[MR] BBC: Cornish Coin Hoard Declared Treasure

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

A small coin "hoard" found in Norfolk during 2019 has (finally!) been
declared treasure.

There are only nine coins in the lot, and the majority are silver pennies
dated from the reign of King Stephen, whose disputed reign lasted from
1135-1154. Single examples from King Henry II (reigned 1154-1189) and King
Henry III (reigned 1216-1272). Several of the coins are half or quarter
sections, which suggests they were part of a lost purse, rather than a
purposefully buried hoard. Medieval England was almost always short of
coinage, and there were no smaller coins than the penny at that time, so
they were frequently cut to make change.

That coins from Stephen's reign would still be in circulation some 60 years
later is most curious, and possibly speaks to a weak monetary policy. Most
English kings recalled coins minted by their predecessors and had the
silver reminted with their names stamped on the coins. This wasn't just for
vanity, but rather because rulers almost always adjusted the amount of
silver downward. Henry II established the value of a penny at 1/240th of a
"tower pound" of silver, the Tower Pound being a standard weight kept in
the Tower of London for reference. His coin was set at 92.5% sterling
silver. It was all downhill from there. By the time Henry VIII was on the
throne, the silver penny had been adulterated to around 33% silver.

Here is the BBC story: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-67436202
.

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