222 



of the type of 1279. Some of the pennies minted at York have 

 a cross on the king's breast, and a quatrefoil in the centre of the 

 cross upon the reverse. 



It would appear that both halfpennies and farthings of this 

 reign were struck at York, but only a single specimen of each 

 is described.^ 



The earliest or pattern groat, having on the obverse the style 

 EDWARDVS Di GE.A REX ANGL, of which the Specimens are very 

 rare, and as to the date of which earlier numismatists enter- 

 tained some doubt, Mr. Hawkins claims as a coin of Edward 

 I.,^ and if it be so, that monarch was the first to place after 

 his name upon the money of the realm, the pious ascription 



DEI GRATIA. 



No groat of Edward I. has hitherto appeared bearing the 

 name of any provincial mint. 



The coins of King Edward II. resemble in type those of his 

 father. Two of his pennies, struck at York, are in the national 

 collection.^ One is described by Ruding;* and another is 

 engraved by Mr. Hawkins :^ — 



Obv. EDWAR R ANGL DNS HYB 



Rev. civiTAS EBORACi : a quatrefoil in the centre of the 

 cross. 

 No York halfpenny is described. The farthings of the second 

 are not distinguishable from those of the first and third Edwards. 



The great monetary achievement of the reign of King Edward 

 III., was the introduction of a gold coinage into the currency 

 of England. This important measure was determined upon by 

 the parliament which sat at Westminster in the year 1343.^ 

 In the first instance, it seems not to have been intended that 

 the coinage of the precious metal should be intrusted to the 

 provincial mints, but soon after parliament had ordained that 



' Ruding, Vol. II., p. 381. Hawkins, p. 96, referring to Withy's plates, VI., 34. 

 2 Hawkins, p. 92. 3 Jbn^ p. 97. 



* Vol. II., p. 381. 5 PI. 23, No. 303. 



« 17th Edw. III. 



