Mediaeval Irish Coinage under English Rule

[Deeman]

Edward IV 1470-78 cross and pellets issue

Until Edward's death in 1483 there was a continuous struggle maintain a lower Irish standard.

In 1473 the weight of the groat was reduced from 41 grains to a little more than 31 grains.
In 1473, the right of coinage was restricted to Dublin. Coins of a reduced standard were issued from 1475 when the privilege of coinage was restored to Drogheda and Waterford.
In 1474, the privilege of coinage was withdrawn from Trim.




1470-72 debased silver groat with an obverse inscription EDWARDVS DEI GRA DnS hYBERnI (Edward, by the Grace of God, Lord of Ireland) circumscribing a beaded circle around a crowned bust facing within double tressure of nine arches with fleur-de-lis on cusps; pellet in two lower spandrels. On the reverse in the angles of a long cross pattée, POSVI / DEVm A / DIVTOR / E mEVm (I have made God my helper) in outer circle, CITI / TAS / DUBL / InIE (City of Dublin) in inner circle, both circles beaded; with three pellets in each quarter, with small extra pellet in first and third quarters.




1470-72 debased silver groat with an obverse inscription EDWARDVS DEI GRA DnS hYBERnI (Edward, by the Grace of God, Lord of Ireland) circumscribing a beaded circle around a crowned bust facing within double tressure of nine arches with fleur-de-lis on cusps; "W" at point of tressure on breast (Waterford mint); saltires flanking bust. On the reverse in the angles of a long cross pattée, POSVI / DEVm A / DIVTOR / E mEVm (I have made God my helper) in outer circle, CITI / TAS W / ATER / FORD (City of Waterford) in inner circle, both circles beaded; with three pellets in each quarter.




1472-75 debased silver groat with an obverse inscription EDWARDVS DEI GRA DnS hYBERnI (Edward, by the Grace of God, Lord of Ireland) circumscribing a beaded circle around a crowned bust facing within double tressure of nine arches with fleur-de-lis on cusps; "L" at point of tressure on breast (Limerick mint); cinquefoils flanking bust with annulet above on hair. On the reverse in the angles of a long cross pattée, POSVI / DEVm A / DIVTOR / E mEVm (I have made God my helper) in outer circle, CITI / TAS / LImI / RICK (City of Limerick) in inner circle, both circles beaded; with two pellets and rosette in first and third quarters and three pellets in second and fourth quarters.




1472-75 debased silver groat with an obverse inscription, after a cinquefoil mintmark, EDWARDVS DEI GRA DnS hYBER (Edward, by the Grace of God, Lord of Ireland) circumscribing a beaded circle around a crowned bust facing within double tressure of nine arches with fleur-de-lis on cusps; "G" at point of tressure on breast (privy mark for Germyn Lynch, Master of the Mint). On the reverse in the angles of a long cross fitchée, POSVI / DEVm A / DIVTOR / E mEVm (I have made God my helper) in outer circle, VILL / A DE / DROG / hEDA (Town of Drogheda) in inner circle, both circles beaded; with three pellets in each quarter, with small extra pellet in second and fourth quarters, and annulet in other two.




1475-78 debased silver groat with an obverse inscription EDWARDVS DEI GRA DnS hYBERn (Edward, by the Grace of God, Lord of Ireland) circumscribing a beaded circle around a crowned bust facing within double tressure of nine arches with fleur-de-lis on cusps; "G" at point of tressure on breast (privy mark for Germyn Lynch, Master of the Mint). On the reverse in the angles of a long cross pattée, POSVI / DEVm A / DIVTOR / E mEVm (I have made God my helper) in outer circle, CITI / TAS W / ATER / FORD (City of Waterford) in inner circle, both circles beaded; with three pellets in each quarter, with saltire in second and fourth quarters.




1472-75 billon penny from Dublin mint. Obverse is a crowned bust facing with pellet at each side of neck within a beaded circle circumscribed by inscription. The reverse design is a long cross pattée with quatrefoil in centre and with three pellets in each quarter within a beaded circle circumscribed by inscription within the angles of the cross. Obverse inscription [EDWARD DI GRA DnS hYBER] (Edward, by the Grace of God, Lord of Ireland); reverse inscription [CIVI / TAS] DVB / Lin (City of Dublin).




