Rights Holder: Birmingham Museums Trust
CC License: 
Image use policy
Our images can be used under a CC BY attribution licence (unless stated otherwise).
COIN
Unique ID: HESH-8C7E92
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Published 
A fragment of a medieval silver chinfrão (half real grosso) of Afonso V of Portugal (1438-81), uncertain mint.
The coin survives only as a worn fragment the break across the coin irregular and uneven. Approximately 40% of the coin survives.
Obverse: Crowned letter A;
Reverse has the arms of Portugal.
Notes:
Finds of medieval Portuguese coins are not very common but the PAS has now recorded over 30 examples. Although quite widely distributed the route from Portugal to western Britain, and along the Bristol Channel to the Severn estuary is especially pronounced. This find fits well with this distribution although it is one of the first finds of Portuguese coins from the county.
Find of note status
This is a find of note and has been designated: County / local importance
Subsequent actions
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Chronology
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1438
Date to: Circa AD 1481
Dimensions and weight
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 0.6 mm
Weight: 0.5 g
Diameter: 15 mm
Discovery dates
Date(s) of discovery: Tuesday 2nd April 2019 - Tuesday 2nd April 2019
Personal details
This information is restricted for your access level.
Materials and construction
Primary material: Silver
Manufacture method: Struck or hammered
Completeness: Fragment
Coin data (numismatics)
Denomination: Chinfrão
Ruler/issuer: Afonso V of Portugal
Type: Silver half real or chinfrão
Obverse description: Crowned letter A
Obverse inscription: Illegible
Reverse description: Arms of Portugal
Reverse inscription: Illegible
Die axis measurement: 12 o'clock
Degree of wear: Very worn: fair
Coin references
No coin references available.
Spatial metadata
Region: West Midlands (European Region)County or Unitary authority: Shropshire (Unitary Authority)
District: Shropshire (Unitary Authority)
To be known as: Ellesmere
Spatial coordinates
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
References cited
No references cited so far.
Similar objects
Find number: DENO-EF58A6
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
A medieval copper alloy foreign coin. Probably a silver chinfrão or half real grosso of Alfonso V (1438-1481) of Portugal. The coin has been…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: DENO-14BDE1
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
Silver half real or chinfrão of Afonso V of Portugal, (1438-1481). The coin is clipped and worn.
Obverse inscription: ALFONSVS QVINTI REG…
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Find number: NMS-3BEBAA
Object type: COIN
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
Silver half real (chinfrao) of Alfonso V of Portugal, heavily clipped, 1438-81
Workflow: Awaiting validation
Timeline of associated dates
About Us
About our Site
Find us
The British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG.
T: +44(0) 20 73238618