Speaking of Coin A, which @Aethelred now owns, it fetched an AU55 grade at PCGS when I submitted it a few years back. I expect more along the lines of XF40 on the new acquisition (Coin B). And speaking of @TheRed, he recently sent me the kind gift of a holey" touch-piece hammered medieval English penny of some kind, which I'm embarrassed to admit I cannot readily attribute (that never was my strong suit, at least in this stuff). I'll post some pictures of it. Stand by...
Here's the fun but slightly mysterious freebie @TheRed sent me last month (thanks!) I'm assuming it is a Long Cross penny. Edward I or later? So post-1272, I suppose, and Plantagenet (ca. 1272-1485)? Help? The flared end of the cross (at 9:00 in the second image) intrigues me.
Lord M, personally I am thrilled to hear you're expanding the "box". Further proof we collectors can mend our evil ways! Don't beat yourself up on the past, as you know, there are many coins in your future!
My guess is it's either a contemporary forgery or a coin from a European (Spain, Italy or some other place) country of similar design. The English pennies were widely copied because they were trusted to be of better silver than most other coins of the time.
A "crockard" or "pollard", then? I just read about those for the first time in @TheRed's recent Featured post, which is at the top of the homepage right now. That must be it. Thanks, @alde! And @TheRed. Very interesting!
I thought the sheriff was a bear. I guess he could be a really GIANT badger... I think coin A is worth the surperior price because it is the superior coin.
Yeah, he's big for a badger, fer sure. But well fed. Little John was a bear. Here's Little John (a bear, in disguise at the archery tournament) fighting the Sheriff of Nottingham (a ... um... whatever he is). The Sheriff would indeed have to be a REALLY big badger, since they appear to be about the same size. What IS he? Hmm. It's kind of like the Goofy vs. Pluto conundrum. C'mon, you know you like Disney trivia mixed in with medieval coin discussions, right? Where else are you gonna get that? You're welcome.
Shouldn't you be cooking the books or stealing from unattended mini-bars? Some kind of honest thievery instead of cruising European auctions after dark? FWIW, I think both are neat...
You're welcome @lordmarcovan The coins of the Yorks and Lancasters aren't areas I'm very familiar with, but through a couple of my books I had attributed the coin as a penny of Henry VI from York. The style of bust and the partial letters on ther obverse indicated that the coin was post Richard II and the quatrefoil at the center of the long cross on the reverse is am indication of an ecclesiastical mint. York is the most common one, hence my claim that it is from that mint. Sadly, the heavy clipping and hole have obliterated a lot of the detail and there aren't any telltale ornaments visible around the bust, so it's only an educated guess on my part, and I could very well be wrong. I always thought the sheriff of Nottingham was a wolf.
I think you're right on both counts. I mean, I don't know enough to second-guess your attribution of the holey gift penny, but the Disney animation of the Sheriff of Nottingham makes a LOT more sense as a wolf, now that you mention it. Thanks! See, who says these polls don't provide useful conclusions?
Hi, @lordmarcovan , I preferred coin B. The reason I preferred that coin (apart from keeping 150 clams in my pocket) was because of the eyes in coin A. I did not like the look because he seems blind in one eye from some icky river parasite. Also, when I went back and forth between the coins I decided the clarity of legend and how the beard was, were fairly the same. Also, although the cross over the head of coin A is clearer and larger, I can certainly make it out on coin B. I also happened to enjoy the less perfect roundedness of coin B; The shape of B does not bother me in the least. '
Thanks, LC. Makes me feel a tad better. LOL @ "river parasite" comment. I'm sure there was no shortage of that sort of thing in medieval England, whether one was king or commoner.
Oh, BTW, Ancient Forum peeps: I finally joined what seems to be a rather large club I've heard y'all mention. During the recent CNG auction, I got "clio-ed" for the first time! Not that I probably would've been a strong contender on any of the other lots I was an underbidder on. I just had to chuckle when I saw the "clio" username on at least one lot I'd been outbid on. 'Twas my first time actually seeing this operator in action. So I guess the legend is real after all.
Maybe that’s the origin of “one-eyed jack” (John often referred to as Jack, e.g. as in John/Jack Kennedy). Steve