Henry VI Coin – Silver Halfgroat – Calais Mint 1422-30

Description

Heading: Henry VI coin – silver halfgroat – Calais mint 1422-30

Denomination: Silver halfgroat

Period: Lancastrian

Date: 1422-30

Origin: Calais mint. annulet issue

Condition: F+. good portrait but a little weakly struck

Obverse: Crowned facing bust of Henry. +hEnRICVS REX AnGL Z FR. saltire crosses as stops

Reverse: Two concentric circles containing legend. long cross over; three pellets in each quarter. two with additional annulet

Size and Weight: 20mm. 1.23g

References: Spink 1840

Features and Provenance: Henry reigned twice as king of England. from 1422 to 1461 and then again 1470 to 71. He inherited the long running ‘Hundred Years War’ where the rights to the French throne were contested. but he was also a pawn in the battle between the Lancastrians and Yorkists for the throne. He is the only English monarch to be crowned the king of France too. as Henry II. in 1431. He was rather an ineffectual king and by 1453 had lost all French territories except Calais. Suffering constantly with mental health issues. he died in 1471.

The Pale of Calais remained English until the siege of 1558 during the reign of Mary 1

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