Elizabeth I Groat

Dennis Langmead said he has had this coin in his collection for a while and thinks it is a groat but isn’t certain. Well, it is a groat of Elizabeth I with mint mark cross crosslet on both sides (Standard Catalogue number 2556). Hence, it is a product of the second issue (1560-61). Hammered groats were struck during the first and second issue, plus a few milled coinage groats, but that was the last time this denomination was struck until some of the provincial issues of Charles I.

Elizabeth I groats are undated and have no rose behind the bust of the queen; sixpences and threepences do have a date and a rose. Confusion could arise if a sixpence was clipped or a threepence struck on a particularly large flan. Even though the striking of second issue groats lasted only two years a large number entered circulation, so they aren’t particularly scarce. However, they turn up less frequently as detecting finds than sixpences and threepences of Elizabeth I.

Valuation

On the obverse a few faint marks show up on the queen’s face and above her forehead but the coin is otherwise in VF condition; the reverse is flat at the right hand side on the base of the shield but would grade good VF. Sadly, the coin has a noticeable edge flaw at roughly 7 o’clock on the obverse, which will reduce its value. However, to a keen collector it should still be worth £120-150.

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