Long Cross Pennies (1247-1279) by Rod Blunt


Introduction
Historical background
Classification of the coins
Mints and moneyers
Small change
Similar contemporary coins
Chronology and dating
Bibliography


Introduction

With the single exception of an extremely rare gold coin, the long cross coinage of 1247-1279 consists entirely of silver pennies. They were struck in 0.925 fine silver with a standard weight of about 22 grains (1.43g) and a diameter of about 18mm. The obverse depicts a crowned facing bust of the king, and the reverse has a long voided cross with three pellets in each angle. Both sides are inscribed: the obverse with the king’s name and title, and the reverse, in most cases, with the name of the mint and moneyer. During the thirty-two years of their issue, certain changes were made to the design, the form of the legends and the style of the letters. By studying these changes, along with documentary records and information obtained from hoards, the sequence and dates of issue of the coins can be determined and their classification undertaken.

The classification we use today was established almost one hundred years ago by Laurie Asher Lawrence. It is documented in a paper published in three parts in the British Numismatic Journal between 1912 and 1915. The classification has stood the test of time remarkably well, with only relatively minor refinements by later numismatists. Subsequent finds have added a few coins to Lawrence’s lists of known classes and sub-classes for certain mints, but many of these - like the extremely rare class 6 penny of London - were anticipated by him.

One of the challenges of producing a guide to the classification is that of catering for the different needs of the casual user and the more experienced numismatist. On the one hand, the risk is of including an excessive amount of detail, while on the other, it is of omitting information that the specialist will find useful. To address this issue, I have adopted a two-tier approach to the structure of the article. The Internet greatly facilitates this approach by making it possible to separate out various aspects of the coinage, while at the same time making that information instantly accessible via hyperlinks. Those wishing to determine only the main class of a coin, for example, are able to do so without being faced with detailed descriptions of the many sub-classes. Having established the main class, however, the structure of the article will allow those who wish to do so to pursue the more detailed information at a separate level.

A difficulty often experienced by newcomers is that of reading the inscriptions on the coins. This is partly because some of the letter forms used during the medieval period are unfamiliar, but also because adjacent letters are frequently joined together ("ligate"), such that they can appear to be a single unrecognisable character. To add to the difficulty, the manual minting process often results in parts the inscription being weakly impressed, or even partially off the flan. The best way to become familiar with the various letter forms is to visit the mints and moneyers section and study the inscriptions on the coins illustrated, all of which are transcribed. To assist with the process, ligate letters are underlined, and the cross ends that divide the reverse legends are indicated by the “/” sign. Basic errors, such as mistaking a horizontally barred N for a Roman H, can be avoided once it is known that only the Lombardic "h" is found on the coins. It should also be borne in mind that the letters I/J and U/V respectively did not exist separately at the time, so a single letter in each case (usually in the style of I and V) served both as vowel and consonant, much as the letter Y still does today.

It is appropriate at this point, for the benefit of newcomers, to define some of the numismatic terms used in the article. In the context of the long cross coinage, the obverse of a coin is the side that bears the facing bust of the king. The reverse is the side that carries the long voided cross. A mule is a coin struck with the obverse die of one class or sub-class, and the reverse die of a different class or sub-class. Mules are very useful for determining the order in which the coins were struck.

Many of the images used to illustrate this article are from records on the UK Detector Finds database (UKDFD). I am grateful to recorders for making them available in this way, and also to other detectorists and collectors who have independently granted permission to use their images. All images can be clicked to provide an enlarged view.


Historical background

The condition of the money circulating in England in the 1240s was probably as bad as it had ever been. The coins were all of the short cross type introduced more than sixty years beforehand, and the last general recoinage had taken place in 1205. Inevitably a high proportion of the coins were badly worn, but more significantly many were also clipped - an illegal practice performed by unscrupulous individuals, who would melt down the resulting slivers of metal and profit by selling the silver.

