Lot 500
Edward I (1272-1307), Silver Groat of Fourpence, new coinage (1279-1307), London Mint. Variety e, Fox class 4, facing crowned bust within triple quatrefoil, bushy hair with neat broad face, wide crown with spearhead ornaments, round drapery at neck, pierced cinquefoil either side of head, three petal flower in each spandrel, legend with beaded inner and outer circle surrounding, triple pellet stops, initial mark cross pattée, +EDWARDVS: DI: GRA: REX: AnGL':, rev. long cross pattée, tri-pellets in each inner angle, double concentric legends and beaded circles surrounding, Lon Don IA C IVI inner legend, outer legend continues titles from obverse with colon stops, :DN’S hIbn E DVX AQVT’, weight 5.51g (S.C.B.I. 39:12; N.1006; S.1379E). Attractive dark tone, well struck with a delightful portrait, for this rare first coinage of the Groat as a new denomination, almost extremely fine and one of the finer examples in private hands, very rare thus. Value $15,000 - UP
Notoriously hard to find well struck and in a good state of preservation as demonstrated herewith, such coins though not an initial success in commerce were greatly revered by the Christian pilgrims who would often mount or gild such pieces of Edward I. The majority of surviving examples in private hands are therefore not as well preserved as the coin offered here. A major new coinage was embarked upon in 1279 which introduced the new "Groat" worth Fourpence weighed 89 grains, the name coming from the similar sized coin in France the "Gros". As more than thirty obverse dies were used alone a number of classes and sub-varieties again have been delineated over the years, in line with classes 1 to 3 of the Penny series. Another administerial measure introduced at this time was the abandonment of the name of the moneyer, as mint activity became more centralized and with provincial mints only assisting for the first two years of the new coinage, at which point from 1281 only London, Canterbury, Durham and Bury continue with minting.
The obverse Latin legend translates as "Edward by the grace of God, King of England" and the reverse as "Lord of Ireland, Duke of Aquitaine" in the outer legend, with the inner legend as "City of London.".
Ex G. C. Palmer special collection. Purchased from Spink and Son Ltd, 14th March 2002.
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| Realized $25,200 |
