Description
Denomination: Gold halfcrown
Period: Tudor
Date: 1544-1547
Origin: Tower mint, London
Condition: About fine, clipped and wrinkled flan, perforations and light scratching, weakness of strike or flattening from environmental find spot conditions, but none the less a rare find
Obverse: Double crowned Tudor rose, initials h R either side, lombardic h and Roman R, probably the legend reads RVTILANS ROSA SINE SPINA
Reverse: Crowned royal flat-topped shield of arms, initials h R either side, lombardic h and Roman R, legend reads HENRIC 8 DI GRA AGL FRA Z HIB REX or similar
Size and Weight: 18.28mm, 1.21g
References: Spink 2311, North1837, recorded with Portable Antiquities Scheme in 2024: SUSS-35337C considered ‘a find of local/county importance.’
Features and Provenance: This coin was found in Beckley, East Sussex by a first time detectorist. This coin was part of Henry VIII’s attempt to draw money from the coinage to finance the wars with France. Previously the halfcrown had weighed in excess of 1.8g but by now it only weighed 1.5g (clipping of our example has reduced the gold weight even further to 1.21g) but gold faired better during the so called debasement, as the grade of silver in coinage was reduced yet further. Of course the act of debasement was illegal, but it was kept very quiet from the public, but I’m sure they noticed!
Born in 1491, Henry Tudor went from a healthy, handsome, sportsman in his youth to totally the opposite, dying at the relatively young age of 55 in 1557. He is well known for his obsession to have a male heir and this led him to famously marry six wives. He is less well known for his greed and need to raise money for his wars in France. To this end, he debased the coinage to such an extent that towards the end of his reign silver coins only had a wash of precious metal over the substrate; when this wore away on the high points the copper could be seen underneath, gaining the king the nickname ‘Old Coppernose.’
Condition Summary. This varies with the age of coin and there are grades between
Uncirculated (U). As struck with no traces of wear
Extremely Fine (EF). Very slight traces of wear, all parts of legend etc present, visible and clear
Very Fine (VF). Some signs of wear on the higher parts of the relief, all parts of legend etc present, but maybe worn
Fine (F). Wear on the coin and parts of legend etc may be missing or not visible
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