1472-75 billon penny from Limerick mint. Obverse is a crowned bust facing with cinquefoil at each side of neck within a beaded circle circumscribed by inscription. The reverse design is a long cross pattée with two pellets and rosette in first and third quarters and three pellets in second and fourth quarters within a beaded circle circumscribed by inscription within the angles of the cross. Obverse inscription [EDWARD DI GRA DnS hYBER] (Edward, by the Grace of God, Lord of Ireland); reverse inscription CIVI [TAS] LImI / RICI (City of Limerick).




1478 billon penny from Trim mint, one of two recorded specimens. This coin is attributed to a small, improvised issue struck from local dies and given to the period of Lord Grey's occupation of Trim Castle, around Nov 1478. Obverse is a crowned bust facing in beaded circle, inscription surrounding. Reverse is a long cross pattée with three pellets in each quarter within a beaded circle, inscription surrounding.

[Deeman]

Edward IV 1478 cross on rose



1478 billon penny from Dublin mint. Obverse inscription is EDWA [DG DnS hYB] (Edward, by the Grace of God, Lord of Ireland) around a rose with small cross pattée at centre within beaded circle. Reverse inscription CI [VITA] S DVB [LIn] (City of Dublin) around a 15-ray sun with pellet-in-annulet at centre within a beaded circle.
Only issued by Dublin mint.

[Deeman]

Edward IV 1479-83 suns and roses



1479-83 billon penny from Dublin mint. Obverse inscription [EDWARD DI GR DnS hYBE] (Edward, by the Grace of God, Lord of Ireland) around a crowned bust facing within beaded circle; cinquefoil left and sun right of crown, sun left and cinquefoil right of neck. Reverse inscription [CIVI / TAS] DVB / LIn (City of Dublin) around a beaded circle in the angles of a long cross pattée surmounted by central rose; two suns and a cinquefoil in first and third quarters, two cinquefoils and a sun in second and fourth quarters.




A similar, but somewhat less common type, with the suns and roses interchanged at either side of the crown and neck.

[Deeman]

Edward IV mints:

1460-62 anonymous issue
Groat - Dublin
Penny - Dublin, Waterford
Halfpenny - Dublin
Half-farthing (Patrick) - unknown

1463-64 titled crown issue
Groat - Dublin, Waterford
Half-groat - Dublin, Waterford
Penny - Dublin, Waterford

1465-66 portrait issue
Groat - Dublin, Cork, Drogheda
Half-groat - Dublin, Trim, Waterford
Penny - Dublin, Drogheda, Galway, Limerick, Trim, Waterford
Halfpenny - Dublin

1467-70 re-coinage
Double- groat - Dublin, Drogheda, Trim
Groat - Dublin, Drogheda, Trim
Half-groat – Dublin, Drogheda, Trim
Penny - Dublin, Drogheda
Farthing - Dublin

1470-78 cross & pellets issues
1470-72:
Groat – Dublin, Waterford
1472-75:
Groat - Dublin ("G" below bust), Drogheda ("G" on breast), Limerick ("L" on breast), Trim (no letter), Waterford ("G" below bust)
Half-Groat - Drogheda
Penny - Dublin, Limerick, Trim
1475-78:
Groat - Limerick ("L" on breast), Waterford ("G" on breast)
Penny – Dublin, Drogheda, Trim, Waterford

1478 cross on rose:
Penny - Dublin, Drogheda

1479-83 suns and roses:
Penny - Dublin, Drogheda



Hammered coinage minting process:

The dies were used in various devices such as a fixed anvil with sunken die housing for the obverse die (pile). The flan (prepared coin blank) was heated in a charcoal fired clay furnace to make it malleable, and placed on the obverse die with tongs. The reverse die (punch / trussell) was positioned and held in place; resounding blows from a heavy hammer struck the obverse and reverse impressions simultaneously on the flan.
The coin was then placed in water to temper it. These dies were often capable of producing thousands of coins without obvious sign of wear. The reverse die, being uppermost, literally took more of a hammering and had to be replaced more frequently than the obverse die, which in many cases was well protected, embedded in the anvil.

