DESCRIPTION OF THE COINS OF EDWARD THE CONFESSOR. 3 
unable to sign their names below a charter, it is not likely that an 
obscure coin-engraver in York or Exeter would have been able to 
sign his name upon a coin. It therefore follows that the errors in 
the proper names would arise from the mistakes which the en¬ 
gravers made in copying the inscriptions through ignorance of the 
phoenetic value of the signs set before them.” 
For the privilege of coining in those days it is thought that the 
moneyer paid a sum of money down, if so, he was without doubt 
a person whose position enabled him to put money in circulation ; 
he would be in something of the position of the tradesmen who 
issued copper tokens when the coinage was scarce towards the 
latter half of the reign of George III., or still more like the earliest 
issuers of a token copper coinage in England, such as John, Lord 
Harrington, in the reign of James I. 
The halfpence and farthings were formed by cutting the pennies 
into two or four pieces. 
In the following list the Saxon P is always used for the W. 
The 174 specimens described formed part of a small hoard said to 
have been found on Bishophill, they are in a beautiful condition, 
and apparently have never been in circulation ; they are arranged 
according to Hawkins.” 
*Ed\vard Hawkins. 
“ The Silver Coins of England,” 3rd Edition, 1887, 
p. 160, et seq. 
