Henry VIII., 1509 to 1547.
Fourth Coinage
The FOURTH coinage, or that of the 36th year of Henry VIII. was of a still more debased character than
the preceding, being exactly half silver and half alloy; the weight however continued the same, the
penny being 10 gr. The type continued the same, with some slight unimportant variations in minor
details.
The shilling is like the preceding, MM. annulet inclosing a pellet, the legend reads ADIVTORIVM.
MB. Another has MM. on both sides, the old English E. the legend CIVITAS LONDON having at
the beginning, middle and end, three balls with three florets to each. (409). MB. Sn. iii. 43. but
no MM. Rud. viii. 7. but with LONDONIE instead of London, and no MM.
The groat has the mantled bust, MM. on both sidea, a martlet, leg. POSVI &c., a half rose between the
forks of the cross. MB. or MM. on rev. only, a bow, without any object in the forks. Sn. iii. 45.
CIVITAS LONDON. MM. Roman E. MB. or with plain mantle, MM. E nothing in the forks of the
cross. Rud. viii. 10. MB. Obv. MM. lis? open lozenges between the words. Rev. no MM.
English E? between the forks. MB.
The Bristol groat has also mantled bust, no MM. Legend of reverse CIVITAS BRISTOLIE a rose and a lis
between the words and WS at the commencement, a lis between the fork of the cross. Rud. viii. 11.
MB. This MM. which has been called W, or VY, is really the monogram of WS, intended
probably for the initials of William Sharrington, chief officer of the mint at Bristol. Similar but MM. rose
at the end of the obv. leg. MB. Another with small cross instead of rose for MM. MB.
Another has no MM. on obv. but TL in monogram or perhaps an illformed and imperfect E. rose after
CIVITAS. trefoil before BRISTOLIE and also in the forks of the cross. MB.
Canterbury groat: no MM. mantled bust, two trefoils before and after each word on rev. MB.
The York has the mantled bust, no MM. on either side; no object in the forks; but two small trefoils
before and after each word of the legend CIVITAS EBORACI. MB.
We cannot distinguish any half groats of this year, all the base ones we have met with appearing to
belong to the still baser coinage of next year. Rud. viii. 15. with WS. perhaps belongs to this coinage.
The MB. specimen has lis after CIVITAS.
The pennies of this coinage seem to be of the Canterbury mint, and have the mantled bust, no MM.
but small open quatrefoils between the words. MB.
Henry VIII, Third Coinage |
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Henry VIII, Fifth Coinage
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