HistoricCoinage

I tried to sell an Iranian banknote on eBay but wasn't allowed. Current examples on the site have huge spaces so it reads I R A N instead.

Don't rest on your laurels too much, sir. I thought it looked familiar.

Looking at your site, some nice coins! However, you appear to be trading under the same name as a long-established dealer who's also on this forum... (http://www.rpcoins.co.uk/)

Please see your PM inbox.

I'm intrigued.

Welcome!

Looks very much like a modern reproduction.

The large bids would not have aided the removal, but the reports. The large, fake bids would only have prevented it from going into unsuspecting hands...at least those unsuspecting hands without a spare £15k.

I'll see if I can get some scans from the Fitz. but it might not be until next week, although I suspect it might be just as productive by email - perhaps shoot an email Martin's way, if not I'll ask Rory nicely.

Have you tried emailing Jeff Cope?

Knowing absolutely nothing about the numismatic background to this, but knowing a bit of history ... I tend to agree with Gary. There wouldn't have been much need for coinage back then, apart from major projects (certainly not for day-to-day transactions). What they needed I would have thought would have been met by existing Saxon silver, plus whatever French silver they brought with them. I'd have to disagree with these statements quoted. The "silver is silver" statement would have applied up until some time in the 9th/10th centuries but certainly not this late in the grand scheme of things and that there "wouldn't have been much need for coinage back then" is correct to some extent, but the huge increase in cut quarters and halves clearly demonstrates otherwise. It is true that the English issues would have been melted down once the mercenaries took them back home as, with many complex European economies, foreign coins were exchanged for a fee and is a way that kings exploited the use of coinage for substantial economic gain. But this then raises the question as to why these mercenaries would have taken them back home in the first place if they knew they would have to pay substantial fees, it is far more likely that they would have taken them home as commodities or silver ingots which would have been much more profitable to exchange upon arrival home, casting doubt on any lack of coinage circulating in England - assuming that there was preferential treatment for indigenous coins and silver over foreign coins, a debate still ongoing. As for using a 'French' coin, Normandy was a distinct region within what was not a homogeneous region of 'France' but in a landmass existing within a broken-up Frankia/Carolingian Empire. Such coins from this region or 'France' would not have been able to circulate in England and this is clearly evident by the paucity of finds from England. Going back to the original question, it must be remembered that coins of Edward the Confessor would still have been circulating during Harold II's reign and even into William I's reign, as is evidenced by hoards such as the Abergavenny Hoard and the Chancton Farm Hoard, Sussex, and so there is the possibility/(certainty) that enough coin was circulating, whether that be remnants of other late Saxon types or even Harold II's Pax type. However, I am doubtful that the 'without sceptre' type is a posthumous issue struck for William as the distribution of mints is limited to somewhat provincial mints (with the exception of Bristol and Norwich) and so I would have expected a posthumous type to have originated out of the central place where the dies were designed & created, i.e. London. Yet this is not the case. This is only my thoughts briefly jotted down as I don't currently have time to go to the literature, but I find your hypothesis interesting, yet not plausible at first thought.

The top one does indeed look to be an Indian gold fanam. As for the second one, it's a Northumbrian styca but I'd need better images to fully ID it.

Here's his correct link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/starling69/m.html?item=201030249069&ssPageName=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

Just post me the £50 note and I'll take a look for you, Accumulator. But yes, it's a nice note.

Nothing wrong with a bit of wishful thinking.

The m. is just an indicator that it's a mobile site, so Nicholas is most likely on a mobile phone or tablet. Link's fine, it's a scene from the first Anchorman film.

Orkney only became part of Scotland in 1472 due to a failed dowry payment, before that it was Norwegian. Shetland is part of a similar case.

Go for it!

It's a lovely coin (and cheaper than those on eBay ) I'll post it on Monday.

I am pleased to announce that Historic Coinage's February List is now live. Please take a look by clicking here.

Bristol, class 9b.

I'm intrigued to see the hammereds.