Edward I Groat, New coinage of 1279, class 4, variety E, London, Plate Coin

Edward I (1272-1307), silver Groat of Fourpence, new coinage (1279-1307), London Mint, variety e, Fox class 4, larger facing crowned bust within two linear and a central beaded quatrefoil, bushy hair with rounded chin, crown with spearhead ornaments arcing over head, arc of drapery at neck, cinquefoil either side of head, pelleted trefoils in each spandrel, legend with beaded inner and outer circle surrounding, treble colon stops, initial mark cross pattée, +EDWARDVS: DI: GRA: REX: AnGL':, rev. long cross pattée, tri-pellets in each inner angle, double concentric legends and beaded circles surrounding, LOn DOn IA C IVI inner legend, outer legend continues titles from obverse with colon stops, :DN'S hIBn' E DVX AQVT', weight 5.28g (S.C.B.I. 39:12 North; Allen, Groats 43 - dies e2/r25 this coin; N.1006 VR; S.1379E -this coin illustrated). Toned, well struck with a delightful portrait for this rare first coinage of the Groat as a new denomination, well centred with some light wear evenly across both sides, a bold very fine, the actual coin used to illustrate the variety in Coins and England and the United Kingdom, very rare thus.

The obverse Latin legend translates as "Edward by the grace of God, King of England" and the reverse as "Lord of Ireland, Duke of Aquitaine" in the outer legend, with the inner legend as "City of London."

Notoriously hard to find well struck and in a good state of preservation as demonstrated herewith, such coins though not an initial success in commerce were greatly revered by the Christian pilgrims who would often mount or gild such pieces of Edward I. The majority of surviving examples in private hands are therefore not as well preserved as the coin offered here, and this coin mercifully free of any signs of mounting in antiquity. This coin also is the one illustrated in the Standard Catalogue of British Coins.

A major new coinage was embarked upon in 1279 which introduced the new "Groat" worth Fourpence weighed 89 grains, the name coming from the similar sized coin in France the "Gros". As more than thirty obverse dies were used alone a number of classes and sub-varieties again have been delineated over the years, in line with classes 1 to 3 of the Penny series. Another administerial measure introduced at this time was the abandonment of the name of the moneyer, as mint activity became more centralized and with provincial mints only assisting for the first two years of the new coinage, at which point from 1281 only London, Canterbury, Durham and Bury continue with minting.

Provenance:

Ex A. W. Barnes, as "Property of a London Collector", Sotheby, 24^th February 1919, lot 12 sold for £2/16/- to Spink.

Ex Richard Cyril Lockett, English part IV, 26^th April 1960, lot 3967, with his ticket.

Ex Clonterbrook Trust (G Lockett), Glendining, 7^th June 1974, lot 66.

Ex Geoffrey Cope Collection, lot 1049.

Currently the plate coin in Coins of England and the United Kingdom 2025.