The seriousness of the situation is evidenced by the fact that it was the subject of discussion at a great council held at Oxford in 1246. The council deliberated on what measures should be taken, and considered a recoinage financed by debasement of the silver. The attraction of this proposition was that the public could be given back as many pence as they paid into the exchange, an approach repeatedly adopted by France in similar situations. In the event, however, when the decision was ultimately taken to proceed with a recoinage, the silver fineness was maintained. Debasement was rejected on the grounds that it would adversely affect trade, particularly with the Low Countries, where the English coin enjoyed a high reputation.

In order to thwart would-be clippers, it was decided that the new coins would carry a design in which the reverse cross would extend to the edge. If any of the four cross-ends were removed, the coin would be deemed illegal. In practice, however, the measure seems to have been largely ineffective, as many coins are found that fail to meet the legal requirement. In fact some of them seem to have left the mint in this condition, as a result of off-centred striking.

The recoinage itself was greatly facilitated by the king’s brother, Richard, Earl of Cornwall. In return for a half-share in the profits accruing from the project, Richard was prepared to make available his considerable holding of silver bullion to provide the initial stock of new coins. Accordingly, he was granted a licence, and by the end of July 1247 he had provided sufficient bullion to strike 1.6 million pennies.

The terms on which the recoinage was conducted, while lucrative for the king and his brother, were very onerous for the public. Anyone bringing their short cross coins to the exchange would receive only as many new pennies by weight as could be coined from those they deposited, regardless of face value. A further thirteen pence in every pound, over five percent, was charged for the expenses incurred in minting, which included a margin from which the earl and the king derived their profit. A chronicler of the time alleged that the man who brought in thirty shillings worth of old pence (360 pennies) got back little more than twenty shillings (240 pennies) in the new money. 

Striking of the new coins began at London, probably in November 1247, with Canterbury and the ecclesiastical mint of Bury St Edmunds participating very shortly afterwards. During the course of the next year, or thereabouts, they were joined by sixteen provincial mints, opened specifically for the duration of the recoinage. With a total of nineteen mints in operation, the recoinage was effectively completed during the period 1248-1250. There remained, of course, an ongoing need for new coin, but the level of demand for it could be met by the permanent mints alone, and the provincial establishments were closed at the end of the above period.

Turning to the coins themselves, those struck in the short period between the commencement of the recoinage and the opening of the provincial mints (class 1) may be regarded as experimental prototypes. The earlier variety (1a) is rare and the later variety (1b) is scarce. During the period of operation of the provincial mints, two further types (classes 2 and 3) were struck. Four more followed after their closure (classes 4 to 7), the last two of which were struck during the reign of Edward I. The long cross coinage came to an end in 1279, thirty-two years after it had been introduced. The coins were the last (with a single isolated exception) to bear the moneyer’s name, and the last type that were officially cut into halves and quarters in order to provide small change, both practices having originated in Anglo-Saxon times.


The main classes

Henry III LC 1a Penny +.jpg

Class 1 (1247 - 1248)

  • King doesn't hold a sceptre
  • Obverse legend begins at 12 o'clock
  • Start of obverse legend is marked by a crescent around a star
  • No moneyer is named on reverse
  • King's regnal number shown as TERCI (on reverse)
  • King's hair-curls depicted by pellet-in-crescent motifs
Find out about class 1 sub-classes?
Henry III LC 2b Penny Canterbury.jpg

Class 2 (1248)

  • King doesn't hold a sceptre
  • Obverse legend begins at 12 o'clock
  • Start of obverse legend is marked by a star
  • Moneyer is named on reverse
  • King's regnal number shown as TERCI (on obverse)
  • King's hair-curls depicted by pellet-in-crescent motifs
Find out about class 2 sub-classes?
Henry III LC 3b Penny Winchester.jpg

Class 3 (1248 - 1250)

