Henry VIII Half Groat

Hampshire-based Tom Peirce is the finder of the coin pictured here. I was asked to provide more information, including a valuation. It’s a half groat, which was struck during the second coinage (1526-44) of Henry VIII. Instead of the King reaping the profit from the issue of this coin, it was the Archbishop of Canterbury (William Warham) who benefitted from it. Most half groats of this type have W to the left and A to the right of the shield on the reverse but the example found by Mr Peirce is a variety that omits the two letters (see number 2344 in the Standard Catalogue). The mint mark isn’t clear but is probably the one known as Warham’s uncertain mark, so-called because no-one has ever managed to identify it. On half groats that omit the letters T W the uncertain mark is usually on the obverse only but on this coin is might be on both sides; if so then this find would be very rare. I quoted a figure to Mr Peirce, which was based upon how the coin looked on a computer screen.

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