Edward IV First Reign Half-Ryal, Bristol

Edward IV, first reign (1461-70), gold Half-Ryal of five shillings, light coinage (1464-70), Bristol Mint, with B in waves, initial mark crown on reverse only, King standing in ship with upright sword and quartered shield, E on flag at stern, beaded circle surrounding, trefoil stops with lis either side of Z, ED WARD'x DIxGRAx REXx AnGL *Z* FRAnCx, rev. small rose on sunburst at centre of ornamental cross with lis terminals, crowns over lions in angles, all within a beaded and linear tressure, trefoils in spandrels, initial mark crown, trefoil stops in legend, DOmInExx nEx In FVRORE TVOxx ARGVASx mE.:.xx, quatrefoil of pellets at end of legend (Schneider coin has sun), 3.82g (Schneider 420; N.1555; S.1960). A little ragged on one part of rim, otherwise almost extremely fine, rare.

The Bristol Mint opened in July 1465 to help strike coinage in the midst of a devaluation from heavy to light coinage which brought large quantities of bullion to principal cities to be coined. Bristol was the most important port in England at this time, and its Mint activity is recorded in scant surviving accounts which finish in 1472. The recorded output of gold is less than 10% of what was minted in London at that time. The letter B in the waves below the ship show this is a coin minted at Bristol.

The abbreviated Latin legends translate as on the obverse "Edward by the Grace of God, King of England and France; and on the reverse "O Lord, rebuke me not in Thine anger" a Psalm from the Bible.