  • King doesn't hold a sceptre
  • Obverse legend begins at 12 o'clock
  • Start of obverse legend is marked by a star
  • Moneyer is named on reverse
  • King's regnal number shown as III (on obverse)
  • King's hair-curls depicted by pellet-in-crescent motifs
Find out about class 3 sub-classes?
Henry III LC 4ab Penny Bury.jpg

Class 4 (1250 - 1251)

  • King holds a sceptre
  • REX to left of sceptre
  • Obverse legend begins at 12 o'clock
  • Start of obverse legend is marked by a star
  • Moneyer is named on reverse
  • King's regnal number shown as III (on obverse)
  • King's hair-curls depicted by pellet-in-crescent motifs
Find out about class 4 sub-classes?
Henry III LC 5a3 Penny London.jpg

Class 5 (1251 - c1272)

  • King holds a sceptre
  • III to left of sceptre
  • Obverse legend begins at 10-11 o'clock
  • There is no obverse initial mark
  • Moneyer is named on reverse
  • King's regnal number shown as III (on obverse)
  • King's hair-curls depicted by pellet-in-crescent motifs
Find out about class 5 sub-classes?
Edward I LC 6 Penny Bury.jpg

Class 6 (c1272 - c1275)

  • King holds a sceptre
  • III to left of sceptre
  • Obverse legend begins at 10-11 o'clock
  • There is no obverse initial mark
  • Moneyer is named on reverse
  • King's regnal number shown as III (on obverse)
  • King's hair-curls depicted naturalistically
  • Bust is crude with blobs for eyes

There are no sub-classes of class 6

Edward I LC 7 Penny London.jpg

Class 7 (c1275 - 1278)

  • King holds a sceptre
  • III to left of sceptre
  • Obverse legend begins at 10-11 o'clock
  • There is no obverse initial mark
  • Moneyer is named on reverse
  • King's regnal number shown as III (on obverse)
  • King's hair-curls depicted naturalistically
  • Bust is finely rendered

There are no sub-classes of class 7



If none of the above classes seem to apply to your coin, it might be Irish, Scottish or a contemporary imitation or forgery. For a summary of these possibilities, click this link.


Mints and moneyers

The earliest coins (sub-class 1a) of the long cross issue bear neither an indication of the mint at which they were struck, nor the name of the moneyer responsible for their issue. The absence of this information was a break with established practice dating back to Anglo-Saxon times, and the most likely explanation for its omission is that the coins were struck solely at London, where Nicholas de Sancto Albano (Nicole on the coins) alone had responsibility. Hence, by default, the mint and moneyer were identifiable. Sub-class 1a, however, was of very brief duration, and the principal change that came about with the issue of sub-class 1b was the addition of a mint signature to the reverse inscription.

The mint signatures that occur on sub-class 1b are those of London, Canterbury and Bury St Edmunds, coins of the last mint being extremely rare. There were, in fact, four ‘permanent’ mints in England at the time, and it is rather strange that the fourth of these, Durham, did not participate at this stage in what was a major recoinage. The mint had apparently fallen dormant some years beforehand, and although it was responsible for striking some of the later classes, it played no part in the early years when the level of activity was at a maximum. In fact all Durham long cross coins are quite scarce. Nicholas de Sancto Albano was the moneyer responsible for both of the King’s mints (London and Canterbury), and the Abbot of Bury St Edmunds had a single moneyer, so the requirement for traceability was met by indicating the mint alone.

It must have been apparent from the start of the project that the permanent mints alone would be unable to cope with the demands of the recoinage, and that a countrywide network of temporary mints and exchanges would be required. (The early coins produced in the permanent mints were, of course, necessary to initiate the process, as merchants bringing silver to the exchanges would require payment immediately in coins of the new type.) Instructions were accordingly issued for the establishment of sixteen temporary mints, located in towns and cities across the country. The places chosen were Bristol, Carlisle, Exeter*, Gloucester*, Hereford, Ilchester, Lincoln*, Newcastle, Northampton*, Norwich*, Oxford*, Shrewsbury, Wallingford, Wilton, Winchester* and York*.They operated between 1248 and 1250, with some opening a little earlier than others. The eight that are asterisked (*) produced coins of classes 2 and 3, while the remainder struck in class 3 alone. The permanent mints (excluding Durham) also struck in both classes.

