Date: c. 1251-1254

Henry III Penny class 2c, Dublin Mint (Moneyer: Ricard), three curls either side of head

Description:

Henry III silver penny, Dublin mint, Class 2c

• Weight: 1.39g

• References:
  • S 6242; DF 58

Suberbly struck, albeit slightly off-centre, showing clear design details

• Almost Extremely Fine (aEF)
• Scarce

Obverse:

• Crowned facing bust, holding sceptre; cinquefoil to right, trefoil above
• Three curls to the side of the face (normally only 2)
• All within a double triangle
• Legend:
  • ЄNRI [CVSR] ЄXXII
  • Translates as: Henry III, King

Reverse:

• Voided long cross, with trefoil in each angle
• Legend:
  • RIC ARD ON DIVЄ
  • Translates as: Ricard of Dublin (Richard Bonaventure)

Country:

• Ireland

Category:

• Anglo-Norman
  • House of Plantagenet
  • Angevin
• Henry III
  • Class 2c
• Hammered

Notes:

In 1247, Richard (Earl of Cornwall & younger brother to King Henry III) was granted the right to strike new money for a period of 12 years in England, Wales and Ireland, in consideration of a substantial loan he had made to the king.

• The agreement gave Richard half of profits of ‘the minting’ and ‘the exchange’
  • A new design of Long Cross coins were struck in England, commencing 1247
  • Coins for Ireland were not struck until 1251
    • Roger de Haverhull was put in charge of the Dublin Mint
    • Two moneyers’ names appear on the coins “Ricard” and “Davi”
      • They are likely Richard Bonaventure and David of Enfield
      • They were both moneyers at the London Mint
      • It is likely they produced the dies in London and sent them to Dublin, i.e. they operated in absentia
    • The Dublin Mint appears to have operated from 1251 to 1254
      • It is likely that all existing coinage in Ireland had been ‘re-coined’
      • After this, it was no longer profitable to operate a mint in Ireland
      • Only pennies were minted (no farthings or halfpennies)
      • Some of Henry III’s Irish pennies have been found cut in half (cut halfpennies) and in quarters (cut farthings) for use as small change
    • The archaeological evidence suggests that a large proportion of Henry’s Irish coinage was exported to England and France, thus draining the Norman colony in Ireland of its circulating coinage and limiting its economic development
      • Over 1,600 of Henry III’s Irish pennies were found in a hoard in Brussels in 1908
      • His Irish pennies were also copied as far away as Saxony

Other coins in this Series:

• Checklist: Anglo-Norman Coinage

Further Reading:

• Henry III, Dublin Mint (Voided Long Cross 1251-54). Gerry Slevin
• Irish Small Silver (John – Edward VI).  Paul & Bente R. Withers