File:2012T303 obverse (FindID 499191).jpg

English: 12 silver hammered pennies. The report by Dr. Barrie Cook is as follows:

"...a group of 12 coins reported found in the South Northamptonshire area. Eleven are official silver coins of the kings of England, Edward I, II and III, including a penny from the anomalous issues of Berwick upon Tweed. The four pennies will be over 90% fine metal. Seven of the English coins are halfpennies of Edward III's Second Coinage (1335-44), which was struck to a less fine standard, but are still 83% silver. The remaining coin is a continental sterling from Flanders, also struck at over 90% fineness. A detailed list of the coins accompanies this report.

The coins represent a sample of the English currency probably around 1340. An extensive issue of halfpennies and some farthings formed Edward III's Second Coinage, but there had been no new pennies been struck since about 1330, and older coins still dominated the penny currency.

It is my opinion that this find represents a single body of material of good silver deposited in around 1340. It would therefore appear to fulfil the criteria of Treasure, according to the terms of the Act".

An itemised list of the coins follows:

Edward I-Edward II

1. Penny 4a (1282-9) Canterbury 1.39

2. Penny 4b London 1.35

3. Penny 10cf1 (1305-6) London 1.41

Edward III

Second Coinage (1335-44)

4. Halfpenny 2 London 0.63

5. Halfpenny 2 London 0.61

6. Halfpenny 4a London 0.66

7. Halfpenny 4a London 0.65

8. Halfpenny 4a London 0.65

9. Halfpenny 4a London 0.62

10. Halfpenny 4a (no star on reverse) London 0.6

Berwick upon Tweed series

11. Penny 2c (1297-8) Berwick 1.16

Continental

Robert of Bethune, Count of Flanders (1305-22)

12. Sterling M211? FLANDRIE with round N and E Alost 1.31

Dr Barrie J. Cook

Curator of Medieval and Early Modern Coinage