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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;robp, post: 3668225, member: 96746&quot;]During the English Civil War (1642-1646), in the absence of sufficient quantities of current legal tender, the Royalist forces were funded by three main sources; plate or money donated by supporters of the King, plate or money taken from the supporters of Parliament, or levies on the local population to pay for the defence of a town and upkeep of the defending force. There was also a supply of Welsh silver from the mines near Aberystwyth, leased and operated by Thomas Bushell, who prior to the war operated a mint at Aberystwyth, but on the outbreak of hostilities moved operations to Shrewsbury, then Oxford before finally moving to Bristol in 1643.</p><p><br /></p><p>Attested mints striking Royalist locations are York, Newark, Truro, Exeter, Shrewsbury, Oxford, Carlisle, Bristol, Chester and Hereford. Unattested locations are Worcester (W), Shrewsbury (SA), &#039;Welsh Marches&#039;, Scarborough, Hartlebury Castle (HC), &#039;CH&#039;, &#039;A&#039; and &#039;B&#039;, with possibly a couple other places. </p><p><br /></p><p>Denominations from a penny through to 3 pounds were struck at various locations, with the bulk being shillings and halfcrowns, the daily rate for a foot soldier and cavalryman respectively. Production would normally occur when a large body of soldiers appeared at a mint location and a supply of plate was to hand (not guaranteed). </p><p><br /></p><p>A selection of denominations follows. </p><p><br /></p><p>A halfgroat (2 pence), probably struck at Worcester in the winter of 1644.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]986239[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>A groat (4 pence), currently attributed to the &#039;B&#039; mint. Given the number of dies known for this group, I believe it is unlikely this mint is Bridgnorth as the last standing field army of around a thousand men left on 12th March 1645 (OS) for Worcester. This left only a small garrison of 120 in 1646, or approximately one die for every 4 men if the location is to be accepted and is the sole location!</p><p>[ATTACH=full]986240[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>A sixpence with a &#039;Tower&#039; mark, probably struck at Worcester or nearby in the summer of 1644. A bit messy, but only two known. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]986242[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>A shilling of York. This mint operated from the end of January 1642/3 for about a year. The mint signature EBOR on the reverse is an abbreviation of the old Roman name, Eboracum</p><p>[ATTACH=full]986243[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>A 1644 halfcrown of Bristol. The reverse mark at 12 o&#039;clock is a BR monogram. This coin has a high copper content and presumably came from the metal at the bottom of the pot.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]986246[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Finally, a 1645/4 Exeter crown, with the EX reverse mark. Besly dies D17.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]986248[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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