The coins of William the Conqueror and his son William Rufus cannot, with any degree of certainty, be distinguished the one from the other; their appropriation is therefore purely conjectural.
Denominations.—Silver. Pennies only.
Obverse.—Type. Crowned bust, sometimes full-faced, at others in dexter or sinister profile; on some the shoulders and arm extending to the edge of the coin, on others the whole confined within the inner circle; sometimes with tassel, or pendant, hanging from the crown on either side (“bonnet” type), or with a canopy over the head (“canopy” type). On one or both sides of the bust is generally a sceptre, or star; or sceptre on one side and star on the other; or sword. Those usually ascribed to the first William are those with the sceptres only; the others are attributed to William II. But this is entirely supposititious.
Legend. PILEM. [1] PILELM. PILLEM. PILLELM. PILEMV. PILLEMV.PILLEMVS, etc.— R. or REX.— A. AN. ANG. ANGL. ANGLO. ANGLOR., etc.
Reverse.—Type. Crosses in considerable variety, including fleury, battonée, annulæ, voided, etc.; others terminating in pellets, knots, etc.; cross and saltire; cross and lozenge; cross and annulets, etc. One type of common occurrence has, in circles between the limbs of the cross, the letters P A X S. In all cases the device is confined within the inner circle.
Legend. Mint master’s and town names, as GODPINE ON LIN, which signifies that it was struck by Godwine of Lincoln; SIPORD ON PINC, by Siward of Winchester; ESBRN ON SERBR, by Osbern of Salisbury; SIBODE ON LVNDEN; and so on. About sixty or seventy different places of mintage are known.
Rarity. Some scarce; those with the canopy over the head exceedingly so. Those with P A X S are common.