I don't get a whole lot of time to check out the bourse floor at coin shows. I'm usually pretty busy doing other things, but I can manage some time during my lunch break. But that's tough at a show like the ANA when there's just so much to see. What makes things tougher is that I have absolutely no focus in my coin collection, I just usually pick something that I think is really cool or means something to me (this suits me fine). This means I go into these things not knowing specifically what I want, I just go in hoping something will catch my eye. Sometimes something does, a lot of the time something does not. I usually stop by Karl Stephens' booth since he has neat stuff. I had been interested in a Bremerhaven commemorative, but I dithered since I already have a Bremen coin. Some of his Napoleonic medals were really neat, but I already had one of those. I glanced at some hammered coins, and something really caught my eye: A Henry VIII groat. What struck me most was the clarity of the portrait on it; nicely worn and the details very clear, nicely centered, no crazy doubling. I thought about what this coin had been through, and the history associated and I just had to have it. I think it's really freakin' cool.
Great coin! When during his reign was it issued? The portrait is getting ugly so I suspect it is middle to late but I don't know how you are to date these.
From what I gather there were three coinage issues for the groat during Henry's reign. Young portrait circa 1509, this portrait circa 1526, and the older, bearded portrait of circa 1544.
Could anyone give me some more insight into the inscription on the coin? I know DG is by the Grace of God of course, but I'd like to know more.
Obverse: HENRICs VIII D G R AGL Z FRA Henry 8 by grace of God King of England & France The high S (looking like a 9) ending Henricus shows it is a contracted form. Reverse: POSVI DEV ADIVTO(R)E MEV I have made God my helper Letters get left out. Yours seems to be short the R. There are some interesting consistencies of style like C's and E's being closed on the right. h and n are what we would consider lower case. I find it interesting that the half groat replaces the reverse legend here with a mint city name. Mine is CIVITAS CANTOR (City of Canterbury) and has the initials of the then current Archbishop Thomas Cranmer.
Thanks for the info. You know, I've been looking at hammered and milled coinage more and more lately. There's just so much character and individuality to the coins. What's a good online resource to look at, or buy such coins? Aside from eBay I mean. Not just English coins either. This could be the start of something.
I mean I know there's places like Spink auctions, and Civitas Galleries for example. What I was asking is if there's any other notable names worth checking out, either based in North America or in Europe. Sorry, I should have been more specific.