[Deeman]

Edward V 1483 penny

As a final act, Edward IV attempted another revision of the Irish coinage with an Act to introduce a new coinage of entirely Irish design, known as the 'three crown coinage', at a lower standard from the sterling issues in England.

Edward IV died on 9 April 1483 and his son, Edward V, aged 12, was proclaimed king and his uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester, regent. The boy king reigned only until 26 June, when his uncle took the throne after declaring the sons of Edward IV to be illegitimate. Edward and his brother, Richard, were placed in the Tower of London and after Richard III's coronation the 'Princes in the Tower' mysteriously disappeared.

Richard III did implement his brother Edward IV's new coinage, but the earliest coins in his name are of the last type of Edward (with Richard's name often stamped over Edward's on the die). Crude and hastily improvised, opportunistic punches were using existing penny piles from Dublin and Drogheda to make penny dies in the names of both Edward and Richard. The attribution to Edward V is consistent with documentary evidence.

Two penny piles (portrait dies) are now known to have existed, one of Dublin and one of Drogheda, which were used to make penny dies in the names of both Edward and Richard.




1483 billon penny from Drogheda mint). Obverse inscription would be [EDWARD DI GR DnS hYBE] (Edward, by the Grace of God, Lord of Ireland) around a bust facing within beaded circle; cinquefoil left and sun right of crown, sun left and cinquefoil right of neck. Reverse inscription VILL / A DR / [OGh / EDA] (Town of Drogheda) around a beaded circle in the angles of a long cross pattée with a large rose surmounting the centre of the cross.

[Deeman]

Richard III 1483-1485



1483 billon penny, one of three specimens known. Attributed as a companion piece to the Edward V 1483 penny from the Drogheda mint. The suns and roses are interchanged at either side of the crown and neck. This coin of Drogheda signalled the final issue of coin from the town.




1483-85 billon penny from Dublin mint. Obverse is a crowned bust facing with annulet at each side of neck within a beaded circle circumscribed by inscription. The reverse design is a long cross pattée with quatrefoil in centre and with three pellets in each quarter within a beaded circle circumscribed by inscription within the angles of the cross. Obverse inscription [RICARD DI GRA DnS hYBER] (Richard, by the Grace of God, Lord of Ireland); reverse inscription [CIVI / TAS] DVB / LIn (City of Dublin).




1483 debased silver groat with an obverse inscription RICARDCVS DEI GRA DnS hYBE (Richard, by the Grace of God, Lord of Ireland) circumscribing a beaded circle around a crowned bust facing within double tressure of nine arches with fleur-de-lis on cusps; cinquefoil left and sun right of crown, sun left and cinquefoil right of neck. On the reverse in the angles of a long cross pattée, POSVI / DEVm A / DIVTOR / E mEVm (I have made God my helper) in outer circle, VILL / A DR / OGh / EDA (Town of Drogheda) in inner circle, both circles beaded; with a large rose surmounting the centre of the cross.
This coin is struck from an altered die of Edward IV.




1483-85 debased silver groat, interpreted as an implementation of Edward IV's final coinage act of 1483 depicting a shield of arms in place of the portrait of the king.
The obverse inscription is RICΛ / [D RЄX / ΛnGL] / FRΛn] (Richard, King of England and France) in the angles of a long cross botonnée around the royal arms of Henry VII (restored arms of Henry IV) in a beaded circle. The escutcheon is quartered; the first and third quadrants contain three fleur-de-lis representing France and the second and fourth quadrants contain three lions for England.
The reverse inscription is DOMI / nVS / hYBE / RnIE (Lord of Ireland) in the angles of a long cross botonnée around three crowns in a beaded circle.

[Deeman]

Henry VII 1485 to 1487 three crowns issue

Richard's short reign ended with his death in 1485 and the three-crown coinage was continued by the first of the Tudor monarchs, Henry VII.