The involvement of the temporary mints, each with an initial complement of four moneyers, necessitated the design change that occurs on class 2, by which both the mint and the moneyer are named on the reverse of the coin. Class 3 coins (and all subsequent classes) continue the reverse format of class 2. The only difference between the two classes is a cosmetic one in which the king’s regnal number is changed from TERCI (an abbreviation indicating ‘the third’) to III.

After the closure of the temporary mints, the four permanent mints (Durham at last included) participated in what amounted to routine production rather than recoinage. The obverse design was changed to show the king with a sceptre in his right hand, and other cosmetic changes were made that define the later classes, 4 through to 7. The details of these changes are described elsewhere in this article.

Before leaving the mints and turning to the moneyers, it is worth mentioning that Durham and Bury were ecclesiastical mints, the profits of which were due respectively to the bishop and the abbot, not the king. The archbishop of Canterbury also had his own moneyer, and shared the profits of that city’s mint with the king. Likewise, the archbishop of York enjoyed the benefit of one moneyer during the brief recoinage period. Unlike the later Edwardian coins, the long cross pennies carry no marks that differentiate the ecclesiastical from the royal issues.

We are very fortunate with regard to the information that is available concerning the moneyers of this coinage, particularly those responsible for the temporary mints. A list of their names, along with those of other mint officials, was made at the time of their appointment and has survived the passage of time. Coins of all of those named are known today, and just three additional names occur. One of these, Roger at Bristol, probably represents a later appointment following the death or termination of office of the original appointee. Another, Walter at Lincoln, is possibly accounted for by an error in the original list. The third, Tomas at York, was the archbishop’s moneyer, and thus additional to the four moneyers of the royal mint. Further details of the list (from the Appendix to The De Moneta of Nicholas Oresme) are given in the tables of mints and moneyers.

Interestingly, two of the four moneyers at Wilton share the same first name, William, but coins struck by the two men appear to bear no marks of differentiation. This not only precludes our separation of the issues of the two men, but, more significantly, raises the question of how the authorities at the time would have brought the right man to justice in the event of malpractice. The same problem arises with three Williams and at least three Roberts at Canterbury, although it is possible that these men were not working at the same time.

The status of moneyers at the time of the long cross coinage is another issue that requires comment. The title tends to conjure up an image of a workman wearing a leather apron and wielding a hammer. In fact, this perception is far from the truth. Moneyers of this period were men of significantly higher social status, and far removed from the actual production activities in the mint workshop. The records inform us, for example, that William de Gloucestre, who was granted dies in both London and Canterbury, was the king’s goldsmith, and Thomas de Weseham, another London moneyer, was the king’s surgeon.

The illustrations that follow show a typical coin reverse for each of the twenty mints, permanent and temporary, that participated in the long cross coinage. Alongside each illustration are brief details of the classes of coins struck by the mint, the most common forms of mint signature, the names of the moneyers as they appear on the coins, and a transcription of the legend with ligate letters indicated by underlining. The illustrations are followed by a link to a table, which gives the full names of the moneyers, as well as the form used on the coins, and the classes and sub-classes of coin that are known for each of them.

 

Bristol.jpg

Bristol

Bristol was one of the provincial mints re-opened during the early years of the long cross coinage, when the maximum effort was required to convert the circulating short cross coins into the new long cross type. It probably commenced operation at the beginning of 1249 and struck coins of classes 3ab through to 3c. The mint signature on the coins is usually BRVS, BRVST or BRVSTOV. The five moneyers’ names recorded for Bristol are Elis, Henry, Iacob, Roger and Walter.

