Richard III., 1483 to 1485.
The coins of Richard III. resemble those of the Edwards and Henries, his predecessors, having the
same type; the front face crowned, with cross and pellets upon the reverse. His coins are groats, half
groats, pennies, and halfpennies; they were struck at London, Durham, or York, and weigh in the
proportion of 12 gr. to the penny.
The groats were all struck in London or York; they read RICARD DI GRA REX ANGL Z FRANC. The
London mint marks are, a boar's head. (356). MB. Rud. v. 17. sn. ii. 43*. or a rose and sun
united. MB. Rud. v. 15. one coinage with this latter mint mark has a pellet under the head.
MB. or obv. MM. boar's head. Rev. MM. rose and sun. The only MM of the York groat is the
united rose and sun. Rud. v. 16. This MM is always represented in Ruding's plates merely as a rose.
These groats are not common, especially those on which both MM. appear. The York groats are the
most rare.
The half groats appear to have been all struck in London; they read the same as the groats, except FR
or FRA for FRANC, the MM. is the united rose and sun. (357). MB. Ruding, Sup. iii. 32. gives a
rose, but it is probably the united mint mark, carelessly copied. Sn. ii. 42. and Rud. v. 18. give a boar's
head, but the engravings show that the coin was imperfect, the authority is therefore doubtful. Mr.
Dimsdale's, 1824, sold for £13..5s. Mr. Leybourne's, 1838, £12..18s. Mr. Willet had a coin which he
published as a half groat of Richard III. struck at Canterbury, it is now in the Brit. Mus. It has been
considered genuine, but as it is much clipped and the legend blundered, perhaps altered, it is not quite
to be relied upon as evidence of that monarch having had a mint at Canterbury. It reads RECARD. . . . .
. . and has E on the breast. It is perhaps a cotemporary forgery. (358). Rud. E. 7.
The pennies were struck at Durham and York, and are very rare. They read RICARD DI GRA REX AN
ANG or ANGL. The Durham pence have a fleur de lis as MM. and the letter S on the breast for Bishop
Sherwood. MB. Rud. Sup. ii. 3. 1. Mr. Dimsdale's, 1824, sold for £10..15s The York pence have
MM. united rose and sun. MB. Boar's head. CUFF. MM. Boar's head, T. for Thomas
Rotherham Abp. from 1480 to 1501, at the right a key at the left of the neck. (359). MB. CUFF.
MM. rose, with the T and key. CUFF. All have a quatrefoil in the centre of the cross on the
reverse. The penny reading Dunolm. Sn. ii. 41. Rud. v.19. is a forgery of the notorious John White;
made by altering the mint mark upon a penny of Richard II. into a boar's head.
The halfpence were struck in London, and are ext. rare, they read RICARD D GRA REX and have
for MM. the united rose and sun. (360). MB. Rud. Sup. iii. 30. or the boar's head 31. Sn. ii. 40.
MB. Rud. v. 20. gives one with a cross for MM. and reading RICARD REX ANGL. This coin is at
present unknown. Mr. Dimsdale's, 1824, sold for £5..7..6.
No farthings have yet been discovered.
Edward IV and Edward V |
Table of Contents |
Henry VII, First Coinage
|
