge).

Fig.33. Edward VI, gold halfcrown, Fig.32. Edward VI, gold crown, third third period, Tower mint (© period, Tower mint (© Fitzwilliam Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge). Museum, Cambridge).

Fig.35. Edward VI, silver halfcrown, third period, 1551, Tower mint (© Fitzwilliam Fig.34. Edward VI, silver crown, third period, 1552, Museum, Cambridge). Tower mint (© Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge).

Continued from the Ausust 2015 issue of halfcrown (Figs.30-33). Each of these standard came new denominations in Treasure Hunting. depict an attractive half-length figure silver. The silver crowns and halfcrowns of the king, crowned and in armour, bore a handsome equestrian figure of Third Period and Return to Fine bearing a sword and sceptre. In 1551 the king on the obverse with the date in Silver (1550-3) the silver standard was returned to the Arabic numerals included on an English In 1550 the fineness of the gold coin- quality it had enjoyed before the Great coin for the first time (Figs.34 & 35). age was improved further, at least for Debasement of 1544 and there was a The new denominations of sixpence and the sovereign of 30s and the 10s angel clear and concerted attempt to convert threepence joined the shilling, penny and its half. These are very rare coins the majority of the previous base issues and farthing. The three larger of these but the 22ct standard was continued for into new good quality money. Produc- were of a new style with a facing bust the rest of the gold coinage; namely the tion was the responsibility of the Tower and for the first time the penny value of 20s sovereign, half sovereign, crown and mint and that at York and with the new the coin was shown in Roman numerals

48 www.treasurehunting.co.uk September 2015 Dr. Richard Kelleher Department of Coins and Medals, Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

Fig.36. Edward VI, silver shilling, third period, Fig.37. Edward VI, silver sixpence, Tower mint (© Fitzwilliam Museum, third period, Tower mint (© Cambridge). Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge).

Fig.38. Edward VI, silver threepence, third period, Tower Fig.40. Ireland. mint (© Fitzwilliam Edward VI, Museum, sixth harp Cambridge). issue (1547) sixpenny groat Fig.39. Edward VI, silver in the name penny, third period, of Henry VIII. Tower mint (© Fitzwilliam The omission of the regnal year identifies this type as Museum, Cambridge). belonging to the early years of Edward’s reign. (© Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge).

Fig.44. Ireland. Edward VI in the name Fig.43. Ireland. of Henry Edward VI in the VIII, three Fig.42. Ireland. Edward VI name of Henry VIII, farthings (© Fig.41. Ireland. Edward VI in the name in the name of Henry VIII, three halfpence (© Fitzwilliam of Henry VIII, sixpence (© Fitzwilliam threepence (© Fitzwilliam Fitzwilliam Museum, Museum, Museum, Cambridge). Museum, Cambridge). Cambridge). Cambridge).

next to the king’s left ear with a large degenerate and are from locally produced Mary’s name were minted under his rose opposite (Figs.36-38) The pennies dies. The reverses give the mint name as authority. A number of denominations reverted to the sovereign style seen in Dublin although production was moved were struck in the first period (1542-58) earlier reigns (Figs.39). from Dublin to London during the reign. in gold, silver and base metal. The gold Indeed the cost of producing coin in consisted of a 44 shilling and 22 shilling Ireland London and transporting it to Ireland was piece (Figs.46 & 47). The obverse of both The first Irish coins minted in cheaper than producing indigenous coin these coins are comprised of the crowned Edward’s reign were a continuation of in silver. Base English shillings were also arms of Scotland with the inscription the harp groats of his father and were imported into Ireland in 1552, and it is +MARIA DEI GRA R SCOTORVM and minted posthumously for a short time possible that these coins were produced the initials I and G either side of the (Fig.40). Between 1547 and c.1550 post- expressly for that purpose (Fig.45). shield for IACOBVS GUBERNATOR (the humous old head coins were minted Regent James). The reverse continues the in four denominations, the sixpence, Scotland legend DILIGITE IVSTICIAM ‘Observe threepence, three halfpence and three Mary Queen of Scots (1542-67) is Justice’ around a monogram of Maria farthings (Figs.41-44). Each of these con- a familiar if tragic figure in the history Regina. All bear the date 1553. In silver formed to a similar design with the dead of Scotland. She was the daughter of were the testoons, valued at four shil- king’s bust on the obverse and the quar- James V and Mary of Guise and grew ling Scots and its half. The three types tered arms over a cross on the reverse, up in the French court alongside the are of different design, the first carries a except on the tiny three farthings which children of the French king. Her father portrait of the young queen on one side used a cross and pellets. There is some died in 1542 and Mary, then just six days and the lion rampant within a shield on variation in the quality of engraving of the old, became queen. In the early years a the reverse, the second, on a finer silver bust, the earliest style appears to be from regency, headed by James Earl of Arran standard and valued at 5 shilling bore a dies made in England while later ones was established, and the first coins in crowned M and the lion shield over cross