The inscription on the present coin is IAC/OB O/N BR/VST

Bury.jpg

Bury St Edmunds

Bury was one of the permanent mints in operation at the end of the short cross coinage, and began striking long cross coins shortly after the recoinage commenced in November 1247. It struck coins of class 1b, on which the moneyer isn’t named, and all subsequent classes through to 7, except 4a, 4b and 5e. The mint signature on the coins is variously AED (1b only), BERI, SE, S’ED, S’EDM, S’EDMVND, SENTED or SEINTED. The five moneyers’ names recorded for Bury are Ioce, Ion (sometimes Latinised as Ioh’s, i.e Iohannes), Randvlf, Renavd and Stephane.

The inscription on the present coin is ION/ ON S’/EDM/VND

Canterbury.jpg

Canterbury

Canterbury was one of the permanent mints in operation at the end of the short cross coinage, and began striking long cross coins shortly after the recoinage commenced in November 1247. It struck coins of class 1b, on which the moneyer isn’t named, and all subsequent classes through to 5h, except 4a and 4b. The mint signature on the coins is variously C, CA, CAN, CANT, CANTE, CANTER, KAN, KANI or KANT. The ten moneyers’ names recorded for Canterbury are Alein, Ambroci, Gilbert, Ion (sometimes Latinised as Ioh’s, i.e Iohannes), Nicole, Ricard, Robert, Roger, Walter and Willem.

The inscription on the present coin is NIC/OLE /ON C/ANT

Carlisle.jpg

Carlisle

Carlisle was one of the provincial mints re-opened during the early years of the long cross coinage, when the maximum effort was required to convert the circulating short cross coins into the new long cross type. It probably commenced operation at the beginning of 1249 and struck coins of classes 3ab through to 3bc (or possibly 3c). The mint signature on the coins is usually CARL or CARLEL. The four moneyers’ names recorded for Carlisle are Adam, Ion, Robert and Willem.

The inscription on the present coin is ION /ON /CAR/LEL

Durham.jpg

Durham

Durham, although formerly one of the country’s ‘permanent’ mints, had apparently fallen dormant about 1230 and did not participate in the early and most productive period of the long cross coinage. In fact, the mint didn’t resume striking until 1253, and even then its output was relatively small. Coins of 5a, 5b, 5c, 5g, 6 and 7 are known. The mint signature on the coins is usually DVR or DVRH. The four moneyers’ names recorded for Durham are Ricard, Roberd, Roger and Willem.

The inscription on the present coin is RIC/ARD /ON D/VRH

Exeter.jpg

Exeter

Exeter was one of the provincial mints re-opened during the early years of the long cross coinage, when the maximum effort was required to convert the circulating short cross coins into the new long cross type. It probably commenced operation in the second quarter of 1248 and struck coins of classes 2a (known from a single coin) through to 3c, except 3bc. The mint signature on the coins is variously ECCE, ECE, ECCETR or ECCETRE. The four moneyers’ names recorded for Exeter are Ion, Philip, Robert and Walter.

The inscription on the present coin is WAL/TER /ON E/CCE

Gloucester.jpg

Gloucester

Gloucester was one of the provincial mints re-opened during the early years of the long cross coinage, when the maximum effort was required to convert the circulating short cross coins into the new long cross type. It probably commenced operation in mid 1248 and struck coins of classes 2b through to 3c, except 3bc. The mint signature on the coins is usually GLOV, GLOVE or GLOVCE. The four moneyers’ names recorded for Gloucester are Ion, Lvcas, Ricard and Roger.

The inscription on the present coin is LVC/AS O/N G/LOV

Hereford.jpg

Hereford

Hereford was one of the provincial mints re-opened during the early years of the long cross coinage, when the maximum effort was required to convert the circulating short cross coins into the new long cross type. It probably commenced operation at the beginning of 1249 and struck coins of classes 3ab through to 3c, except 3bc. The mint signature on the coins is usually HERE or HEREF. The four moneyers’ names recorded for Hereford are Henri, Ricard, Roger and Walter.

