William I 1083-1086

Are these field finds or do you focus near structures or river banks?

 

I assume this was a find also.

Yes they are all my own finds. This was in a ploughed field next to a road going into a medium sized village. The field had a large amount of 3rd and fourth century roman coins in the centre but being well used over the centuries random losses like this norman coin also turn up. You normally get medieval siver coins of Henry II onwards but Norman and saxon coins must have been minted less frequently and guarded more closely as they come up much more infrequently.

My aim is to try to find a silver coin of every King and Queen of England from 1066 to our Queen Elizabeth II its been 12 years and I still need six to do it.

Is it necessary to say I am impressed?

Thank you! I do it because I love history I'm not a coin expert like you guys but when I find one I find out about the history of the time and the reign of the king or queen.

Your welcome. Strip me from the list of "experts". I am a diletante who enjoys history. I do wish I could just dig up my coins though.

Hi Vepcorf (Vepcorf is a Celtic stater legend/type right?)

 

Your quote 'but Norman and saxon coins must have been minted less frequently and guarded more closely as they come up much more infrequently'. I think you'll find that many were melted down and made into othr coinage whether in Scandinavia or later English. The older the coinage the more reasons that it shouldn't survive!

 

Alex

Yes your probably right of course but i do think that minting was less needed as barter with other goods made up much more of the day to day transactions than in Roman or later medieval period in england. For example celtic Gold and silver coins would not have been tollerated I would expect in Roman Britain and much would have been taken in and melted down but they come up more frequently than saxon coins. Taking out hoards I would think minting was greater in celtic times but i have no proof other than the ratio of finds we detectorists make.

Another pointer to this is the fact that many saxon coins come up whole and in good condition by this i mean less handling /circulation wear and not as many cut like later hammered showing the lesser need I think for lower value transactions or were made up with other lower value items in barter.