© John Conduitt (CC BY-SA)
© John Conduitt (CC BY-SA)
1 Farthing - Henry II Short Cross type; class 1b ND
| Silver | 0.29 g | 9 mm |
| Issuer | England (United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies) |
|---|---|
| King | Henry II (1154-1189) |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Years | 1180-1189 |
| Value | 1 Farthing (1⁄960) |
| Currency | Pound sterling (1158-1970) |
| Composition | Silver |
| Weight | 0.29 g |
| Diameter | 9 mm |
| Shape | Quarter circle |
| Technique | Hammered |
| Orientation | Variable alignment ↺ |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-08 |
| Numista | N#376140 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 94% |
Reverse
Quarter of voided short cross with quatrefoils of pellets in angles within inner beaded circle, moneyer and mint name around.
Script: Latin
Comment
House of Plantagenet (1154-1399), Henry II (1154-89), Short Cross coinage (1180-89), Class 1b. (Penny ref: Spink 1344, North 963).Numerous mint name and moneyer varieties exist:
London, Carlisle, Exeter, Lincoln, Northampton, Oxford, Wilton, Winchester, Worcester and York.
Henry II ascended the throne in 1154 but coins of Stephen's last type continued to be minted until 1158. The new coinage bearing Henry's name was more commonly referred to as the 'Tealby' coinage, as over 6,000 of these pennies were discovered at Tealby, Lincolnshire in 1807. In 1180 a coinage of new type, known as the Short Cross coinage, replaced the Tealby issue. The new coinage is remarkable in that it covers not only the latter part of the reign of Henry II, but also the reigns of his sons Richard and John and on into the reign of his grandson Henry III, and the entire issue bears the name 'hENRICVS'.
Medieval coins were cut into halves and quarters to provide fractional denominations without the need to strike new coins. It is thought these were generally cut at the mint, although it is also likely to have happened during transactions. Cut farthings are known in England from Anglo-Saxon times (c. 750s) until Edward I introduced round farthings and halfpennies in the new coinage of 1279.
Interesting fact
One interesting fact about the 1 Farthing - Henry II (Short Cross type; class 1b) ND (1180-1189) coin is that it was minted during a time of great change in England. Henry II, who ruled from 1154 to 1189, introduced a new currency system that replaced the old Anglo-Saxon system with a new system based on the silver penny. This coin, which was minted during the early years of Henry's reign, features a unique "short cross" design on the reverse side, which was used to distinguish it from earlier coins. Despite its small size and relatively low value, this coin is a significant piece of history and a testament to the economic and political changes that took place during Henry II's rule.