The inscription on the present coin is HEN/RI O/N HE/REF

Ilchester.jpg

Ilchester

Ilchester was one of the provincial mints re-opened during the early years of the long cross coinage, when the maximum effort was required to convert the circulating short cross coins into the new long cross type. It probably commenced operation at the beginning of 1249 and struck coins of classes 3ab through to 3c. The mint signature on the coins is usually IVE, IVEL or IVELCE. The four moneyers’ names recorded for Ilchester are Hvge, Iervais, Randvlf and Stephen.

The inscription on the present coin is HVG/E ON /IVE/LCE

Lincoln.jpg

Lincoln

Lincoln was one of the provincial mints re-opened during the early years of the long cross coinage, when the maximum effort was required to convert the circulating short cross coins into the new long cross type. It probably commenced operation in the second quarter of 1248 and struck coins of classes 2a through to 3c, except 2b. The mint signature on the coins is usually LINC or LINCOLN. The four moneyers’ names recorded for Lincoln are Ion, Ricard, Walter and Willem.

The inscription on the present coin is WAL/TER /ON L/INC

London.jpg

London

London was the country’s principal mint, and the only one where coins of sub-class 1a, which give no indication of either mint or moneyer, were struck. Every subsequent class and sub-class of the entire long cross coinage was also struck. The mint signature on the coins is variously LON, LVN, LVND, LVNDE or LVNDEN. London had eleven moneyers during the long cross period, namely, Davi, Henri, Iohan (sometimes abbreviated as Ioh’s, i.e Iohannes), Nicole, Phelip, Renavd, Ricard, Robert, Thomas, Walter and Willem.

The inscription on the present coin is NIC/OLE /ON L/VND

Newcastle.jpg

Newcastle

Newcastle was one of the provincial mints re-opened during the early years of the long cross coinage, when the maximum effort was required to convert the circulating short cross coins into the new long cross type. It probably commenced operation at the beginning of 1249 and struck coins of classes 3ab through to 3c, except 3bc. The mint signature on the coins is variously NEVCA, NEVECA, NEVOC, NEVOCCI, NEWCA, NEWCAS, NEWEC or NEWECAS. The four moneyers’ names recorded for Newcastle are Adam, Henri, Ion and Roger.

The inscription on the present coin is ROG/ER O/N NE/WEC

Northampton.jpg

Northampton

Northampton was one of the provincial mints re-opened during the early years of the long cross coinage, when the maximum effort was required to convert the circulating short cross coins into the new long cross type. It probably commenced operation in the second quarter of 1248 and struck coins of classes 2a through to 3c (class 2b known from a single coin). The mint signature on the coins is usually NORH’ or NORHA. The four moneyers’ names recorded for Northampton are Lvcas, Philip, Tomas and Willem.

The inscription on the present coin is PHI/LIP /ON N/ORH’

Norwich.jpg

Norwich

Norwich was one of the provincial mints re-opened during the early years of the long cross coinage, when the maximum effort was required to convert the circulating short cross coins into the new long cross type. It probably commenced operation in the second quarter of 1248 and struck coins of classes 2b through to 3c. The mint signature on the coins is variously NORW, NORWI, NORWIC or NORWIZ. The four moneyers’ names recorded for Norwich are Hvge, Iacob, Ion and Willem.

The inscription on the present coin is WIL/LEM /ON N/ORW

Oxford.jpg

Oxford

Oxford was one of the provincial mints re-opened during the early years of the long cross coinage, when the maximum effort was required to convert the circulating short cross coins into the new long cross type. It probably commenced operation in mid 1248 and struck coins of classes 2b through to 3c. The mint signature on the coins is usually OXON, OXONE or OXONFO. The four moneyers’ names recorded for Oxford are Adam, Gefrei, Henri and Willem.

