HENRY III. (1216 to 1272.)
Denominations.—Gold, Penny. Silver, Pennies only.
Obverse.—Type. Silver Penny. Full face, crowned in some, without neck or shoulders; on some, on the right of the head (in the legend), a hand holding a sceptre over the head; in some, a mullet or star, in others a crescent and mullet.
Legend. HERICVS. or HENRICVS.—REX. or REX ANG.—III. TER. or TERCI. The legends of these coins are remarkable for the letters in many instances being conjoined.
Reverse.—Type. There are two mintages. The early one (called “short cross pennies”) has a voided cross within the inner circle, and four pellets conjoined in each compartment; but the practice of clipping and filing the moneys had been carried to such an extent, that about 1248 Henry issued a new coinage, called “long cross pennies,” with the same cross, but extending through to the outer edge, thereby rendering any mutilation visible. The cross is a voided or double one, each end terminating in a pellet, and one in the centre; three pellets were now inserted in each compartment instead of four, and not conjoined.
Legend. Mint master’s and town names; some have TER. or TERCI. added; as, TER. RI ON LVND. in continuation of obverse. One variety reads LIE TERCI LON, being a continuation of HENRICVS REX ANG. of the obverse; this, in full, would be “HENRICVS REX ANGLIE TERCI. LON.”
Rarity. Not uncommon; those with TERCI. and REX ANG. rare.
Gold. The Gold Penny of Henry III. was the first gold coin struck by any English monarch; it is therefore important as marking a new era in numismatics. The weight is forty-five grains, and it is of pure, unalloyed gold. On the obverse is a full length robed and crowned figure of the king seated on a throne or chair of state, with sceptre in right hand, and orb and cross in the left. Legend HENRIC REX III. Reverse, a long double or voided cross and pellets, a rose between the pellets in each compartment. This coin has fetched at sales as much as £140.
From this time till Edward III., no other gold coins were struck by English monarchs.