Heading: Edward I Silver Penny London Mint Cl 3f after 1279

Denomination: Silver penny

Period: Plantagenets

Date: After 1279

Origin: London mint, possible class 3f

Condition: AVF full round flan, toned

Obverse: Crowned facing bust, drapery of two wedges, +EDW R ANGL DNS hYB

Reverse: Long cross with three pellets in each quarter, legend around +CIVI TAS LON DON

Size and Weight: 19mm, 1.39g

References: Spink 1392, North 142

Features and Provenance: Ex Noonan's, previously Baldwin's

Edward I, also known as Edward ‘Longshanks’ due to his tall stature, was king of England from 1272 to 1307. During his reign there was constant unrest with the chieftains of Wales, as a result, Edward built many castles in Wales as strongholds. Such wonderful castles as Harlech, Rhuddlan, Conwy and Caernarvon were constructed or rebuilt. His first wife, Eleanor of Castile seemingly gave birth in nearly all of them, having sixteen children in all; sadly, only seven survived to adulthood. Edward also became known as the ‘Hammer of the Scots’ for having put pay to armies at Carlisle, Berwick and Dunbar. He brought an end to the forlorn aspirations of William Wallace when Wallace himself was betrayed by his own people.

This reign also saw the first appearance of the halfpenny and farthing, previously it had been merely a penny cut in half or quarters, which was not particularly secure, leading to ‘clipping’, the practice of cutting off small pieces of silver and hoarding the clippings. Pennies were often misshapen because of this.

 Very Fine (VF). Some signs of wear on the higher parts of the relief, all parts of legend etc present