COIN HOARD

Report by: Alastair Willis - Uwch Curador: Niwmismateg ac Economi Cymru / Senior Curator: Numismatics and the Welsh Economy, Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales, 23 August 2019

The finding of nine silver coins in Trefnant Community, Denbighshire was reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS Cymru) on 5 September 2018. The coins were transferred to Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales for report to H.M. Coroner for North East Wales.

Circumstances of discovery

The coins were found by Stephen Marnick and Richard Leech while metal detecting on ploughed land in Trefnant Community, Denbighshire owned by Ms Wingfield-Digby and Ms Rimington-Wilson. The NGR and addresses of interested parties are given on the Treasure Receipt Form. Eight of the coins (i-viii) were found within 15-20 metres of each other at a depth of 3-4 inches. A ninth (ix) was discovered in the same field, but over 200 metres away at a depth of 8 inches.

Description of Find

1. Elizabeth I (1558-1603) sixpence, Second Issue (North 1997), pheon initial mark, minted at the Tower of London in 1561-1565. Obv.: ELIZABET[H D] G AN[G [FR ] HI [R]EGINA; Crowned bust left with a rose behind the head. Rev.: [P]OSVI / DEV AD/IVTORE/[M M]EV; Square shield on long cross fourchée dividing the legend and date 15[6] above the shield. Die axis: 5. Diameter: 23.7mm; weight: 2.1g.
2. Elizabeth I (1558-1603) sixpence, Second Issue (North 1997), portcullis initial mark, minted at the Tower of London in 1566. Obv.: ELIZA[BETH] D G ANG [FR ... HIB R]EGINA. Crowned bust left with a rose behind the head. Rev. [POSVI] / DEV [AD/I]VT[ORE]/M MEV. Square shield on long cross fourchée dividing the legend and date 15[6]6 above the shield. Die axis: 6. Diameter: 24.3mm; weight: 2.2g.
3. James 1 (1603-1625) shilling, Second Coinage (North 2100), rose initial mark, minted at the Tower of London in 1605-1606. Obv.: IACOBVS D G MAG BRIT FRA ET HIB REX; Crowned fourth bust right; behind, XII. Rev.: QV[AE DE]VS CONIVNXIT N[EM]O SEPA[RET]; Square shield. Die axis: 11. Clipped. Diameter: 26.5mm; weight: 4.7g.
4. Charles I (1625-1649) shilling, Group D (North 2225), tun initial mark, minted at the Tower of London in 1636-1638. Obv.: CAROLVS [D] G MA BR FR ET HI REX]; Fourth bust left; behind, XII. Rev.: CHRISTO [AV]SPICE R[E]GNO; Round garnished shield. Die axis: 3. Diameter: 30mm; weight: 5.7g.
5. Charles I (1625-1649) shilling, Group E (North 2227), tun initial mark, minted at the Tower of London in 1636-1638. Obv.: CAROLVS D G MA BR FR ET HI REX; Fifth (Aberystwyth) bust left; behind, XII (small). Rev.: CHRISTO AV[SPI]CE REGNO; Square shield over cross pattée moline. Die axis: 10. Diameter: 30.6mm; weight: 5.7g.
6. Charles I (1625-1649) shilling, Group F (North 2231), triangle-in-circle initial mark, minted at the Tower of London in 1641-1643. Obv.: CAROL[VS] D G MAG [BRI FR]A E[T] HI REX; Sixth bust left; behind, XII. Rev.: [CHRISTO] AVSPICE REG[NO]; Square shield over cross moline. Die axis: 10. Clipped. Diameter 29.1mm; weight: 5.9g.
7. Charles I (1625-1649) shilling, Group F (North 2232), unclear initial mark, minted at the Tower of London in 1645-1646. Obv.: CAROLVS D G MAG B[RI FR ET HIB REX]; Sixth bust left; behind, XII. Rev.: CHRISTO AVSP[I]CE REGNO; Square shield over cross moline. Die axis: 1. Diameter: 30mm; weight: 5.6g.
8. Charles I (1625-1649) shilling, Group F (North 2232), sun initial mark, minted at the Tower of London in 1645-1646. Obv.: CAROLV[S] D G M[AG] BRI FRA ET [HIB REX]; Sixth bust left; behind, XII. Rev.: CHRISTO [A]VS[P]ICE REG[N]O; Square shield over cross moline. Die axis: 7. Diameter: 30.3mm; weight: 5.2g.
9. Elizabeth I (1558-1603) sixpence, Second Issue (North 1997), unclear initial mark, minted at the Tower of London in 1569. Obv.: [EL]IZABETH D G ANG FR ET HI [RE]GI[NA]; Crowned bust left with a rose behind the head. Rev.: POSVI / DEV A/DIVTORE/M MEV; Square shield on long cross fourchée dividing the legend. Die axis: 2. Diameter: 24.2mm; weight: 2.4g.

Metal content

The silver coins of Elizabeth, James I and Charles I are silver of high fineness, typically above 90% silver by weight.

Treasure Act considerations

As two or more silver (>10% Ag) coins over 300 years old when found, the three sixpences of Elizabeth I and six shillings of James I and Charles I qualify as Treasure if they were originally associated in the ground.

All the coins represented in this group are known to have been in circulation at the same time and coin hoards with similar compositions have been reported from across England and Wales, e.g. a hoard from Mold, Flintshire (2013TW2) and a hoard from North Bradley, Wiltshire (2017 T1037). The Elizabethan coins are more worn than the rest of the coins in the group indicating that they were in circulation for a long time when they were buried. The close concentration of coins i-viii (above) is a good indication that they were deposited together, as is the lack of smaller denomination coins, which you would expect to be included among site finds. On a balance of probability, it is likely that they were deposited together on a single occasion.

The ninth coin (ix, above) is unlikely to be part of the same deposit, because it was found over 200 metres away from the others and not along the likely lines of ploughing. Furthermore, Elizabethan sixpences are very common single metal detector finds; over 157 have been recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database from Wales. Therefore it seems likely that this sixpence is an unrelated casual loss.

Recommendation

It is my opinion that as two or more coins containing more than ten per cent by weight of precious metal (silver), associated in the ground and more than 300 years old when found, eight of these coins (i-viii) qualify as Treasure under Section 1(1)(a)(ii) of the Treasure Act 1996 (see The Treasure Act 1996 Code of Practice (2nd Revision 2003), paragraphs 7, 14 and 15).

Declaration of Interest

Denbighshire Heritage Services

References

North, J. J. 1991. English Hammered Coinage: Vol. 2: Edward I to Charles II, 1272-1662, London: Spink and Son Ltd.