If all the imagery was visible then on the obverse would be a crowned bust facing right, with annulets on a collar below the chin and a crozier and a star in front of the face. On this side the full legend would read hENRICVS EPC+.

On the reverse is a cross pattee over a saltire fleury within the inner circle and if the whole of the legend was visible it would read +STEPhANVS REX. Fairly obviously, the reverse legend points towards this coin being struck during the reign of Stephen. However, rather than it being an official issue, it was struck for a high ranking member of the Catholic Church. Coins of this type used to be attributed to Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester, but are now believed to have been issued by Henry Murdac when he was Archbishop of York.

Historical Background

Henry I

Henry I had only one legitimate son, William, who would have been the next king when Henry died. Tragically, William was drowned in November of 1120.

Stephen grasps the throne.

On the death of Henry I in December of 1135 there were few Anglo-Norman lords who wished to be ruled over by a woman and her Angevin husband. It is said that a group of barons favoured the election of Theobald of Blois as the next king. However, acting with great speed, Theobald’s younger brother, Stephen, was crowned king on 22 December. Knowing that dived loyalties could lead to war, those who had supported Theobald switched their allegiance to Stephen. In blunt terms, Matilda must have been spitting blood when news of this reached her.

Civil war

For a couple of years things were relatively quiet and peaceful but in 1138 Geoffrey of Anjou invaded Normandy, David I of Scotland already had control of much of the north of England, and Robert of Gloucester (Matilda’s half-brother) started a rebellion in the west; the following year Matilda landed on the south coast of England with a party of supporters. This was the start of the period that became known as the anarchy. Every part of England wasn’t involved and armed conflict was sporadic rather than continuous but the country lacked the strength and authority of a united central government. Therefore, some barons did much as they pleased and it was not unusual for them to change sides more than once. Not only were the barons involved but so too were some high ranking members of the Church. For example, Stephen’s younger brother, Henry, was Bishop of Winchester. This Henry had hoped to become Archbishop of Canterbury but Stephen refused to grant him this position; instead he was made papal legate, which allowed him to dominate the English Church as the Pope’s representative.

Henry Murdac

Henry Murdac was a friend of Archbishop Thurstan of York, who promoted him to the cathedral chapter of York Minster. However, he left when he was invited by Bernard of Clairvaux to become a Cistercian monk at Clairvaux Abbey in France. It was there that he developed a friendship with the man who became Pope Eugene III. Later on Murdac was appointed as the first Abbot of Vauclair Abbey in Laon but in 1144 he returned to Yorkshire as the Abbot of Fountains Abbey.

The appointment of Eugene (a Cistercian) as Pope in 1145 proved to be problematic for William Fitzherbert. Bernard of Clairvaux tried very hard to have Fitzherbert suspended. Late in 1146 Pope Eugene decided that Fitzherbert had not been validly consecrated and he was suspended from office. He was finally deposed early in 1147 and the decision was confirmed at the Council of Reims on 21 March 1148. This led to another election and Henry Murdac was the successful candidate.

Stephen refused to accept Fitzherbert’s deposition and prevented Murdac from entering York. In 1149 David I of Scotland invaded the north of England (again!) and in this venture he received the support of Henry Murdac. The invasion was supposed to be in order to place David’s nephew, Henry Plantagenet (later Henry II), on the throne but could have had more to do with strengthening of David’s own position whilst England was weak. Murdac may have thought that if the Scots reached York then he might be installed as archbishop.

In 1150 Murdac was finally recognised by Stephen as Archbishop of York. However, he still lacked support in the city and he continued to reside at Ripon. Eventually, in January of 1151 he was able to enter York. Stephen wanted his son, Eustace, to be crowned king, so that his succession would be assured and hoped that Murdac would intercede with Pope Eugene to bring this about. Murdac did travel to Rome in 1151 but was unable to secure permission from the Pope for Eustace’s coronation.

Henry Murdac died at Beverley in Yorkshire on 14 October 1153 and shortly afterwards, on 20 December, the reappointment of William Fitzherbert was confirmed.