1485-87 debased sliver groat struck at the Waterford mint. The obverse inscription is hENRI / CVS DI / GRAI / CIA RX (Henry, King of England) in the angles of a long cross terminating in a trefoil of annulets around the royal arms of Henry VII (restored arms of Henry IV) in a tressure of four arcs in a circle; mullet in the lower spandrels of the tressure. The escutcheon is quartered; the first and third quadrants contain three fleur-de-lis representing France and the second and fourth quadrants contain three lions for England. The reverse inscription is DOM / InVS / VBE / RnIE (Lord of Ireland) in the angles of a long cross terminating in a trefoil of annulets around three crowns in a double tressure of nine arcs in a circle; 'h' under lower crown.




1485-87 debased sliver groat with obverse inscription is hENRI / CVS / DI GR / ACIA (Henry, King of England) in the angles of a long cross botonnée around the royal arms of Henry VII (restored arms of Henry IV) in a beaded circle. The escutcheon is quartered; the first and third quadrants contain three fleur-de-lis representing France and the second and fourth quadrants contain three lions for England. The reverse inscription is DOM / InVS / VBE / RnIE (Lord of Ireland) in the angles of a long cross botonnée in a beaded circle.

[Deeman]

Fitzgerald coinage 1487

Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare, Ireland's premier peer, was appointed Lord Deputy in 1477. FitzGerald managed to keep his position after the York dynasty in England was toppled and Henry VII became king, but Fitzgerald blatantly disobeyed Henry on several occasions. However, Henry needed Fitzgerald to rule in Ireland, and at the same time could not control him.
Fitzgerald supported the pretender to the throne of England and the Lordship of Ireland, Lambert Simnel (aged 10), who was a look-alike of the 'Princes in the Tower'. After Simnel's 'coronation' on 24 May 1487 in Dublin as "King Edward VI", Lord Kildare collected an army of Irish soldiers under the command of his younger brother, Thomas. Simnel was merely a figurehead for a rebellion that was already being planned by the Yorkists.
The rebellion failed at the Battle of Stoke Field on 16 June. Henry, now secure on his throne, could afford to be merciful and pardoned both Simnel and Kildare.




Aug - Oct 1487 debased silver three-crowns groat struck under the authority of Gerald Fitzgerald, of the powerful family of Kildare (referred to as the Geraldines), who took control for a brief period after Lambert Simnel's abortive attempt to win the crown. No regal title; no mint name (Waterford mint). Fitzgerald's paramount position amongst the old Anglo-Norman nobility of Ireland made him both unassailable and indispensable to the English king. A situation reflected in the absence of Henry's name on the coin and presence of FitzGerald's own coat of arms.
The obverse inscription, double struck at start, is REX /AnG / LIE / FRA (King of England and France) in the angles of a long cross terminating in a trefoil of annulets around the royal arms of Henry VII (restored arms of Henry IV) in a circle. The escutcheon is quartered; the first and third quadrants contain three fleur-de-lis representing France and the second and fourth quadrants contain three lions for England. The arms of the Fitzgerald's, a saltire, are shown either side of the royal arms.
The reverse inscription is DOM / InVS / VBE / RnIE (Lord of Ireland) in the angles of a long cross terminating in a trefoil of annulets around three crowns in a double tressure of nine arcs in a circle.

[Deeman]

Henry VII 1495-~1505 portrait issue

In about 1493 Henry VII introduced a new coinage for Ireland consisting almost entirely of groats (fourpence) with a design like that of the earlier English coinage (a crowned facing portrait obverse and a cross and pellets reverse). This coinage was of a lower standard than the English and the coins were poorly produced.

The portrait issue of Henry VII survived until about 1505 with the coins being produced in increasingly poorer quality and in lower standard silver. The mint in Dublin closed and the Irish economy was again dependent on English coin.




