Edward III Groat Chainmail type bust, row of annulets at base of bust

Edward III (1327-77), silver Groat of Fourpence, Post-Treaty period (1369-77), London Mint, variety with row of annulets at base of bust depicting chain mail, facing crowned bust within double tressure of nine arcs, trefoil on each cusp including breast, legend with inner and outer beaded border surrounding, double saltire stops, initial mark cross potent with four pellets, +EDWARDxx DIxx Gxx REXxx AnGLxx Zxx Fxx DnSxx hIBxzx AQ, rev. long cross pattée, tri-pellets in each inner angle, double concentric legends with beaded inner and outer circles surrounding, some letters disjointed, xCIVI TAS LON DON inner legend with unbarred A and reverse barred Ns with contraction mark over last N, +POSVIxx DEVmx A DIVTOR Emx mEVmx, weight 4.29g (N.1286; S.1639). Toned, with an excellent depiction of the chain mail bust, about very fine, reverse stronger, a very rare variety.

The silver Groat of fourpence is once again the largest English silver coin from 1351 in the long reign of King Edward III. There are four main phases to the coinage all defined by changes to titling of the legends in relation to the Treaty of Bretigny signed in 1361 over claims to the Kingdom of France. This coin dates to the Post-Treaty phase where the claim to the French Kingdom is introduced once again. The chain mail depiction being a more intriguing variety only seen in this phase of the coinage at the London Mint.

The obverse Latin legend translates as "Edward by the grace of God, King of England and France, Lord of Ireland" and the reverse as "I have made God my helper" in the outer legend and "City of London" on the inner legend.

Provenance:

Ex David Dupree Collection, sold to Spink 1989.

Ex Dr Frank Brady Collection, Spink Coin Auction, 6^th October 2011, lot 51.

Ex Michael Joffre Collection, Classical Numismatic Group, 18^th September 2013, lot 1943.

Ex A H Baldwin, Fixed Price List, Winter 2015, item BH093.