Medieval silver halfpenny of King John London

Code: 12278

This is a medieval silver Halfpenny of King John struck at the London mint between 1199 - 1216 AD. 

Obverse: hЄNRICVS | RЄX  "King Henry" Legend around crowned facing portrait, with sceptre in right hand.

Reverse: -------.ON.LVN.D "------- of London"

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: John

DATE: 1199 - 1216 AD

MATERIAL: Silver

SIZE: 17mm x 8mm 

WEIGHT: 0.44 grams

ATTRIBUTION: Spink 1351

PROVENANCE: Formerly in a private collection, in Cambridgeshire.