File:Coin Hoard, Catalogue No, 4 (FindID 755526).jpg

English: Specialist Treasure Report for H.M. Coroner:

A small hoard - purse loss of silver coins

HM Coroner: Mr John Ellery

District: Shropshire

Findspot: Ludlow - South

Date of discovery: November 2015

Circumstances of discovery: Whilst searching with a metal detector

Overview: A hoard of twenty silver coins dating from the period AD 1544 - 1561

Note: These coins were discovered by three individual finders who have identified which coins they were responsible for declaring; these coins are being held separately so if a museum wishes to acquire them they can be individually identified and the correct apportionment of reward can be received. For clarity the following finders discovered the following finds.

Finder A, Catalogue Numbers: 1, 3, and 8-20.

Finder B Catalogue Numbers: 2, 4-5.

Finder C Catalogue Numbers: 6-7

Description / Catalogue:

Silver Groat of Henry VIII (AD 1509-47), Third Coinage (1544-47) Or Silver Groat of Edward VI (AD 1547-53) posthumous issue of Henry VIII (AD 1547-51)

Note: the coin is a fragment comprising the lower right hand corner of the obverse and top left of reverse

Obverse: Crowned bust facing

[HENRIC VIII] D G AGL [FRA Z HIB REX]

Reverse: Square topped shield over long cross fourchee

[CIVITAS BRI]STOL[E]

1. Weight: 0.5 grams, Diameter: 19.7mm, Die Axis: 9 o'clock.

Reference: North 1846/1874

Silver Shilling of Edward VI (AD 1547-53), Third Period (AD 1551-53) Privy Mark: Tun

Obverse: Crowned bust facing with rose to left and value mark XII to right

EDWARD VI D G ANGLIE FRANCIE Z HIBERNIE REX

Reverse: Long Cross fourchee over royal shield

POSUI DEUM ADIVITORE MEUM

2. Weight: 6.0 grams, Diameter: 32.4mm, Die Axis: 7 o'clock.

Reference: North 1937

Silver Groat of Mary (AD 1553-54) Privy Mark: None

Obverse: Crowned bust facing left

MARIA D G ANG FRA Z HIB REGINA

Reverse: Long Cross fourchee over royal shield

VERITAS TEMPORAS FILIA

3. Weight: 1.9 grams, Diameter: 24.0mm, Die Axis: 3 o'clock.

4. Weight: 1.8 grams, Diameter: 23.1mm, Die Axis: 4 o'clock.

5. Weight: 1.8 grams, Diameter: 23.1mm, Die Axis: 7 o'clock.

6. Weight: 1.9 grams, Diameter: 24.1mm, Die Axis: 2 o'clock.

7. Weight: 1.9 grams, Diameter: 23.4mm, Die Axis: 8 o'clock.

Reference: North 1960

Silver Shilling of Mary and Philip (AD 1554-58) Privy Mark: None

Obverse: Crowned busts of Mary and Philip facing inward, crown above, with no date

PHILIP ET MARIA D G REX ANG FR NEAP PR HISP

Reverse: Oval Shield with arms of Spain and England, crown above, XII value mark,

POSUIMUS DEUM ADIUTOREM NOSTRUM

8. Weight: 5.6 grams, Diameter: 31.0mm, Die Axis: 2 o'clock.

Reference: North 1967

Silver Shilling of Mary and Philip (AD 1554-58) Privy Mark: None

Obverse: Crowned busts of Mary and Philip facing inward, crown above, with date 1554

PHILIP ET MARIA D G REX ANG FR NEAP PR HISP

Reverse: Oval Shield with arms of Spain and England, crown above, XII value mark,

POSUIMUS DEUM ADIUTOREM NOSTRUM

9. Weight: 5.4 grams, Diameter: 30.1mm, Die Axis: 8 o'clock.

Reference: North 1967

Silver Shilling of Mary and Philip (AD 1554-58) Privy Mark: Lis

Obverse: Crowned busts of Mary and Philip facing each other (turned inward), crown above, with date 1555 either side

PHILIP ET MARIA D G REX ET REGINA ANG

Reverse: Oval Shield with arms of Spain and England, crown above, XII value mark,

