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Auction: 14006 - Ancient, British and Foreign Coins and Commemorative Medals
Lot: 231

Stephen (1135-54), local and irregular issues of the Civil War, York, Penny, 1.19g, ornamented types, crowned bust right, sceptre before with pellet in lozenge tip, +Stien, ornaments in legend to right of sceptre, rev. legend composed of ornaments and letters, saltire fleury over cross pattée (Boon 34; Mack type 3, 218; N.920; S.1314), an uncleaned field find, evidence of creasing leading to flan split at 3 o'clock, discolouration to reverse, mostly sharply struck on a superb, round flan, a very pleasing piece and a veritable nearly extremely fine, extremely rare, especially so in this condition

provenance
Found near Northampton, Northamptonshire, 2014
Recorded with the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, EMC 2014.0234

Boon p.41 notes that the obverse spelling of STIEN may be based on the Norman French ESTIEN for Stephen. Another French influence noted by Peter Seaby is the lozenge sceptre which is also seen on the seal of Louis VII (1137-80) as well as two of his successors. Boon adds; 'On the English coin it may have reminded people that not only had Stephen done homage to the French king (then Louis VI) for Normandy as a fief of the French Crown, but had married his son Eustace to Louis VII's own sister.'.

It is unusual that a locally circulated coin such as this should appear so far south of York. The majority of the findspots for the ornamented group are in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

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Sold for
£5,200