Medieval silver Halfpenny of King Henry III William of Canterbury

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.