The civil war ends

Eustace, the son and heir of Stephen, also died in 1153. Theobald of Canterbury and Henry of Winchester then led a movement to draw King Stephen and Henry Plantagenet together. An agreement was reached whereby Stephen would remain king until his death, his younger son would inherit his baronies, and Henry would inherit his kingdom.

On 25 October 1154 Stephen died and on 19 December Henry Plantagenet, son of the Empress Matilda and Geoffrey Plantagenet and grandson of King Henry I, was crowned as Henry II. His charters would include the titles of King of the English, Duke of the Normans and Aquitanians and Count of the Angevins. He would rule until 1189 and be one of the strongest, most imaginative and innovative kings of England. It is therefore a pity that a man with such outstanding qualities did not pay more attention to the coinage of England. The quality of much of the currency struck during the reign of Stephen wasn’t good but it sank to even greater depths during the first coinage of Henry II. As detectorists and numismatists know only too well, clearly struck examples of the cross and crosslets (‘Tealby’) coinage are few and far between. Henry II has gone down in history as a great king but most of his early coins are absolutely awful!

Shaughn’s find

In numismatic reference works the best possible specimens are used to illustrate the reigns, types and varieties of coins. The rarity of coins of Henry Murdac is highlighted by the fact that the same specimen is used to illustrate J. J. North’s English Hammered Coinage and Spink’s Standard Catalogue. This coin doesn’t have much wear but has a large piece missing from its edge. When the late R. P. Mack wrote ‘Stephen and the Anarchy’ (British Numismatic Journal, 1966) only two specimens were known, one of which was purchased in York many years previously for the equivalent of 5p. Today I would guess that around half a dozen are known.

When were these coins struck? Murdac was recognised as Archbishop in 1150 but only entered York in January of 1151 and died on 14 October 1153. Therefore, the most probable time of issue is between the last two dates. This seems more likely than any earlier period, even though Murdac had been Archbishop of York since 1148.

Valuation

Both sides of Shaughn’s find would grade VF for the period but it has a slight edge chip. Significant plus points include its great rarity and the fact that it was struck during a particularly interesting period in English history. Cut halfpennies are worth far less than whole pennies but this one is so interesting and unusual that I would place upon it a pre-sale auction estimate no lower than £600 – £800.

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Ian sent in images of his finds and three denarii, all silver on a base metal core, are featured here (click an image to enlarge).

The denarius of Tiberius is the best preserved; on the obverse only very small areas of silver plating are missing and the reverse is fully covered.

Fourrees

Fourrees were made from the Republican period onwards and Ian’s latest one dates from the 4^th century. Some are nothing less than forgeries but when the plating is intact they look just like the real thing. Whilst some are certainly forgeries, others are struck from official dies. Whether the striking of fourrees at official mints was government policy or the work of dishonest workers is impossible to say.

I’ve seen a number of very convincing fourrees and if the plating had been intact I would have accepted them as genuine. Leading on from this, I wonder how many examples are in private and museum collections masquerading as solid gold and silver coins.

There is a market for fourrees with keen collectors of Roman coins. However, to achieve a decent price they would have to be offered up in a sale that included a good range of Roman material.

Valuation

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Is it a mule?

When it surfaced Jill was baffled by it. She said that the head on the obverse looked like James I but the date 1629 on the reverse related to Charles I. When Jill contacted me she asked if it could be a mule but, whatever the case, I was asked to give a full ID. Take a look at the illustrations and see if you recognise the coin. As first sight it doesn’t make sense but with a bit of lateral thinking everything falls into place.

Historical Background

To explain why it came to be struck I have to go back to the reign of Henry VII.

Following the chain of marriages, births and events will lead to Charles I becoming king of England. This course of history will shape the design of Jill’s coin.

Henry VII

Henry VIII

However, the previous good relationship deteriorated when Henry VIII came to the throne in 1509. This led to a large Scots army invading Northumberland in 1513. At a battle fought at Flodden Field the Scots were defeated and James IV was killed.

James V of Scotland

This left the son of James and Margaret as King of Scotland when he was a little over one year old. A regent would rule for many years but in 1528 he took charge of Scotland as King James V. His first marriage, in 1537, was to Madeleine of France but on her early death he then married Mary of Guise. This union produced a daughter, who would eventually become Mary, Queen of Scots. James died in 1542 and was succeeded by Mary, who was only one week old.