The inscription on the present coin is WIL/LEM /ON O/XON

Shrewsbury.jpg

Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury was one of the provincial mints re-opened during the early years of the long cross coinage, when the maximum effort was required to convert the circulating short cross coins into the new long cross type. It probably commenced operation at the beginning of 1249 and struck coins of classes 3ab and 3b. The mint signature on the coins is variously SRO, SROS, SROSE or SROSEB . The four moneyers’ names recorded for Shrewsbury are Lorens, Nicole, Peris and Ricard.

The inscription on the present coin is RIC/ARD /ON S/ROS

Wallingford.jpg

Wallingford

Wallingford was one of the provincial mints re-opened during the early years of the long cross coinage, when the maximum effort was required to convert the circulating short cross coins into the new long cross type. It probably commenced operation at the beginning of 1249 and struck coins of classes 3ab and 3b. The mint signature on the coins is usually W, WAL or WALI. The four moneyers’ names recorded for Wallingford are Alisandre, Clement, Ricard and Robert.

The inscription on the present coin is ALI/SAN/DRE /ON W

By a fortuitous coincidence, the single letter mint signature W, followed by the first three letters of Alisandre’s name, also create the signature WALI.

Wilton.jpg

Wilton

Wilton was one of the provincial mints re-opened during the early years of the long cross coinage, when the maximum effort was required to convert the circulating short cross coins into the new long cross type. It probably commenced operation at the beginning of 1249 and struck coins of classes 3ab through to 3c. The mint signature on the coins is usually WILT or WILTON. The three moneyers’ names recorded for Wilton are Hvge, Ion and Willem (Two of Wilton’s moneyers were named Willem).

The inscription on the present coin is WIL/LEM /ON W/ILT

Winchester.jpg

Winchester

Winchester was one of the provincial mints re-opened during the early years of the long cross coinage, when the maximum effort was required to convert the circulating short cross coins into the new long cross type. It probably commenced operation in the second quarter of 1248 and struck coins of classes 2a through to 3c, except 2b. The mint signature on the coins is usually WINC or WINCHE. The four moneyers’ names recorded for Winchester are Hvge, Iordan, Nicole and Willem.

The inscription on the present coin is HVG/E ON / WIN/CHE

York.jpg

York

York had two mints during the recoinage period, one for the king and one for the archbishop. The royal mint probably commenced operation in mid 1248 and struck coins of classes 2b through to 3bc. The archbishop’s mint opened slightly later in the year and struck coins of classes 3a to 3c. The mint signature on the coins is variously EV, EVER, EVERW, EVERWI or EVERWIC. The four moneyers recorded for the king's mint are Alain, Ieremie, Ion and Rener. The archbishop's moneyer was Tomas.

The inscription on the present coin is TOM/AS O/N E/VER



Click here to see detailed tables of mints and moneyers


Small change

With the single exception of a rare gold coin valued at twenty silver pence, the long cross coinage consists of a single denomination, the silver penny. Although small quantities of halfpennies had occasionally been struck since Saxon times, and a very small number of round halfpennies and farthings were minted towards the end of the short cross issue, the disproportionate cost of producing such small coins seems to have deterred the authorities from making any real effort.

The need for small change was nevertheless extremely acute. A penny, which represented approximately a day’s pay for a skilled labourer, would buy two dozen eggs, two large loaves of bread or at least two gallons of ale. The solution, also adopted from the earliest times, was to cut the penny into halves and quarters. In fact, the voided cross design employed on the reverses of both the short cross and long cross coins was chosen to facilitate this measure.

It is apparent from the large numbers of cut coins found by metal detectorists that the cutting was performed both by mint staff and members of the public. The majority of cut coins have cleanly cut edges, which appear to have been made with an accurately positioned and sharp tool. A minority of them, however, show evidence of less skilled performance. Telltale signs include misaligned and multiple attempts at cutting, and irregular edges resulting from breaking the coin by repeated reverse bending. Such action would have been an obvious remedy whenever ‘official’ small change was not to hand.

