File:2015 T125 E2 (FindID 705381).jpg

"I have examined a group of 23 coins reported found at Stockton on the Forest, Yorkshire, although one was only identified from images. All are official silver coins of England, which will therefore be of the sterling standard of 92.5% fine metal. The rulers represented run from Philip and Mary (1554-8) to the Commonwealth period (1649-60), with the latest coin dating to 1653. The denomination range present is quite broad, with nine different denominations running from the halfpenny up to the half-crown (2s.6d., or 30-pence). A detailed catalogue accompanies this report.

All the coins in the group could have been in circulation in the mid-17^th century. The Aberystwyth half-groat is a comparatively rare item, but not exceptional. Assuming a common deposit, the face value of the group was 14 shillings and fivepence-halfpenny. Most of the value was in the higher denominations, the half-crown and the nine shillings (= 11s.6d.). During the English Civil War a shilling a day was the wage of an infantryman, so this sum would represent around a fortnight's wages. The condition of the coins is variable, not taking into account the damage apparently received in the ground, with a number of coins clipped and underweight, though not very severely.

The coins in this group are good silver; would probably have circulated together and been deposited on a single occasion, probably in the mid to late 1650s. Issues of the Commonwealth were aggressively removed from circulation after the Stuart Restoration, so a deposit date after c. 1662 is highly unlikely. It is my opinion that the find constitutes Treasure, according to the terms of the Act.

Dr Barrie J. Cook

Curator of medieval and Early Modern Coinage

Department of Coins and Medals

British Museum

21 April 2015

Amended report 7 May 2015"

2015 T125 Stockton on the Forest, Yorkshire

Catalogue

*= fragment

** = pierced

*** = provisionally identified from images only

Philip and Mary (1554-8)

Groat details illegible 0.88* K1 IJ

Elizabeth I (1558-1603)

Shilling cross crosslet (1560-1) 5.82 A2 JP

Shilling martlet (1560-1) 4.69 J5 GB

Shilling bell (1582/3-83) 5.06 J4 GB

Shilling escallop (1584/5-87) 5.62 J3 GB

Sixpence pheon (1560-5 ) 1561 2.95 H1 GP

Sixpence eglantine (1574-8) 157- 2.34 M1 TP

Groat cross crosslet 1.89 B1 GH

Threepence pheon 1562 1.35 J6 GB

Penny plain cross (1578-80) 0.33* E2 CP

Penny cypher (1600-1) RJ***

Halfpenny escallop 0.2** N1 SR

James I (1603-25)

First Coinage (1603-4)

Shilling lis (1604-5), 2^nd bust 5.24 A1 JP

Second Coinage (1604-19)

Shilling escallop (1606-7), 4^th bust 5.88 J2 GB

Sixpence rose (1605-6), 3^rd bust 1605 2.92 L1 AL

Charles I (1625-49)

Tower Mint

Halfcrown triangle (1639-40) N2211 15.04 J1 GB

Shilling portcullis (1633-4) N2223 5.81 TP

Shilling crown (1635-6) N2225 5.92 G1 RS

Shilling star (1640-1) N2231 5.74 TP

Half-groat Group B (1630-2) 0.7 E1 CP

Aberystwyth mint (1638-42)

Half-groat book 0.88 C1 MW

Commonwealth (1649-1660)

Sixpence 1653 2.28 I1 ML

Dr Barrie J. Cook

Curator of medieval and Early Modern Coinage

Department of Coins and Medals

British Museum

21 April 2015

Amended report 7 May 2015