Rights Holder: Sussex Archaeological Society
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Unique ID: SUSS-DE6F92
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
Notes:
Both coins belong to the plentiful class 5 issues, the result of a partial recoinage initiated by King John in 1205 to rid the currency of light-weight coins. Both are of quite good weight and have not seen heavy wear, so one would envisage that they had not been in currency many years before deposition. As regards their potential status as Treasure, the question to be answered is whether these two coins were deposited together on one occasion, or else lost separately and independently. In general, it is in the early 13th century that the English coinage reached a large-enough size and monetisation was sufficiently developed for coin-loss to occur on sites at reasonable levels: Short Cross pennies are probably the earliest medieval coins to be found routinely on sites productive over long periods of the currency. If the site of the find is one from which other coins of the medieval and early modern periods have been recovered, then it might seem probable that the coins were separately lost (they could easily have been deposited a decade or so apart). However, the coins are quite close in date, are in relatively good and comparable condition, and are full pennies, not the cut halfpennies and farthings which tend to dominate on sites where many Short Cross coins have been individually lost. So, it certainly is possible that, although being found a few yards apart, the coins were deposited together, albeit as part of a small loss, and thus they do have the potential to be considered as Treasure under the terms of the Act. If other finds were to be discovered on the site, this provisional interpretation of the current finds might well change. This potential Treasure case was disclaimed from the process because no museum was able to purchase them.This has been noted as an interesting find by the recorder.
Current location of find: Returned to finder/ landowner
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1207
Date to: Circa AD 1210
Quantity: 1
Thickness: 0.9 mm
Weight: 1.38 g
Diameter: 19.09 mm
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 13th March 2005
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Other reference: Treasure case 2005 T225
Primary material: Silver
Manufacture method: Struck or hammered
Completeness: Complete
Denomination: Penny
Ruler/issuer: John of England
Mint or issue place: Canterbury
Category: English coin short and long cross period 1180 - 1278
Obverse description: Crowned bust facing with hand and sceptre in left field.
Obverse inscription: HENRICVS REX
Reverse description: Voided short cross.
Reverse inscription: +IOHAN.N.ON.CAN
Die axis measurement: 1 o'clock
No coin references available.
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
Author | Publication Year | Title | Publication Place | Publisher | Pages | Reference | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
North, J.J. | 1980 | English Hammered Coinage: Early Anglo-Saxon to Henry III c. 600-1272 | London | Spink & Son London | 179 | 968-971 |