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



same value as they now are ; and that all the mints in Ireland shall cease, except 

 those of Dublin, Drogheda, and Waterford.* 



1476. — The coin lately made in Cork, Youghall, Limerick, and other places 

 in Munster, except Waterford, being neither lawful in itself, nor of lawful 

 • weight and alky, was declared void, and forbidden to be taken in payment.t 

 I have now given the substance of the several Acts which were passed from 

 the year 1470 to 1476 ; and, from the number and variety of coins struck during 

 this period, which are in existence ; the obscurity and imperfections of the Acts 

 of parliament ; and the general deficiency of the coins in weight, the most con- 

 venient arrangement which can be adopted, is, to describe, first, the coins of the 

 several mints ; and afterwards endeavour to assign them to their proper dates. 



CORK MINT. 



Two varieties of the groat are known ; one has the king's head, within a 

 double tressure of nine arches ; trefoils at six of its points ; and at each side of 

 the neck, a quatrefoil ; legend, edwaRDvs dei era dns hibcENiE. Reverse, a 

 cross, with three pellets in each quarter ; motto, posi devm aivtore mevm ; in 

 the inner circle, civitas corcagie ; mint mark, a rose in three places ; weight, 

 thirty-eight grains. — (PL II. fig. 38.) 



The other has a pellet at each side of the king's neck, and only a single 

 pointed leaf at the points of the tressure ; legend, edwardvs dei gra dns 

 iBERia. Reverse, posv . dev . adivtor mev ; in the inner circle, civitas 

 corcagie ; no mint mark on either side. This piece is well preserved, and 

 weighs only thirty grains. — (PI. II. fig. 39.) 



DROGHEDA MINT. 



The groat bears the king's head, within a double tressure of nine arches ; 

 legend, edwardvs dei gea dns hyber, or hyberni ; mint marks, a crown, 

 and a cross pierced in the centre. Revefse, posvi, &c. ; and in the inner circle, 

 VILLA DE drogheda. They weigh from thirty-three to thirty-four grains. — 

 (PL IL figs. 40, 41.) 



* Simon, Appendix, No. XIV. f Simon, Appendix, No. XV. 



