Edward III and his national victories

[<k>]

Here I quote from my own post: "the representation of great national victories, as illustrated, for example, on the coinage of Edward III".

See: UK Scouting 50 pence proposal for 1982.

Could somebody identify and illustrate the relevant coins, please?

[FosseWay]

Edward III reigned from 1327 to 1377, which includes the first 40 years of the 100 Years' War. During the early years of the war, England gained some notable victories over the French, e.g. at Sluys, Crécy and Poitiers. He was also successful against the Scots, e.g. at Halidon Hill, though this is probably not what civil servants had in mind in 1982.

However, I can't see anything that unambiguously and explicitly is commemorated on Edward III's coins.

Whether or not Edward makes a claim on his coins to the throne of France is determined by the political situation during the war. England and France signed a treaty in 1361, resulting in Edward relinquishing his claim on the French throne; that title was therefore removed from the coinage until 1369, when the treaty collapsed and the war resumed. As far as I know, the coins of England/the UK continued to name a claim to the French throne until 1816, except during the Commonwealth.

What *may* be a passing reference on the coinage to English naval victories over the French is the prominent placing of the king in a ship on Edward's gold coinage from 1344 onwards. Here is a noble (6s 8d, half a mark or a third of a pound) from the Calais mint from the post-treaty period (1369-77):



Strangely, I seem to be missing this coin in my collection so this picture is courtesy of Numista 

The successful (from Edward's point of view) battle at Sluys was a naval victory and took place four years before this gold series started (1344). It could be that this influenced the engravers in their choice of milieu for the king. But I have no evidence either way. In any case, the quotation you mention in the Scouting coin thread does seem very odd. I did at first wonder whether they'd got the wrong Edward, but AFAIK none of the eight Edwards scored national victories that were recorded on the coinage. Some of the early Edwards undoubtedly had such victories (I and III in particular), but without any numismatic consequences, while in more recent years the only event of wide significance that might count is the Entente Cordiale (1904, under Edward VII), which AFAIK wasn't commemorated on the coinage until the £5 coin of 2004.

[<k>]

Thanks for the explanation, FosseWay. My knowledge of history is rather poor. So it's not quite as straightforward as the Deputy Mint Master claimed. You are obviously a real slacker, though, not having that coin in your collection. 

[FosseWay]

You are obviously a real slacker, though, not having that coin in your collection. 

Donations are welcome if you feel that this omission needs to be fixed! 

[<k>]

Donations are welcome if you feel that this omission needs to be fixed! 

I was only joshing. A coin's not a coin unless it's a proper circle, IMO. 

[FosseWay]

I was only joshing. ...

I know 

But if you don't ask you don't get!  (If you do ask, you like as not don't get either...  )