September 2015 www.treasurehunting.co.uk 49 Coins of the Tudors and Stuarts Dr. Richard Kelleher

Fig.45. Ireland. Edward VI, base imitation of a Fig.46. Scotland. Mary, gold 44s piece, shilling (© Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge). Edinburgh (© Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge).

Fig.48. Scotland. Mary, silver testoon, type IIIa,1556, Edinburgh. The M and R either side Fig.49. Scotland. Mary, silver of the shield stand for Maria Regina while half testoon, type IIIa, 1556, the reverse inscription IN VIRTVTE TVA Edinburgh. (© Fitzwilliam LIBERA ME means ‘In Thy strength deliver Museum, Cambridge). me’ (© Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge).

Fig.52. Scotland. Mary, billon lion of one- twelfth alloy, Fig.50. Scotland. Mary, billon bawbee of Fig.51. Scotland. Mary, billon dated 1556 three-quarter alloy, this type has a fluted plack, 1557, Edinburgh (© Fitzwilliam saltire of later coins in the series, Edinburgh (© Fitzwilliam Museum, Museum, (© Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge). Cambridge). Cambridge).

potent, while the third, and most com- SERVIO ET VSV TEROR (‘I serve and coins brought the English coinage up to mon type, depicts the lion rampant on am worn by use’). The billon lion, or date within the context of the broader one side and cross and crosslets design ‘hardhead’, was valued at one and a half European picture. Before he died he on the reverse (Figs.48 & 49). pence and borrowed the crowned M made alterations to the succession from Base metal coins continued to make design from the type II silver testoons for his sisters Mary and Elizabeth to Jane up the lower denomination pieces in its obverse design (Fig.52). The reverse Grey, the unfortunate ‘nine days queen’. Scotland. The bawbee, valued at sixpence, bears a rampant lion surrounded by the Next time we’ll move on to the coinage was struck for Mary in in 1543 in contin- inscription VICIT VERITAS (‘Truth has of Edward’s sister Mary. uation of her father’s coins (Fig.50). The conquered’). Mary’s story would later obverse shows a crowned thistle with M become entangled with that of the Eng- Further Reading and R to either side while on the reverse lish monarchs and will be continued in J.D. Bateson, Coinage in Scotland, (Lon- is a saltire cross through crown with the next instalments covering the reign don, 1997). cinquefoils to either side. The cinque- of Mary Tudor and Elizabeth. Challis, C.E. The Tudor Coinage (Man- foil was a symbol of the Hamilton Earls chester, 1978). of Arran. The reverse inscription gives Death Hoak, D. ‘Edward VI (1537-1553)’, Oxford the name Edinburgh, where most were Edward died on 6 July 1553, the most Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford struck, but a small issue is known from likely cause thought to be tuberculosis University Press, 2004. Stirling and dated to 1544. In 1557 the and was buried at Westminster Abbey. Lord Stewartby, English Coins 1180-1551 billon plack was struck again for the first Although brief, Edward’s reign saw the (London, 2009). time since 1526 (Fig.51). The crowned virtual restoration of the English coinage Sutherland, C.H.V. English Coinage 600- shield of the larger denominations was to something approaching the quality it 1900 (London, 1973). used on the obverse while on the reverse had enjoyed before the debasement. The the ornate cross with plain cross in the introduction of new denominations and Note: Coins and medals in this article are centre is surrounded by the inscription the addition of dates and value on many shown at actual size (100% scale). TH

50 www.treasurehunting.co.uk September 2015