Mary, Queen of Scots

James VI of Scotland

After a battle fought at Carberry Hill in 1567, a force loyal to Lord Bothwell was defeated and Mary was forced to abdicate. Her son by Lord Darnley then became James VI of Scotland.

Elizabeth I

For a while Mary was held prisoner in Lockleven Castle. In May of 1568 she escaped and fled to England. This presented a great problem for Elizabeth I, for what was she to do with a woman who was not only a Catholic but had also been a queen? For the time being Mary was kept locked up and under close guard. Her presence in England led to the Northern Rebellion, during which the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland aimed to restore Catholicism and place Mary on the throne. The rebellion was put down and was followed by executions of the Earls and others.

In 1586 the Babington Plot came to light. Through this Mary Queen of Scots was implicated in a conspiracy to murder Elizabeth of England. After much heart-ache and indecision, Elizabeth eventually signed the death warrant and in 1587 Mary was executed.

During the Christmas celebrations of 1602 Elizabeth fell ill and may have known she had little time left. She would not name her successor but knew that Sir Robert Cecil was discretely planning for James VI of Scotland (a staunch Protestant) to take the throne of England.

James VI of Scotland becomes James I of England

Coinage of James VI

Scottish currency was by no means as stable as the English. Since the reign of Robert III (1390-1406) it had been subject to debasement and almost continual adjustments to its face value. By 1603 there had been eight different coinages during the reign of James VI. The silver content was close to that of England but an English shilling passed for twelve shillings in Scotland. Soon after James VI came to the throne of England his Scottish silver coins became very similar in design to their English counterparts but with face values twelve times higher.

Coinage of Charles I

When James I died in 1625, his son Charles became king. The earliest Scottish silver coins of Charles I copied the designs of those of his father. The twelve and six shilling pieces even have the same portrait. Later on, in1637-42, the famous French engraver Nicholas Briot made dies and set up machinery that made silver coins far superior to those in circulation in England.

Jill’s Coin

Scottish six shilling piece of Charles I

Dated 1629 – the only known specimen

But there is something about Jill’s find that makes it especially important and outstanding. Six shilling pieces of Charles I are known for every date between 1625 and 1634 except one: 1629. If you haven’t already noticed the date on Jill’s coin then look now, for it is none other than 1629. It is the missing link between 1625-28 and 1630-34. Wow! What a find! At this moment in time this Scottish six shilling piece is the only known specimen dated 1629.

Check your collections

Detectorists should check out their collections, to see if they have any Scottish six shilling pieces of James I and VI or Charles I. They are very similar to English sixpences of the same reigns but are much rarer and therefore of much higher commercial value. If you have one or find a specimen in the future then do let me know.

Exciting times

Some detectorists believe so much material has been unearthed that find rates will now start to shrink. I’m not of the same opinion. Sites continue to throw up outstanding finds and there is much land as yet unsearched. We have had some spectacular hoards and singleton finds over very recent years and I’m sure these will continue to be located over many years to come. We are living through exciting times, with much to look back on and as much or more to look forward to.

Valuation

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The Merovingians

Migration Period

Who were the Merovingians? To answer this question it is necessary first to look at what became known as the Migration Period. The date range is sometimes given as wide as the 3rd to the 11th century but in Europe the high point was the 3rd to the 6th century. This was a time when peoples moved from one place to another; the reasons included a thirst for plunder, jealousy of the power of Rome or simply a better place to settle.

The Franks

The Franks were a confederation of tribes, who in the late 2nd and early 3rd centuries, replaced earlier Germanic groupings in the west. As their influence grew they proved to be a thorn in the side of more than one Roman emperor. However, they were eventually defeated by Constantine and Crispus after a protracted campaign ended in 320 AD.

In 406 AD the Franks was one of the tribes that crossed the frozen Rhine and went on to devastate Gaul. They stayed in Gaul but they had rivals: Germans, Burgundians, Visigoths and Alamanni. Additionally, the Romans fought on, not wanting to give up a precious province. Aetius, the general under Valentinian III, narrowly failed to drive the Franks from northern Gaul but did crush the Huns in AD 451. However, the murder of Aetius in AD 454 meant that Gaul would fall to the strongest of the barbarian federations.

