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Et tu Brute

Is this Elizabeth I groat OK?

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Hi to all, I'm new in this forum. Sorry for my bad English.

I have a little experience with greek and roman coins, but am an absolute beginner with British. As a fan of the works of Shakespeare, I'm very interested in elizabethan coinage. I have a penny, and have purchased a shilling on a reputable seller.

But I think that perhaps I have committed a mistake; I have just purchased on ebay a groat without further research, and I fear that the coin can be fake, because the seller has some suspicious roman coins. I attach the seller's photo. According to description, weights 0'9g. (can be a mistake, that can't be a groat) and measures 17mm.

I would really appreciate any comment about the coin. When I receive it, I can post more pictures. Thanks

elizabethI groat.jpg

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Welcome Et Tu!

If genuine, that is a half groat - the 2 pellets to the right of the bust denote two pence (half a groat)

My guess is that it is a low grade genuine example of a half groat 

 

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Looks like a nice coin to me, but a halfgroat rather than a groat, and I think it might be mm bell with the two dots (behind the bust, signifying value) overstruck on two I's, which makes it a rare variety. However I am not a hammie expert, so do get another opinion!

good luck,

Jerry

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Thank you for your answer!

Happy to hear that, I wish it were at least a genuine half groat, a coin that I want to own too. When received, I will post more details, the two dots/I's look interesting.

Now I can search for a true groat.

I really appreciate your help, thanks!

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There is only one mint - Tower. The bell dates it to 1582-3

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I really appreciate your answer! So, minted during Shakespeare's lifetime.

Any book/s to start with elizabethan coinage?

Best regards

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Best reference without question is The Hammered Silver Coins Producced at the Tower Mint during the reign of Elizabeth I by Brown, Comber & Wilkinson. You can get copies from Galata (they published it). There are other articles dotted around in the BNJ.

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It definately looks like pellets over 1's,  looks a good find to me, scarcer than the standard issue I believe, any of you hammie guys confirm this?

Jerry

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Yes it is as described. I thought Jerry had covered that in his initial post.

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Guest anyone know what this is?

hi anyone know what this is ?15291789316291208420127.jpg

 

 

15291789316291208420127.jpg

15291789316291208420127.jpg

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Guest anyone know what this is?

other side sorry

15291792102671934547040.jpg

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That screams replica at me. Copy of an Elizabeth I Half groat.

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The portrait looks like a man ...

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1 hour ago, Guest anyone know what this is? said:

hi anyone know what this is ?

 

About 2 dollars on Aliexpress i would imgine.

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33 minutes ago, Unwilling Numismatist said:

About 2 dollars on Aliexpress i would imgine.

Not good enough for Aliexpress - that one is not even designed to deceive!

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It looks like a Charles I Briot milled 2d that now answers to the name Elizabeth........ darling

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I agree it does look like Charles 1st. It does say Elizabeth too. I'm no expert but I would guess at a copy also. There is no wear or clipping an it looks a funny colour. 

 

I do like the portrait on the coin in the OP though. ;-) 

Edited by DrP

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Ugg. Definitely moody that. Terrible replica if you can call it that. 

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Only just picked up this post, but the original half groat was actually a much rarer 2 pellets over I I mark of value.

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