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Auction: 1011 - Ancient, English & Foreign Coins, Commemorative Medals & Numismatic Books
Lot: 231

John (1199-1216), Penny, 1.47g, class 5ai, m.m. cross pattée, London, Henri, facing bust holding sceptre to right, legend commencing at three o´clock, rev. henri.on.lvn, slight crease above bust, bold portrait, very fine, an extremely rare variety only known for a few examples Estimate £ 600-800 provenance Found near Cheltenham, Glos, early 2010 Recorded with UK detector finds database, UKDFD 5396. This variety with the sceptre on the right rather than the nomal left was only struck at London by the moneyers Fulke and Henri, both using a single set of dies. It was at one time believed these sceptre right coins were continental imitations but that view is now rejected by specialists in the short cross series. It is thought the class 5ai dies were the work of a new die cutter and it is possible that an attempt was made to alter the design with the sceptre placed on the right. It would seem this was a short lived innovation as coinage soon reverted to the normal style with the sceptre on the left. Documentary evidence for the coinage suggests class 5ai commenced in 1204 and this variety probably dates from late 1204. The Maas Collection had one example of this variety by the moneyer Fulke and overall less than ten examples are thought to exist.

Sold for
£4,800