Description
Denomination: Silver cut halfpenny
Period: Norman
Date: 1100-1135
Origin: Possibly Canterbury mint
Condition: Cut halfpenny. fine. nice tone
Obverse: Facing bust crowned and diademed. head three-quarters left. holding sceptre in right hand. [HENRICU]S
Reverse: Quadrilateral with incurved sides and lis at each angle over cross fleury. (?) +PILLEM (Willem) [ON CANT]
Size and Weight: 19mm. 0.67g
References: N 871. S1276
Features and Provenance: After the death of William II in a hunting ‘accident’ in the New Forest. William I’s fourth son became England’s king. Henry I ‘Beauclerc’ was well educated (hence the epithet) and by all accounts was an energetic. decisive but occasionally cruel . He was the first Norman king to speak fluent English. increased the royal revenues and made peace with Scotland by marrying Matilda of Scotland. He died in 1135 from an alleged ‘surfeit of lampreys’ leaving his only daughter (his son having pre-deceased him) in line for the throne. but within one month Stephen of Blois. Matilda’s cousin. had had himself crowned at Westminster. thus starting what was to become a bitter struggle for power.
His coinage is remarkable for its deterioration and the public lost faith in it silver content and were constantly checking it for quality. In 1124 Henry ordered for coins to be mutilated at issue to force the public to accept all coinage in circulation. so later coins often contain a ‘snick’ or cut to see that the coins were silver all the way through. Round halfpennies were to be produced later in Henry’s reign. but up until this point pennies were simply cut in half at the mint to create smaller denominations.
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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