The lost purse included cut coins, such as this halfpenny, used as change.Royal Institution of Cornwall
Posted on 12/09/2023 8:45:07 AM PST by SunkenCiv
An unnamed metal detectorist recently discovered a scarce collection of 12th-century silver pennies near the village of Wymondham in the county of Norfolk in eastern England.
This valuable cache of coins included seven pieces minted during the reign of King Stephen and two more dated to the reigns of Stephen's successors, Henry II and III.
A grandson of William the Conqueror, Stephen took the throne on the death of King Henry I. However most of his reign was spent in a bitter civil war between him and his rival for the throne, Henry's daughter Matilda.
The find is made up of two pennies, three cut halfpennies and two cut quarters of pennies from Stephen's reign, as well as two cut quarters of short cross pennies from Henry II and Henry III's reigns.
The discovery of pennies dating back to King Stephen's reign is especially noteworthy, as these silver pieces are among the hardest to find of all medieval coins...
The Norman Conquest in 1066 destroyed Anglo-Saxon England's "very monetised and sophisticated economy… setting the country back at least 100 years," he said.
When money was scarce in the 11th and 12th centuries, pure silver pennies were crudely chopped into pieces of varying sizes to "reinflate" the money supply (put more money in circulation). Because new coins were not being minted in large quantities during King Stephen's 12th-century reign, the newly discovered coins are an unusual and thus valuable discovery, even in their less-than-perfect condition.
(Excerpt) Read more at arkeonews.net ...
The lost purse included cut coins, such as this halfpenny, used as change.Royal Institution of Cornwall
Whoops, forgot to put the link tag name in there.
Wow! Thanks for the picture!
12 pennies to a shilling
20 shillings to a pound
how many pounds did a new business suit cost back then?
Before the UK changed to decimal currency, they had copper coins *called* halfpennies, there’s one around here somewhere, it’s pretty big if memory serves. I think all the oddball coins are in a nice wood box (painted green) that held the battery in my late father’s Model A. :^)
And the “detectorist” told someone? SMDH! Keep quiet, dig all night. 😁👍
I found a really cool very old key and a bunch of modern change while metal detecting today. I’ll call the key a good find.
Pretty cool find!
“King Stephen 12th Century rare penny hoard found near Wymondham”
CORRECTION:
King Stephen 12th Century rare penny hoard found on Oak Island. /s
A penny saved is a penny spurned........
🤣👍. Well done.
Smdh?
Shaking My Dang Head.
"Let a horde of foreigners in and it will destroy your economy," I sez to Harold, but would he listen?
:^)
:^)
Why is the 26th December Boxing Day in the UK & Ireland?
There is no agreement about this. We can be pretty sure it is not because family members were ready to fight each other after spending Christmas Day together. Nor was it traditionally the day you boxed up and sent unwanted presents back to the shop.
The holiday is, of course, the feast day of Saint Stephen — as described in abpve. There has also been an association since the early Christian period with charity — metal boxes were left outside churches.
https://eslreading.medium.com/who-was-king-wenceslas-and-the-the-feast-of-stephen-3adff902f518
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