Rights Holder: Isle of Wight Council
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Unique ID: IOW-920F88
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published
Two Medieval silver groats of Henry VI (1422-1461), minted at Calais, 1422-30. Found together, Treasure case no. 2011 T451.
2011 T451-1
Silver groat of Henry VI, Annulet issue (c. 1422-30), Calais mint
Obv: Crowned bust facing within a tressure of nine arches, annulets by neck; HENRIC DI GRA REX ANGL Z FRANC, initial mark: cross 2.
Rev: Long cross dividing the inscriptions with three pellets in each quadrant, an annulet in two quadrants; POSVI/DEVM A/DIVTOR/E MEVM (I have made God my Helper)/ VIL/LA/CALI/SIE
2011 T451-2
Silver groat of Henry VI, Annulet issue (c. 1422-30), Calais mint
Obv: Crowned bust facing within a tressure of nine arches, annulets by neck; hENRIC DI GRA REX ANGL Z FRANC, initial mark: cross 2
Rev: Long cross dividing the inscriptions with three pellets in each quadrant, an annulet in two quadrants; POSVI/DEVM A/DIVTOR/E MEVM (I have made God my Helper)/ VIL/LA/CALI/SIE
Dimensions: 2011 T451-1: 27.7 (diameter). Weight: 3.58g; 2011 T451-2: 26.1 (diameter). Weight: 3.68g.
As official silver coins of the medieval kings of England, these coins would have been struck to the sterling standard of c. 92.5% fine metal.
The finds contain a minimum of 10% silver and predate 1711. They were issued at around the same time and would have been in currency together in the mid decades of the 15th century. The groat of fourpence was the largest silver coin then in use and, on the face of it, it would seem unlikely that two separate losses of such a coin in close proximity would occur, without any other casually lost coins of different denominations and time periods also being present. They thus have the potential to quality as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996 in terms of precious metal content and age.
Notes:
Gurnard, Isle of Wight (Treasure: 2011 T451; PAS: IOW-920F88)
Two silver groats of Henry VI (1422-1461), minted at Calais
Date: c. 1422-30
Discovery: Found by Betty Groves and John Mortimer while metal-detecting in July 2011 and recorded by Frank Basford (Isle of Wight FLO)
Description:
2011 T451-1 (Betty Groves)
Silver groat of Henry VI, Annulet issue (c. 1422-30), Calais mint
Obv: Crowned bust facing within a tressure of nine arches, annulets by neck; HENRIC DI GRA REX ANGL Z FRANC, initial mark: cross 2.
Rev: Long cross dividing the inscriptions with three pellets in each quadrant, an annulet in two quadrants; POSVI/DEVM A/DIVTOR/E MEVM (I have made God my Helper)/ VIL/LA/CALI/SIE
2011 T451-2 (John Mortimer)
Silver groat of Henry VI, Annulet issue (c. 1422-30), Calais mint
Obv: Crowned bust facing within a tressure of nine arches, annulets by neck; hENRIC DI GRA REX ANGL Z FRANC, initial mark: cross 2
Rev: Long cross dividing the inscriptions with three pellets in each quadrant, an annulet in two quadrants; POSVI/DEVM A/DIVTOR/E MEVM (I have made God my Helper)/ VIL/LA/CALI/SIE
Dimensions: 2011 T451-1: 27.7 (diameter). Weight: 3.58g; 2011 T451-2: 26.1 (diameter). Weight: 3.68g.
Metal content: As official silver coins of the medieval kings of England, these coins would have been truck to the sterling standard of c. 92.5% fine metal.
Discussion
The finds contain a minimum of 10% silver and predate 1711. They were issued at around the same time and would have been in currency together in the mid decades of the 15th century. The groat of fourpence was the largest silver coin then in use and, on the face of it, it would seem unlikely that two separate losses of such a coin in close proximity would occur, without any other casually lost coins of different denominations and time periods also being present. They thus have the potential to quality as Treasure under the stipulations of the Treasure Act 1996 in terms of precious metal content and age.
Frank Basford
Finds Liaison Officer,
Isle of Wight
August 2011
Dr Barrie J. Cook,
Curator of Medieval and Early Modern Coinage,
Department of Coins and Medals,
British Museum
4 August 2011
Class: Groats
Current location of find: Returned to finder, 03/10/2011
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder after being disclaimed as Treasure
Treasure case tracking number: 2011T451
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Late
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Exactly AD 1422
Date to: Exactly AD 1427
Quantity: 2
Date(s) of discovery: Wednesday 27th July 2011
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Other reference: Treasure case no. 2011T 451
Treasure case number: 2011T451
Primary material: Silver
Manufacture method: Struck or hammered
Completeness: Complete
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.