Dr. Smith on the Irish Coins of Edward the Fourth. 19 



several varieties of their types ; and I may add, that the coins of this period are 

 generally found to correspond in weight, very nearly, with that specified in the 

 several Acts. But the history of the period on which I am about to enter is 

 much embarrassed by the gross frauds which were practised in the authorized, as 

 well as the illegal Irish mints. 



Before I proceed to the consideration of the coins of the English type, it is 

 necessary to notice a few from the mints of Drogheda and Dublin, which are 

 not described in any of the Acts of this reign which have been published. 



They are distinguished from the coins of the English type by having a rose 

 in the centre of the reverse, instead of three pellets in each quarter of the cross, 

 and for this reason I place them in this section. 



The groat has the king's head crowned, within a double tressure of nine 

 arches, a small sun at the right side of the crown, and left of the neck, and a 

 rose at the left of the crown, and right of the neck ; mint mark, a rose ;* legend, 

 EDWARDvs . . . GRA DNS HYBER. Reverse, a cross, with a rose in its centre ; 

 mint mark, a sun ; legend, posvi, &c., and in the inner circle, villa drogheda, 

 — (PI. II. fig. 29.) In another, the suns and roses at the sides of the crown 

 and neck are transposed ; legend, edwardvs di gra dns hyber. ; mint mark 

 on the reverse, a rose. — (PL II. fig. 30.) They weigh from twenty-seven to 

 twenty-nine grains. 



No other coins of this type from the Drogheda mint have been discovered. 



The groats of the Dublin mint present two varieties in the disposition of the 

 suns and roses, like those of Drogheda ; legend, edwardvs dii gra dms iber. 

 Reverse, posvi, &c., and civitas dublinie ; weight, thirty-two grains. — (PI. II. 

 fig. 31.) 



The penny corresponding with the type of this groat weighs only six grains. 

 —(PI. II. fig. 32.) 



The groat, PI. II. fig. 33, has a different legend, edwardvs frae d ; 



weight, twenty-six grains.f 



The penny of this variety weighs only six grains. — (PI. II. fig. 34.) 



* Simon, PI. IV. fig. 82, has published one with a sun mint mark. 



■j" The groats published by Simon, PI. IV. figs. 80, 81, are both different from those I have 

 described ; the mint marks are a crown, and a sun. 



c2 . 