POSUIMUS DEUM ADIUTOREM NOSTRUM

10. Weight: 5.7 grams, Diameter: 31.4mm, Die Axis: 1 o'clock.

11. Weight: 5.8 grams, Diameter: 30.0mm, Die Axis: 6 o'clock.

12. Weight: 5.6 grams, Diameter: 31.6mm, Die Axis: 2 o'clock.

Reference: North 1968

Silver Groat of Mary and Philip (AD 1553-54) Privy Mark: Lis

Obverse: Crowned bust facing left

PHILIP ET MARIA D G REX ET REGINA

Reverse: Cross fourchee over royal shield

POSUIMUS DEUM ADIUTO NOS

13. Weight: 1.8 grams, Diameter: 23.2mm, Die Axis: 4 o'clock.

14. Weight: 1.9 grams, Diameter: 23.9mm, Die Axis: 10 o'clock.

Reference: North 1973

Silver Shilling of Elizabeth (AD 1558-1603), first issue (AD 1558-61), Privy Mark: Lis (1558-60)

Obverse: Crowned bust facing left

ELIZABETH D G ANG FRA ET HIB REGINA

Reverse: Square Shield on Long Cross Fourchee

POSUI DEU ADIUTOREM MEU

15. Weight: 6.0 grams, Diameter: 32.5mm, Die Axis: 3 o'clock.

Reference: North 1985

Silver Shilling of Elizabeth (AD 1558-1603), first issue (AD 1558-61), Privy Mark: Cross Crosslet (1560-61)

Obverse: Crowned bust facing left

ELIZABETH D G ANG FRA ET HIB REGINA

Reverse: Square Shield on Long Cross Fourchee

POSUI DEU ADIUTOREM MEU

16. Weight: 5.7 grams, Diameter: 33.1mm, Die Axis: 10 o'clock.

17. Weight: 6.0 grams, Diameter: 32.0mm, Die Axis: 1 o'clock.

Reference: North 1985

Silver Shilling of Elizabeth (AD 1558-1603), first issue (AD 1558-61), Privy Mark: Martlet (1560-61)

Obverse: Crowned bust facing left

ELIZABETH D G ANG FRA ET HIB REGINA

Reverse: Square Shield on Long Cross Fourchee

POSUI DEU ADIUTOREM MEU

18. Weight: 6.0 grams, Diameter: 31.3mm, Die Axis: 4 o'clock.

19. Weight: 6.0 grams, Diameter: 31.0mm, Die Axis: 5 o'clock.

Reference: North 1985

Silver Groat of Elizabeth (AD 1558-1603), first issue (AD 1558-61), Privy Mark: Cross Crosslet (1560-61)

Obverse: Crowned bust facing left

ELIZABETH D G ANG FRA ET HIB REGINA

Reverse: Square Shield on Long Cross Fourchee

POSUI DEU ADIUTOREM MEU

20. Weight: 2.0 grams, Diameter: 24.1mm, Die Axis: 2 o'clock.

Reference: North 1986

Discussion and Dating:

The twenty silver coins described herein were stuck between AD 1544 and 1561 during the reign of the English late Tudor monarchs Henry VIII, (1509-47) Edward VI (1547-1553), Mary I (1553-1554), Mary I and Philip of Spain (1554-1558) and Elizabeth I (1558-1603). All the coins would have circulated as currency at the same time. The coins were lost / deposited during or after 1561. All the coins have similar wear suggesting that they deliberately curated or selected over a period of years; the finders of this group reported these coins as a potential purse loss as they were found relatively close together within the top soil having been potentially scattered by woodland management. All are of similar condition with similar wear and corroded surface patina, several have been cleaned and have slight diagonal scratch marks. The only oddity is the broken coin of Henry VIII / Edward VI which has modern breaks - potentially suggesting that more of the coin survives at the hoard site.

Metal Content:

The coins have not been tested for their precious metal content; however, all of the coins will consist of silver of the sterling standard, consistent with the currency of the period.

References:

North J.J.: 2000: English Hammered Coinage; Volume II Edward I to Charles II c.1272-1662 Third Edition Spink: London

Author

Peter Reavill

Finds Liaison Officer, Portable Antiquities Scheme

Catalogue Compiled with help of Mr. Henry Nead - PASt explorer volunteer

Museum Resource Centre; Ludlow - August 2016