Code: 12262
This is a medieval silver halfpenny of King Henry III, struck at the Canterbury mint between 1247 - 1272 AD.
Obverse: hЄNRICVS RЄX | III "King Henry the Third" Legend around crowned facing portrait, with sceptre in right hand.
Reverse: WILLEM ON CANT "William of Canterbury"
This coin started life as a penny, but it was necessitated in trade to chop the coins into smaller fractional denominations as halfpennies and farthings. These coins were legal tender and a halfpenny was simply a penny cut in half, whilst farthings (four things) were divided into four parts.
DENOMINATION: Halfpenny
CULTURE: Medieval England
MONARCH: Henry III
DATE: 1216 - 1272 AD (this coin was minted between 1247 - 1272 AD)
MATERIAL: Silver
SIZE: 18mm x 9mm
WEIGHT: 0.71 grams
ATTRIBUTION: Spink 1373
PROVENANCE: Formerly in a private collection, in Cambridgeshire.