The Salian Franks

Merovingian Coins

Merovingian coins can be categorised as pseudo-imperial and quasi-imperial issues (both struck in the name of a Roman emperor), royal issues (struck in the name of a Merovingian king) and lastly, issues of the national gold coinage. The latter was produced in Aquitaine, Austrasia, Burgundia and Neustria at numerous mints. However, there is no specific dateline, as the different issues tend to overlap each other. The earlier issues are close copies of Byzantine gold coins but the national issues have a far greater range of designs.

The early centuries of the Migration Period could also be said to encompass the age of imitations. Late Roman and early Byzantine coins were copied not only by the Merovingians but by the Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Lombards, Burgundians, Suevi, Frisians and some Islamic issuing authorities. The copies could be close or rough and sometimes copies were of copies. All this adds to the fascination for numismatists. It’s not uncommon for really difficult coins simply to be attributed to an ‘uncertain Germanic tribe’.

Glenn’s coin

The obverse on Glenn’s find has a bust in the style of late Roman gold coins but it is also similar to that found on many Merovingian tremisses. The reverse, with the cross on globe, is more akin to Byzantine issues but it occurs less frequently than the cross on steps type. From the reading of the reverse legend it has been suggested that the mint might be Silvanectis (Senlis in modern-day France).

Other numismatic research on this coin

Several eminent numismatists have actually seen this coin and passed comments on it. They include Martin Allen, John Naylor, Arent Pol and Gareth Williams – all PhDs, so all should be addressed as Doctor. Dr Pol traced what appears to be a die duplicate, which has been in the Bibliotheque Nationale de France (Paris) since 1992.

Large quantity of Merovingian coinage

I’d suggest that the date of striking of Glenn’s coin is likely to be circa 580-620 AD. However, this is a strong possibility rather than a certainty. It is one of only of only two known specimens, which makes it a great rarity. However, within the vast area under Merovingian control a huge amount of gold was turned into coins. The standard five volume reference work by A. de Belfort in 1892 includes thousands of coins. Over the last 50 years many more examples have been found in England and the number continues to rise year on year. Of the commonest types a dozen or more might now be on record. However, many are similar to Glenn’s find, in that only one or two specimens are known.

Valuation

Merovingian tremisses appear in London auction sales fairly regularly; they are sometimes from collections but more often than not they are detecting finds. All are rare, so the main factors that influence price are the eye appeal of the design and, above all, the state of preservation.

Glenn’s tremissis bears an attractive obverse, an interesting reverse and scores high in terms of its condition. The flan looks as if it might be uneven but the coin is otherwise in good VF to near EF condition. Putting a figure on it is difficult.

A likely pre-sale auction estimate on Glenn’s find would be £3,000 – £4,000. However, the eventual hammer price would depend on the extent of competition between prospective buyers in the saleroom.

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Brussels Hoard

n Brussels in 1908 workmen demolishing a very old tavern discovered a huge hoard of penny-sized hammered silver coins. The hoard was made up of around 64,000 Continental coins, together with over 80,000 English, Scottish and Irish. Just imagine how large the pile must have been! Arrangements were made to sell the coins by auction in two massive lots, the Continental coins in one lot and all the rest in the other.

The story goes that the day before the auction was to be held in October of 1909, when some potential buyers wanted to cross the English Channel to attend the sale, the weather was so bad that ships could not put to sea. However, Albert Baldwin (of A. H. Baldwin & Sons, the London-based coin dealers) had arrived two days before the auction, when the weather was good.

At the auction Albert Baldwin bought the lot containing all the English, Scottish and Irish coins for £9,000, which works out at 11p per coin. Some were sold to collectors and it is said that some of the poorer coins were melted down to pay the wages of Baldwin’s staff in the 1920s. Nevertheless, in the 1950s the company still had around 55,000 of the Brussels’ hoard coins in stock. Before any of the Scottish coins were sold Albert Baldwin took advantage of a unique opportunity to sort them out into mints, moneyers and types; the information gained was of great and lasting importance.

Valuation

The coin is in Fine condition but the flan is dark in colour and this might put off some of the most discerning collectors. However, I’d still say it should be worth £60-80.

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