Overview:
During the declining years of Henry VIII's reign and into the first few years of Edward VI's reign, the coinage had been significantly debased due to a financial crisis in the Royal treasury. At its worst, a thin silver coinage was produced, with a Shilling (12d) weighing only 40 grams. An indenture of 5 April 1547, at the beginning of Edward VI's reign, authorised the production of farthings. It is possible that the dies from Henry VIII's reign remained in use (assuming any farthings were actually struck) as there is no evidence of a new type of farthing for this period. Had farthings been minted at this time they would have weighed a mere 0.8 grams
On 2 December 1548, an indenture was issued to the mint at Durham House ordering the striking of all denominations of silver coins, including farthings. at 4 oz. fine. Despite this order, there are no known farthings that can be attibuted to the Durham House mint1.
In August 1551, the quality of the debased coinage was addressed, resulting in a devaulation of the debased currency by 50%. As such, the debased halfpenny of Edward VI served as the 'de facto' farthing.
An official farthing of fine silver was also produced although there is no known indenture authorising its production. Currently, this fine silver issue is the only known hammered silver farthing struck with the name of Edward VI.
The light weight and small size of the silver farthing had made it impractical to manufacture and use. This was the last reign in which hammered silver farthings were minted.
Queen Elizabeth I ordered the production of a new silver Three-farthings... but that's another story.
Date: 1551-1553
Mint: London
Type: FINE SILVER ISSUE - SIXTH COINAGE
Diameter: 9mm
Weight: 0.19g (3 grains2)
Purity: 4 oz fine2
Obverse: [E·] D· G [ROS]A SINE SPI around a Portcullis.
Legend translated:
Edward by the Grace of God, a Rose without a thorn
Reverse: CIVITAS [LONDON]
"Long Cross" pattee with three pellets in each quarter.
Reference(s):
W. 1a
S.2487A (formerly 2477)
N.1948 (though mis-classified as such)
Notes:
An interesting coin. Originally attributed (by North and Seaby) as a
"Third Period - Very Base Silver" issue of 1551, it has recently been
reclassified as one of the "Third Period - Fine Silver" issue of
1551-1553. The only know example is in the British Museum.
Scarcity: Extremely Rare
Guide Price:
£700 (Fine)
£1650 (Very Fine)
HALFPENCE that were used as FARTHINGS
- These "Base Issue" halfpenny had so little silver in them that they were only ever used as farthings. It was recorded in the Kings Journal from 1551, that the value of the base coin was further dimished; the Halfpenny was to be used as a Farthing.
In the centre of these coins is a single petal Rose (the penny had a double petal Rose). There are 2 distinctly different single petal rose types:
Type 1
|
Type 2
|
Date: 1551
Mint: London
Type: BASE ISSUE HALFPENNY - SIXTH COINAGE
Weight: 0.37g
Obverse: Initial mintmark of a Scallop followed by:
E.D.G. ROSA·SINE. SPI around a Rose - Type 1.
Legend translated:
Edward by the Grace of God, a Rose without a thorn
Reverse: CIVITAS LONDON
"Long Cross" pattee over the English Coat of Arms.
Reference(s):
S.2476
N.1947
W.2a
Scarcity: Extremely Rare
Guide Price:
£350 (Fine)
£800 (Very Fine)
Date: 1551
Mint: London
Type: BASE ISSUE HALFPENNY
Weight: 0.37g
Obverse: Initial mintmark of a Scallop followed by:
E:D:G: ROSA: SINE: SPI around a Rose.
Legend translated:
Edward by the Grace of God, a Rose without a thorn
Reverse: CIVITAS LONDON
"Long Cross" pattee over the English Coat of Arms.
Reference(s):
S.2476
N.1947
W.2b
Notes:
Scarcity: Extremely Rare
Guide Price:
£350 (Fine)
£800 (Very Fine)
Date: 1551
Mint: London
Type: BASE ISSUE HALFPENNY - SIXTH COINAGE
Weight: 0.37g
Obverse: Initial mintmark of a Scallop followed by:
E:D:G: ROSA: SINE· SPI: around a Rose - Type 1.
Legend translated:
Edward by the Grace of God, a Rose without a thorn
Reverse: CIVITAS LONDON
"Long Cross" pattee over the English Coat of Arms.
Reference(s):
S.2476
N.1947
W.2c
Scarcity: Extremely Rare
Guide Price:
£350 (Fine)
£800 (Very Fine)
Date: 1551
Mint: London
Type: BASE ISSUE HALFPENNY - SIXTH COINAGE
Weight: 0.37g
Obverse: Initial mintmark of a Scallop followed by:
·E:D:G: ROSA[:] SINE· SPI· around a Rose - Type 2.
Legend translated:
Edward by the Grace of God, a Rose without a thorn
Reverse: CIVITAS LONDON
"Long Cross" pattee over the English Coat of Arms.
Reference(s):
S.2476
N.1947
W. -
Scarcity: Extremely Rare
Guide Price:
£350 (Fine)
£800 (Very Fine)
1 BISPHAM, J. 1985: 'The Base Silver Shillings of Edward VI' BNJ. pp 134-143
2 SEABY, BA. (ed) 1948: Notes on English Silver Coins 1066-1648 to
help collectors in their classification (London, Seaby). pp 87
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