Just won this rare Henry VIII penny

There was a live auction on Toronto that I wanted to attend but could not. Instead I had to bid online. When I saw this in the catalogue they sent me I could not believe it. 95% of the auction was Canadian coins but there were a few mediaeval sprinkled around. I was the first bidder on the lot. Someone else bid as well but I won the lot for hundreds less than the low estimate.

Here it is, a Henry VIII penny minted in Canterbury. Apparently Canterbury is a very rare mint for Henry VII. I obviously did my research first when I saw the coin in the catalogue last week and have done some searching online since. There are 2 examples on Coin Archives, and 2 on Acsearch. However they are the same coins, so that makes 2 examples. I found one further example in the CNG archives.

I am very excited to add Henry VIII to my historical figures collection.


Please post your hammered coins. I would really like to see them.

Great Britain: Henry VIII (1509-47) Silver Penny, Canterbury Mint Mark, S-2350. EF for issue

View attachment 642095

 

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That's a beauty!!

 

I can post pictures of hammered collectors, and photos of hammered collectors' coins, but as for hammered coins....well, my coins don't drink. They are old enough to know better.

btw nice penny

 

Very sorry for the double post. My internet was not working properly.

 

I'm not home to check references but there's something not sitting well with me. The style of the obverse is odd and the ends of the cross with the circles doesn't seem right to me. I'll try to look later tonight when I have access to my library.

 

Post it here too, lol.

Still have it, @lordmarcovan


IRELAND, Henry VIII (1509-1547)
AR Groat
O:hЄnRIC VIII : DI GR RЄX : ΛnGLIЄ, Crowned royal arms over long cross fourchée.
R: FRΛnCIЄ : ЄT : hIBЄRnIЄ : RЄX Crowned harp dividing the crowned initials H & R
London Mint, Struck 1543
25mm
2.47g
SCBI 22 (Copenhagen), -; SCBC 6480

 

Very nice!

 

Wow, nice Henry VIII penny. Congratulations on adding it to your collection. I have a bunch of English and Feudal French hammered coins to attribute and photograph.

 

I won't subject you to all my medieval... however, I can stay relavant with a Henry VII (None of Henry VIII for me... yet)

England
Henry VII, r. 1485-1509 (1494-1501)
Durham Mint, mm 76b, AR Penny, 14.88mm x 0.6 grams
Obv.: [HENR]IC DI GR[A REX] AN. King enthroned holding orb and sceptre
Rev.: CIVITAS [DE .:.] RAM. Coat-of-arms over long cross pattée, mitre above, R left, D right
Ref.: North 1731, SCBS 2234, De Witt 3298
Ex. R.D. Frederick, Ex. Tradewinds Collection, Ex. CNG Auction 280, Lot 481

 

Checking my references the coin is ok. But it's Henry VII, London mint, Spink 2228.

 

@Barry Murphy is correct, London all the way. The reverse legend reads CIVI | TAS | LON | DON.

I've sold off my Henry VII and VIII coinage, so I'll add a different ruler.

Edward III AR Penny 1351-1352 AD
Forth coinage Series C Durham mint
21mm 1.18g

 

Thank you Barry. I shall contact the auction company. Not only did they get the mint wrong but the they got the wrong king. I guess it is not so hard to do since this type was minted for both Henry VII and Henry VIII and both had a London mint version.
I appreciate your help.

 

Well, sorry folks...this story had a different ending than I expected.

 

It's still a nice well struck and detailed coin from an interesting period in history. I'm not familiar with H7 coins but you might be hard pressed to find a better one.

 

"Civi/tas/Lon/don" on reverse for London mint. It's still a nice Sovereign Penny. One of my favourite medieval types, and rarely seen this nice. I still bitterly regret losing an eBay auction for an outstanding EF sovereign penny. I had an aggressive bid on it and was well ahead until I got sniped in the final seconds. I bought an OK one cheaply on the rebound, but it's one I really want to upgrade.

 

Why are Henry VIII coins so hard to find in good/decent grades?

Is it because:
a) The coins were poorly struck;
b) The coins were heavily circulated; or
c) People do not wish to part with good quality coins from this psychopathic monarch???

Perhaps a silly question but I've been looking for some and cannot find anything that really strikes me (pun intended).