24^th July 2026

August Summer social will be a visit to the replica Bayeux tapestry at Reading Museum on Thursday 27^th July. Meet at the Museum 11:00 a.m. Please let the Club Secretary know if you are coming.

This is a chance to appreciate the tapestry without the costs (and crowds) associated with viewing the original at the British Museum.

After the visit we can explore local sites of interest, including a local hostelry for lunch.

Next club meeting Monday 7^th September 2026.

A presentation by Tim Millet

Meetings are held at the Abbey Baptist Church, Abbey Square, commencing at 7.00 p.m.

Notices:

The club committee also needs members. Please consider joining, as it is not fair to leave the running of the club to the same small number of members every year. If you are willing to become a member of the committee, please notify one of the current committee, members namely Henry, Tony or Jawaid or our President Peter or VP John.

July Meeting

Paul Wood of Morton & Eden gave a talk on the History of the Half-groat 1338-1662.

Paul commenced by saying that back in 1967 he had been a member of Reading Coin Club, and the first talk on coins that he heard was at Reading Museum. He started working locally and subsequently in London and other places, and then he joined Sotheby’s as a numismatic assistant in 1978. In 2005 he started collecting medals, and later having sold his medal collection, he commenced collecting half-groats.

The history of the half-groat started with the Antwerp demi-gros of the English type issued in 1338 by Edward III, whilst he was staying in the city. Edward was in Antwerp raising funds for his war with France. The Antwerp half-groat was issued 13 years before the first English type.

The style of the half-groat changed little between 1351 and that of Henry VII’s in 1505. The monarchical titles of 1351 to 1361 claimed overlordship of France, but this Rex.Fr. was dropped in the period 1361- 1369 following the treaty of Bretigny in 1361 – but the title returned to coins in issues after 1369.

Antwerp Demi-gross 1338 First English half-groat 1351 pre-Bretigny treaty

From 1352 to 1355 half-groats were minted at York. In 1363 the mint of Calais opened, the production of groats, half groats and pence; however they were few compared to the gold, and all are rare. The Calais mint continued operations until the 1440’s.

The Post Treaty silver of Edward III is much scarcer than the other series of his reign, and most examples come from the Coyningham Hoard in Essex.

Edward was succeeded in 1377 by Richard II, and from whose reign there were several half-groat issues. The type 3 is very rare, whereas the type 4 is more common. Richard was deposed and succeeded by Henry IV in 1400, who issued both a heavy coinage early in his reign and a light coinage from 1412. Within the heavy coinage attributed to Henry are mules of the Edward III post-treaty obverse and Richard II reverse. Cons of Henry IV are very rare; possibly because at the time the silver content was worth more than the coin face value. The coins of Henry V and Henry VI are stylistically similar and of variable quality. The Calais mint closed in 1440’s, with the Rosette-Mascule type (1431-32) being prolific.

Rosette-Mascule half-groat Calais mint Edward IV 1^st reign light coinage 1464-1470

` Archbishop of Canterbury’s mint

Edward IV coins of the light coinage are fairly common, while examples of the heavy coinage are much rarer. Half-groats of this period were struck in London, Bristol, Canterbury and York with a rare few made in Norwich and Coventry. Half-groats of Henry VI’s restoration period (1470-1) are very rare with those known struck in London and York. During the 2^nd reign of Edward coins were struck at Canterbury by both the King and the Archbishop. Moving on, the 25 known Richard III half-groats were all struck in London, and are generally of ropey quality.

The early half-groats of Henry VII are stylistically very similar to those of the preceding reigns, and the first type have reverses struck from dies of Richard III. Those issued in the 1490’s had a modified full-face design of the usual type. However, from 1505 onwards half-groats now carry realistic profile (or half-profile) obverses of the reigning monarchs, and reverses are increasingly of appropriate royal heraldic symbols, and finally losing the medieval cross by the end of the Tudor era.

Henry VII Profile issue 1505-09 Elizabeth 6th coinage 1583-1600 rare

trial without mark of value on obverse

The early HenryVII type 3b coins of 1490-1504 are quite common, as are the later profile issues of his reign and that of Henry VIII until the debased issues (old coppernose) of the third coinage of1544-7. As an interesting side note Paul said that archbishoprics were only permitted to mint coins up to a value of a groat; Archbishop Wolsey struck groat coins, thus exceeding his remit and perhaps one factor in his fall from royal grace.

The highly debased half-groats are extremely rare. Those of the reign of Philip and Mary are distinguished by having only Mary’s crowned portrait on the coin. During the reigns of Mary and Elizabeth the quality of the silver coins was restored to intrinsic values. There were seven issues of hammered half-groats during Elizabeth’s reign, and examples of the third issue (1566-1571) without coronet mm are not uncommon. It was during her reign that milled silver half-groats made an appearance (1560-1574). By the end of the Tudor period minting coins had been largely centralised under the crown.

The Stuart era saw half-groat issues of James I, Charles I, Commonwealth and Charles II with the last hammered half-groats series being issued in 1662.

James I First coinage 1603-04 the only Later James I type (1604-25), and also

portrait issue of his half-groat similar to Charles I first issue

The first issue from James I had a portrait obverse, and shield reverse with thistle mm. This coin was quickly superseded by the second and third issues with the rose obverse and thistle reverse symbolises the union of the two national dynasties. Charles I half-groats followed initially, similarly the James rose obverse and thistle reverse save that the two emblems were intertwined on the two faces. In 1630 the half-groat again became a coin with a portrait obverse and a heraldic reverse. It seems that this coin was very popular and good examples may be obtained at modest prices.

The milled coinage of Nicholas Briot also had portrait obverses and heraldic shield reverses although it appears that by the 1640’s it was not so widely used.

Now the Stuart coinage enters the period of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, and many hammered half-groats are being produced by a variety of regional mints. Some are of very high artistic quality e.g. Aberystwyth and Bristol. Coins from other mints shown in the presentation were Dovey and Oxford.

Following Charles, the Commonwealth’s coinage was very simple and clear and the breeches half-groat was no exception. The coin only remained for a short time after the restoration of Charles II with the half-groat series ending in 1662, with the third issue hammered coin, which is the commonest of his half-groats.

The 1649-1660 Commonwealth half-groat Third issue of Charles II with value

The club heartily applauded Paul’s scholarly presentation and appreciated the many comments he made on scarcity and guidance on prices of coins throughout his talk.

Prior to the meeting Paul very kindly had sent the club secretary a dozen or more recent Morton & Eden auction catalogues. Many of these were on display for members to read at their leisure at or after the meeting. The remainder will be brought to the club at its next meeting. Paul’s generosity is very much appreciated.

Future Events.

London Coin Fair – Shortlands, London, W6 –5^th September & 7^th November 2026

Midland Coin Fair – National Motorcycle Museum - 9^th August & 13^th September 2026

Noonans, Mayfair, W1J 8BQ –2nd-3^rd, 8^th, 16th-17^th & 29^th September 2026

Morton & Eden – October 2026

St James Auctions –23^rd September 2026

Warwick & Warwick – 19^th August & 21^st October 2026

Past Events

50 years ago, Gavin Scott gave a talk on “British Countermarks”.

40 years ago, in 1986 Nigel Mills gave a talk about “Billingsgate Finds”.

30 years ago, Michael Broome entertained us with a talk on “Frank Bowcher an English Medalist”.

20 years ago, the talk was on “East India Coinage Outside India” by John Roberts-Lewis

10 years ago, Megan Gooch spoke on the Tower Mint and organizing a coin exhibition at the Tower

Club Secretary