1495 debased silver groat first portrait issue with obverse inscription hEnRIC DEI GRA REX AnGL (Henry, by the Grace of God, King of England) circumscribing a beaded circle around a crowned bust facing within double tressure of nine arches. On the reverse the inscriptions, in the angles of a long cross pattée, POSVI / DEVm A / DIVTOR / E mEVm (I have made God my helper) in outer circle, CITI / TAS / DUBL / InIE (City of Dublin) in inner circle, both circles beaded; with three pellets in each quarter with an extra small pellet in the first quarter.




1495 debased silver groat first portrait issue. The obverse shows a doubling of the bust. The reverse is atypical in that it has several unusual characteristics.
Obverse inscription hEnRICVS DEI GRA REX AnGL (Henry, by the Grace of God, King of England) circumscribing a beaded circle around a crowned bust facing within double tressure of nine arches with fleur-de-lis on cusps.
The reverse inscriptions are in the angles of a long cross pattée within beaded circles with three pellets in each inner quarter. The inscriptions are 180 degrees out of alignment. The outer inscription is a blundered rendering of the normal legend POSVI DEVM ADIVTORE MEVM (I have made God my helper) and the more unusual PROVI / DEBO A / DIVTO / RIVM (I will provide help). The inner inscription is CITI / TAS / DUBL / InIE (City of Dublin).




Circa 1500 debased silver groat second portrait issue with arched crown and reference to his perceived lineage to the French throne.
Obverse inscription hEnRIS DEI GRA REX AnLIE FR (Henry by the grace of God King of England and France) circumscribing a beaded circle around a crowned bust facing within double tressure of two arches with fleur-de-lis on cusps both sides of bust, not extending beyond the bust and crown. On the reverse, the inscriptions in the angles of a long cross fourchée with 'h' at the centre, POSVI / DEVm A / DIVTOR / E mEVm (I have made God my helper) in outer circle, CITI / TAS / DUBL / InIE (City of Dublin) in inner circle, both circles beaded; with three pellets in each quarter.

[Deeman]

Beyond the pale



In the period immediately after the Norman Settlement, a pale - a fenced barrier - was constructed that separated the lands occupied by the settlers from those remaining in the hands of the Irish. This barrier consisted of a ditch, raised some ten or twelve feet from the ground, with a hedge of thorn on the outer side.

"The Pale" was subsequently the name applied the area under Anglo-Norman jurisdiction.

In the 15th century the Anglo-Norman colony was under severe pressure from the native Irish and The Pale was rapidly shrinking – even the city of Dublin was now threatened. The Irish, particularly those of Ulster, began to unite and attack the colonists. The phrase "beyond the pale" is often understood to refer specifically to the Pale in Ireland as the area beyond English control i.e., uncivilised.

[Figleaf]

Hat trick. A third thread on medieval coins of English kings and again you found mouth-watering illustrations, very educational in combination with the transliteration of legends. As collectors of coins with non-latin scripts can tell you, it helps a whole lot if you already have a fair idea of the most used inscriptions to decipher a legend. THCoins once remarked how he'd be chasing for the word ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΥ to get a grip on the legends of Hellenistic and Indo-Greek coins. It's a trick that helped me.

You brought out clearly a history of colonisation, discrimination, financial exploitation and abuse. Of course, you can't judge medieval nobility by modern standards, but there are still lessons there. Likewise, using coins for self-enrichment, then being confronted with the consequences at home is a good story.

Personally, I have been marvelling how the faces - unintentionally - take on a character, ranging from sleepy to fierce and from evil laughing to black-eyed. Thank you for a great contribution, Deeman.

Peter

[Elak]

This is a good presentation of early Irish coinage, very informative - nicely done!

[Tirant]

Another awesome post, thanks a lot for your work and for sharing it!!

It's interesting how much do those Edward I pennies ressemble the deniers and croats from Barcelona (almost the same dessign in the reverse, with the cross and dots). Didn't know that before.

[brandm24]

I enjoyed very much your informative thread on mediaeval Irish coinage. It's a subject I knew little about though I'm a bit better schooled on modern Irish issues.

The map you provided in post 24 was also very informative and interesting. The areas controlled by the native Irish remind me very much of the Scottish clan system. I suppose there are parallels between the two.

Thank you for the history lesson.

Bruce