However, due to the inaccuracy of the hammering process, the inscription letters are often unclear or poorly stamped. They can also be abbreviated, spelled differently or written in old unused languages. When trying to decipher an inscription, look for patterns and keywords you can recognise and reference online. Click here for a full list of inscriptions, broken down by the issuing ruler and the time period they were in power. Before the Royal Mint was founded in AD, there was no centralised or regulated minting system.
Under Roman rule, several mints were known to have existed in London as early as the 3rd century. They were run by a collection of blacksmiths, shops and small independent moneyers, so there are a wide variety of symbols for numismatists to decipher.
By law, these details had to be stamped on a hammered coin to ensure the moneyer could be accountable for its quality. If all of the above steps fail to identify your coin, take a careful look at its size and weight. This is because hammered coins were made to very specific sizes and weights, as their value was derived from using a particular quantity of precious metal.
Its around this time that the British penny was first introduced. Youll find dozens of silver Anglo-Saxon sceattas minted between and with a combination of large Roman numerals and symbols. Choose from a range of small silver and gold coins heavily influenced by Greek motifs.
The Tudor period spanned from to and saw the reigns of some of the most famous monarchs in history. Groats and half-groats were silver coins popular during the reign of King Henry VII and hes said to have created testoons, which were the first shillings. Skip to main content. Shop by category. Shop by Period. See all - Shop by Period. All Auction Buy it now. View: Gallery view. The archaic method of creating coins was not without its flaws, and due to the manual approach the metal planchet would often move, meaning the design was not as central as intended.
Therefore hammered coins can often be found 'off-centre' or with a double strike. This element of human error actually makes hammered coins more interesting and collectable. Rather than each coin being identical, as is the case with modern coins, very few coins are exactly the same. The off-centre varieties created meant that the proper diameter of the coin was not clear, and this led to people 'clipping' the coins — snipping off small pieces of the coin and pocketing the precious metal, before collecting enough to melt it down for profit.
This practice was illegal and considering counterfeiting, and the punishment was often severe - including being sentenced to death! Want even more coin collecting information, market insight and in-depth collecting guides? Try the latest issue of Coin Collector magazine today! Click here to order a copy.
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