On the reverse is the head of Genius Saeculari Novi facing right, with a four-rayed comet with tail above. On this side the legend reads M SANQVINIVS III VIR.

In volume I of David Sear’s Roman Coins and Their Values denarii of this type are listed as number 1621. Sear quotes A. A. Boyce in suggesting that the head on the reverse could be a personification of the ‘New Age’ ushered in by the new emperor.

Valuation

This is a rare coin, which, in terms of circulation wear, would grade good VF. However, from the images I received it is impossible to assess its surfaces. Does the coin have silver surfaces, which would add to its appeal, or are they a ‘dead’ grey colour? It is possible to have two examples of the same coin, both of exactly the same grade, but the appearance of one has more ‘eye appeal’ than the other.

Over the last few years a number of examples of Sear 1621 have been sold at auction; the average for VF has been around £2,500 and an EF example reached £4,200. What the example pictured here would fetch depends on what it looks like ‘in the flesh’ (so to speak).

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This coin is a groat of David II of Scotland (1329-71). It was struck during series B of David’s second coinage (1357-67). On the reverse the inner legend reads VILL AED InBV RGh so it was struck at Edinburgh. In the RGh quarter there is a tiny cross, so this groat is an example of number 5096 in Scotland, Ireland and the Islands.

Valuation

Most groats of David II are not particularly scarce but the cross on the reverse of this coin makes it rather special. This particular die paring is very rare indeed. Unfortunately, the overall state of preservation isn’t good. It would grade better than Fine in terms of circulation wear but the flan is uneven and there are cracks in the edge.  It would still be of interest to specialists but my price range would be no higher than £150-180.

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Some detail shows up on the obverse but it is indistinct.  On the reverse is what remains of a large cross crosslet with a cross in each angle. In Coins of Scotland, Ireland and the Islands pennies of this type are listed as 5013 and 5014; the former were struck in the name of Prince Henry and the latter bear the name of King Stephen. Due to its overall condition, I can’t say if it was struck for a King or for a Prince.

Valuation

Sadly, this cut quarter would grade no higher than Fair. However, a plus point is its great rarity so if I was cataloguing it for sale at auction I would set the pre-sale estimate at £170-200.

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The coin is a penny of Henry I and is an example of the extremely rare pointing bust and stars type (BMC 6). In J. J. North’s English Hammered Coinage it is listed as number 862 and in the Standard Catalogue it is number 1267.

On the reverse the legend reads +PVLFPINE:ON:IVN. The letter F is a peculiar shape and the first letter of the mint signature looks like an I rather than a letter L. Therefore, the moneyer is Wulfwine and the mint London.

Valuation

The obverse of Dean’s find would grade Fair to Fine but the reverse is better and would grade Fine. As the coin is a real rarity I didn’t expect to trace another example. Surprisingly, a die duplicate was sold at auction during 2022; this was graded as VF for the issue and the hammer price was £2,200. The state of preservation of Dean’s find is not as good so if it was offered for sale at auction a likely pre-sale estimate would be no higher than £800-1,000.

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The coin has been reported to a FLO but as yet Louise has had no response. If she has been waiting for roughly a month or more then it would be worthwhile reminding the FLO about this find.

This is a rather peculiar coin. The centres point towards it being a Watford type penny of Stephen. However, nothing shows up in the legend on both sides.

Over the years I’ve seen tens of thousands of hammered silver coin but I can’t remember one like this. If the centres are reasonably clear then why aren’t the legends? Perhaps the lettering shows up better on the coin itself but Louise will have to wait until the FLO gets back to her to find out.

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The coin appears to be a denarius of Hadrian, whose dates are AD 117 to 138. On the obverse the laureate head of the emperor faces right and there is light drapery of his far shoulder. On this side the legend reads HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS.

On the reverse are the emblems of the augurate and pontificate and a legend reading COS III. In volume II of David Sear’s Roman Coins and Their Values this type is listed as number 3483. It was struck at Rome during AD 127.

The coin would grade about VF but is very dark in colour. This, though, is not particularly unusual for a coin that has been in the soil for close to two thousand years. If 100 denarii of Hadrian were brought together and weighed then the average figure would be over 3 grams. However, several would weigh less than 3 grams so Stephen’s coin, at 2.87 grams, is not particularly unusual.

The fact that silver coins usually show up as 51-53 on Stephen’s detector but the denarius registered 17-18 does not mean it isn’t genuine. All sorts of things can affect readouts so they certainly should be treated as infallible. Quite obviously, I cannot tell if the coin is silver with only photographs to work from. However, from its general appearance I can say that it looks to me like a perfectly genuine denarius of Hadrian.

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The coin is a Scottish cut farthing, which Robert had identified as being struck for Prince Henry, who was the son of King David I (1124-53). However, Henry never became king as he died in 1152.

This cut farthing is dark in colour so the detail is difficult to make out. On the obverse part of a crown shows up but only two letters in the legend: E followed by N, the latter is elongated and reversed. I could not identify any letters in the reverse legend but within the inner circle one arm of a cross fleury is quite clear. From my description I’m able to say that this is definitely a coin of Prince Henry of Scotland.

In Coins of Scotland, Ireland and the Islands coins of this type are listed as number 5012 and in the Standard Catalogue they are number 1311. In volume I of J. J. North’s English Hammered Coinage they fall under number 913.

Valuation

As already stated, the detail does not show up well on this cut farthing and the type is not as rare as it used to be. Another minus point is the fact that cut coins sell for a great deal less than whole pennies. As it stands, if the coin was offered for sale at auction I’d expect the pre-sale estimate to be £250-300.

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The coin is a billon (very base silver) centenionalis of Constantine II as Caesar (AD 317 to 337).  Facing left on the obverse is the bust of Constantine Caesar; his head is radiate and his upper body draped. On this side the legend reads CONSTANTINVS IVN N C.

On the reverse is an altar inscribed with VOT IS and flanked by F B.  The altar is surmounted by a globe and below the base are the mint letters for London (PLON). On this side the legend reads BEAT TRANQLITAS.

In volume V of David Sear’s Roman Coins and Their Values coins of this type are listed as number 17148. The obverse of this specimen has been struck slightly off centre but it is otherwise a decent example of the type.

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The coin is a York mint penny of Richard II. On the obverse the king wears a flat crown and the legend reads +RICARD REX AnGLI Z FRAnC; with a double saltire stop either side of the letter Z.

In the centre of the reverse there is a quatrefoil, which indicates that this penny was struck for the profit of the Archbishop of York rather than the King of England. The legend on this side reads CIVI TAS EBOR ACI with a mark after TAS (a scallop?) and a double saltire stop after ACI. All this adds up to the coin being an example of type III, which is listed in the Standard Catalogue as number 1695.

Valuation

The coin is weak in places and has an edge chip but it is otherwise good Fine for the issue and is quite rare. In its present condition my price range would be £50-70.

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The so-called flag type pennies of Stephen are not as rare as they used to be due to the number unearthed by detectorists during the last couple of decades. They belong to the ‘York Group’ and have always been popular with collectors.

Valuation

This penny has been struck slightly off centre and part of the outer legend is weak on both sides but the coin is otherwise good VF for the issue. Additionally, it has great eye appeal.

If offered for sale at auction then one of the leading London firms would probably achieve the highest price (£3,500-4,500).

However, the difference between what the vendor receives and what the buyer pays is very large, unless a special deal is negotiated.

The finder said he wasn’t really bothered about selling the coin as it was interesting, as was the period during which it was struck. That being the case, he should hang on to it – for he’ll never find another one like it.

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