Cut Halfpenny and Farthing.jpg

Cut halfpenny and farthing

Cut coins of all classes are found, and it is often possible to determine the class, and sometimes the mint and/or moneyer from the surviving part of the coin.



Chronology and dating

The sequence in which the various classes and sub-classes of long cross pennies were struck is fairly clear from a combination of contemporary records and evidence provided by the coins themselves. The coin evidence is gleaned from the moneyers named on their reverses, the dies and punches used in their manufacture, and information arising from the discovery of hoards.

The early classes, 1 to 4, can be dated quite closely, but the later ones, 5 to 7, which were produced over a much longer period of time, present a greater challenge. The best clues are provided by contemporary records, mainly those dealing with the appointment, succession and death of some of the moneyers. These are considered in more detail in a separate section of the article (see link below).

The dates shown below are based on the assumption that all the classes are sequential, but some of the sub-classes may have been struck concurrently, or at least have overlapped. In this context it is important to bear in mind that the sub-classes are artificial; they have been created and assigned by 20th century numismatists and would be quite meaningless to a 13th century mint official. Further details regarding dating, and an indication of the margins of error, are given in the documentary evidence section.

Class 1a 1247
Class 1b 1247 - 1248
Class 2a 1248
Class 2b 1248
Class 3a and 3ab 1248 - 1249
Class 3b and 3bc 1249
Class 3c 1249 - 1250
Class 3d 1250
Class 4 1250 - 1251
Class 5a 1251 - c1253
Class 5b c1253
Class 5c c1253 - c1256
Class 5d  c1256
Class 5e c1257
Class 5f c1257 - c1258
Class 5g c1258 - c1270
Class 5h c1270 - c1272
Class 5i c1272
Class 6 c1272 - c1275
Class 7 c1275 - 1278


See Chronology and dating – the documentary evidence


Bibliography

Allen, M The Durham Mint, 2003
Brooke, G C English Coins, 3rd Edition, 1950
Davis, R L BNJ 47: Class II Coins of the Long Cross Coinage 1247-1248, 1977
Eaglen, R J The Abbey and Mint at Bury St Edmunds to 1279, 2006
Edwards, M J SCMB: Nicholas of Hadlow Moneyer at Canterbury, Sep/Oct 1978
Fox, H B Earle and Shirley BNJ 7: Numismatic History of the Reigns of Edward I, II and III, 1910
Grueber, H A Handbook of the Coins of Great Britain and Ireland in the British Museum, 2nd Edition, 1970
Johnson, C The De Moneta of Nicholas Oresme (translation of), 1956
Lawrence, L A BNJ 9, 10 & 11: The Long-Cross Coinage of Henry III and Edward I, 1912, 1913 & 1915
Metcalf, D M SCBI 12: Ashmolean Museum, Part II - English Coins 1066-1279, 1969
Mossop, H R The Lincoln Mint c.890-1279, 1970
North, J J English Hammered Coinage, Vol I, 3rd Edition, 1994
North, J J English Hammered Coinage, Vol II, 3rd Edition, 1991
North, J J  BNJ 65: Some Imitations and Forgeries of the English and Irish Long Cross Pence of Henry III, 1995
Oman, C The Coinage of England, 1931
Spink Standard Catalogue of British Coins – England and the United Kingdom, 2009
Spink Standard Catalogue of British Coins – Scotland, Ireland and the Islands, 2003
Stewartby, Lord English Coins, 1180-1551, 2009
Sutherland, C H V English Coinage, 600-1900, 1973
Vosper, M R Website: Mike R Vosper Coins - Some Thoughts on the Henry III Class 5d’s
Wells, W C BNJ 22: Notes on the Long Cross Coinage of Henry III, 1247-1250, 1934-37
Wren, C R The Voided Long-Cross Coinage 1247-1279, 1993


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