232 



There were five coinages of silver in the reign of King 

 Henry VIII.; the first immediately after his accession, the 

 second about eighteen years later, and the three last at short 

 intervals during the four or five years preceding his death. 



Of the first and second coinages, all the York specimens 

 described are of the archiepiscopal mint. Of the third, the 

 following are in the national collection: — 

 Groat. ^ 



Obv. HENRIC D G AGL FRA Z HIB REX. Mantled buSt. 



Rev. civiTAs EBORAci. Two trefoils before and after each 

 word. Shield and cross. 

 Half-groat. ^ 



Obv. HENRIC 8 D G AGL FR Z Hi REX. 



Eev. CIVITAS EBORACI. Shield and cross. 

 Penny. ^ 



Obv. H. D. G. ROSA sine SPA. 

 Rev. CIVITAS EBORAC. 



Half-penny.* 



Obv. H. D. G. ROSA SINE SPINA. 



Rev. CIVITAS EBORACI. Cross fourchee and pellets. 



Of the fourth and fifth coinages, groats, half-groats, and 

 pennies are extant, which were struck at York. ^ 



Among the enormities imputed to this monarch not the least 

 atrocious was his debasement of the currency. In his latest 

 coinage the quality of the silver was reduced to the lowest 

 degree of fineness that had ever disgraced the English mint. 

 For this issue which took place in the year 1545, a patent was 



first struck. The device on the rererse of the shilling was formed of the armorial 

 bearings of France and England, quarterly, in a plain shield, heing the first example 

 of the royal coat-armour being thus displayed upon a silver coin. Upon some 

 of the types of this denomination, the nimieral VII. or the word Septim. was 

 affixed to the name of the king, this distinction not having been used since the 

 reign of King Henry III. 

 J Hawkins, pi. 31, No. 403. 



2 Ruding, Vol. II., p. 314. PI. 8, No. 14. Hawkins, p. 135. A specimen of 

 this type is in the cabinet of the T. P. S. M.S. Catal., p. 55, No. 29. 



3 Hawkins, p. 133. M.S. Catal. Y. P. S., p. 76, No. 116. 



4 Hawkins, p. 135, pi. 31, No. 407. 



^ Specimens are in the National collection. Hawkins, p.p. 136, 138. 



