I assume this is a threepence, since it's about 19 mm. Weight is 1.18 g. Is that an eglantine mintmark? How would you attribute this piece? Thanks.
Yes - Elizabeth Threepence seems right by the size. Mintmark is the Eglantine, which was used 1573 to 1578, third and fourth coinage, so that fits with the 1575 date. Type I think is S2566 - taller bust, ear shows. Size is slightly large - 18mm would be normal, but exact quality control was not a thing in those days!
I am learning new stuff every day... Normally I would think this was Spanish. but this is English, I guess the next time I am looking to buy one a cob or 1500s coin, I should pay attention to Elizabeth facing the left.
Just a thought. A Four Pence (Groat) was about 1mm larger than a Threepence. However they had a cross crosslet mintamark
I was thinking halfgroat at first, until I measured it. What's the typical diameter of an Elizabethan groat? Surely bigger than 19 mm? There's got to have been more difference in size between a 3d and 4d than 1 mm, surely, otherwise they'd have been really confusing in commerce, like US 20- and 25-cent pieces were in their time (or later, quarters and Susan B. Anthony dollars).
I've not got one to hand, but a Victorian Groat is 1mm bigger than a Victorian Threepence, although that Groat has a seated Britannia.
Yes, I'm familiar with the Victorian 3d and groats. Didn't realize they were only 1 mm different, though. Never measured them. I suppose that would have indeed been confusing, but for the fact that those Seated Britannia groats were used in the Colonies and the Maundy groats probably didn't circulate much alongside 3d coins.
I am pretty sure it cannot be a groat on this occasion. Elizabeth 3rd/4th coinage - 1561 to 1577 includes no groats. Size always needs to be taken into account with dates and/or mintmarks as the size altered substantially over the years, as did the silver content in other reigns. That is probably why later they started putting Roman numerals on coins to indicate the number of pennies value represented. Added: Elizabeth Groats of the First coinage were around 22 to 23mm. I presume the same for 2nd coinage. No groats 3rd to 7th coinage. Eloi Mestrel milled groat again 22mm.
Actually, squinting at the difficult-to-read lines on my brass caliper shown in the photo, that might actually be saying 18 mm after all. I need to shake off my cheapskate tendencies and get a proper digital caliper.
There is no 16th century Krause, but the books do have mm size gauges (which are not as precise as that caliper). Anyway, I no longer own hard copies of Krause anymore. Only digital.
Paddy, Yes no 16th century Krause, but my 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th century each have a MM guide either back or front . The centuries might change but the standard metric measurement does not If you lay a modern coin over the chart they are cock on.
Assuming the first line of the vernier scale is the zero, I would read it as 18.8mm and so your 19mm is closer.
