Elizabeth I, groat

Roger Paul sent in this coin but he said it turned up a while back. It’s a hammered silver groat of Elizabeth I.

Elizabethan groats turn up far less frequently than sixpences. The main reason for this is that groats were struck in 1559, 1560 and 1561 but none thereafter but sixpences were issued in every year between 1561 and 1602.

The earliest groats of Elizabeth (1559-60) I have mint mark fleur de lis. Later examples, struck 1560-61, have mint mark martlet or cross crosslet. Roger’s find is an example of the latter.

Valuation

In terms of circulation wear the coin would grade Fine or slightly better but both sides are a little off centre. Spink’s Standard Catalogue prices groats of this type at £75 in Fine condition. I think the Spink price is a bit optimistic, so I’d say no more than £50 – £60 on Roger’s example.

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