File:Medieval coin hoard (FindID 568177).jpg

English: REPORT TO HM CORONER

2011 T184 Winterborne Kingston, Dorset

I have examined a group of 83 items reported found at Winterborne Kingston, Dorset. The majority are official silver coins of the kings of England Edward I, Edward II and Edward III, along with two coins of King David II of Scots. In addition there is a single silver coin of King Henry IV, struck after the introduction of a new weight standard for the coinage in 1412 All these coins would have been struck to the current sterling standard, thus over 90% fine metal. With the coins was a lead bulla, or seal, of Pope Boniface IX (1389-1404)

The coins present are all ones that would have been in circulation in the years around 1400. There are three denominations present among the coins, the groat (fourpence), half-groat (twopence) and penny - so the group appears to be a selected portion of the currency, not including the gold coinage or the fractional denominations of halfpenny and farthing. This, along with the presence of the papal bulla, would suggest the coins were deposited on one occasion.

The coins are in a relatively poor state of preservation, with many being incomplete or just fragments. This is probably the consequence of action after the coins were deposited in the ground. However, many of the coins, especially the pennies, show significant evidence of wear and also of clipping, so the coins do not appear to be carefully selected for quality over time. They seem to represent in some way the available currency of the early years of the 15^th century. The face value of the surviving material when deposited was something over 11 shillings and it seems likely that originally there were more coins. This would equate to a few hundred pounds in our terms, as regards purchasing power. The papal bulla found with the coins may have originally been attached to a valued document, an indulgence perhaps, that the owner treasured and stored with his or her money.

It is my opinion, therefore, that the material discovered at Winterborne Kingston represents Treasure, according to the terms of the Act.

Dr Barrie J. Cook

Curator of Medieval and Early Modern Coinage

Department of Coins and Medals

British Museum

3 August 2012

2011 T181 Winterborne Kingston, Dorset

Catalogue

[Coins marked with an asterisk (*) were clearly clipped while in currency; coins marked with a cross (†) are now incomplete.]

England

Edward I-II

1. Penny 4b (1282-9) London 0.99*

2. 9b1 (1299-1301) Kingston-upon-Hull 0.93†

3. 9b1 London 0.84*

4. 10ab2(?) (1301-2) Durham (ENE) 0.94†

5-6. 10cf1 (1305-6) London 1.14, 0.88*

7. 10cf2 (1306-7) Durham 1.11

8-9. 10cf2 London 1.1, 0.93†

10. 10cf3 (1307-9) Canterbury 0.91*†

11. 10cf3 London 1.02*

12. 10cf3 London? 0.91†

13. 10cf5 (1309-10) Canterbury 1.31†

14. 10cf5 Durham 0.96*†

15. 10cf5 London 0.92*

16-17. 11a (1310-14) London 1.09*, 1.05

18. 11b3 London 1.32

19. 11b London 0.97*

20. 15 (1320-c/1333) London 1.02

21. 15 ? 1.19*

22. Uncertain 0.46

23. 1-10 London 0.45†

24. 10-15 London 0.45†

Edward I

Irish Coinage

25. Penny 4 (c/ 1297-1302) Dublin 0.32†

Edward III

Third, 'Florin', Coinage (1344-51)

26-7. Penny London 0.68†, 0.59†

28. Durham 0.93†

29. Uncertain 0.37†

Fourth Coinage

Pre-Treaty Period, Series C (1351-2)

30-33. Groat Series C London 4.39, 4.18, 3.64†, 3.52*

40-52. Half-groat Series C London 2.12*†, 2.1*, 2.08, 2.06*†,

2.05, 2.05*†, 2.02*, 2.0*†,

1.83*†, 1.82*, 1.53†, 1.32*†, 0.63†

58. Penny Series C Durham 0.88†

Series E (1354-5)

34-7. Groat Series E London 4.31, 4.08†, 3.5†, 3.47*

53-54. Half-groat Series E London 2.0*, 1.86†

59. Penny Series D-E York, episcopal 0.98*

60. Penny Series D-F Durham 0.82†

55. Halfgroat Series G/E mule London 2.14*

Series G (1356-61)

38. Groat Series Ga London 4.29

39. Groat Series Gb London 4.33*

56-7. Half-groat Series Gb London 2.11*, 1.75†

61-2. Penny Series Ga Durham 0.92†, 1.01

63. Penny Series G London 0.85†

Uncertain

64. Penny Uncertain uncertain 0.86*†

Treaty Period (1363-9)

65. Groat f London 4.39

66. Half-groat f London 2.19

67. Half-groat j London 2.05*

68-69 Half-groat uncertain London 1.36*†, 0.57†

70. Penny London 0.6†

71. Penny York 1.04*

Post-Treaty Period (1369-77)

72. Penny Durham 0.9†

73. Penny York 0.86*

74. Penny York 0.83†

Fourth Coinage, uncertain

75. Penny York 0.97†

76. Penny Uncertain 0.59†

Henry IV

Light Coinage (1412-13)

77. Penny Type II DI GRA REX London 0.6†

English pennies, details uncertain

78-80. 0.44†, 0.37†, 0.33†

Scotland

David II

Second Coinage (1357-67)

81-2. Half-groat Edinburgh 0.93*†, 0.67†

Rome

83. Lead bulla of Pope Boniface IX (1389-1404) 40.0g

Dr Barrie J. Cook

Curator of Medieval and Early Modern Coinage

Department of Coins and Medals

British Museum

3 August 2012