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THE BRITISH
NUMISMATIC JOURNAL
1 9 4 5 - 1 9 4 8
ncluding the
PROCEEDINGS OF THE
BR ITISH NU M ISM AT IC SOCIETY
for the years 1 9 4 5 - 1 9 4 8
EDITED BY
C. E. BL U N T AND C. A. W H IT T O N
V O L U M E X X V
T H I R D S E R IE S V O L U M E V
MCMXLIX
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8/12/2019 Continental imitations of the rose noble of Edward IV / by Anthony Thompson
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C O N T I N E N T A L I M I T A T I O N S O F T H E
R O S E N O B L E O F E D W A R D I V
By
A N T H O N Y T H O M P S O N
V E R Y little is known in this country about the large class of rose
nobles bearing the name of Edward IV, but of larger module and
coarser exec ution th a n us ual. Th eir style and fabric, as well as the ir
average weight (about 1x6 grains), stamps them as of foreign manu-
facture, and they are called "Flemish" because there is a convenient
historical explanation for their issueEdward's seven months' exile
in Fla nd ers betw een O ctober 1470 an d A pril 1471. Th ey are held to
be Flemish because they resemble the pieces copied from Henry VI's
noble, who se origin is also assume d to be Flemish. Th e iden tification
of the rose nobles rests solely upon this resemblance, for there is, so
far, no documentary evidence in support of an emergency coinage in
FlandersDeschamps de Pas prints no document in his exhaust ive
studies of the Flemish issues of Charles the Bold which might indicate
that the Burgundian mints of Flanders were put a t Edward's dis-
posal.
1
Even the fun da m enta l point about the orig in of the " H e n r y "
nobles is by no means certain, for there is a suspicion that some of
them may have been coined at or near Cologne in the sixteenth
century.
2
In this country the "Flemish" rose nobles of Edward IV have
always been regarded (and rightly) as a side-line of English numis-
matics, but this att i tude neglects an important aspect of our numis-
matic historythe commercial value of the rose noble abroad, which
led to its imitation.
3
M ontagu saw this clearly when he pos tula ted
a continental issue of rose nobles, based upon Anglo-Flemish trade
relations, and continuing to circulate over a very long period.
4
He argued that as some of the Henry nobles (of similar style) were
found at Fischenich near Cologne (a hoard buried not earlier than
1624), both currencies could have circulated together during the
sixteenth century.
5
O ther hoa rds supp ort this contention, for out of
the large number containing English coins there are about half a
dozen in which Henry nobles and Edward rose nobles occur either
toge ther or sep ara tely . In th at of A m ersfoo rt, bu ried abou t 1560,
both currencies were represented, together with Burgundian nobles
of Philip the Fair,
6
while at Joncret in Hainaut, in a hoard deposited
about 1575-6,
7
there were six rose nobles and no Henry nobles.
Several other hoards show a mixture of Edward rose nobles (often
1
Revue Numismatique Franfaise
(N.S.), vi i (186 2), p p . 35 1 ff.
2
H . M o n t a g u i n
Num. Chron
.
3
xii i (1893), pp . 26 ff.
3
Bu t s e e S ne l l i ng ,
A View of the Gold Coin and Coinage of England,
p . 8 f o o t n o t e
(I),
w ho s us pe c t e d a c on t i ne n t a l i s s ue o f r o s e nob l e s f o r c om m e r c i a l pu r pos e s .
4
Montagu , op . c i t . , p . 34 .
5
M on t a gu , op . c i t .
6
Tijdschrift van liet Nederlandsch Genootschap voor Munt- en Penningkunde,
iv (1896),
p. 103.
7
Revue de la Numismatique Beige,
2
e
s6rie, t. i (1851), p. 92.
O
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184 Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
accompanied by English angels) and the Dutch provincial rose nobles,
s tru ck a few yea rs late r (1575-89) . At T alm on t, in we stern Fran ce,
1
a single Henry noble was associated with three rose nobles, while in
an unnamed Dutch f ind dat ing f rom c.1580-90,2 on ly rose nobles were
pre sen t , again m ixed with D ut ch issues. Fr om th e evidence of these
hoards i t can be assumed that the English rose noble enjoyed a wide-
spread popu lar i ty in Fra nce and the Ne ther land s . I t migh t a lso be
argued tha t the popu la r i ty o f the "Henry" nob le had to some ex ten t
declined, but it is unsafe to generalize in this instance because the
investigators of continental hoards have invariably fai led to dist in-
guish copies from their originals, and so it is impossible to estimate
their comparative frequency. The distr ibution of the hoards does tel l
us one thing: the Henry and rose noble currencies are very l ikely to
be Flemish or Dutch in or igin, for the majori ty of the hoards in
wh ich th ey occur are f ro m the Low Countr ies . T he only com parable
f inds in England that I know of are those at Bisham Abbey
(Berks.),
3
where there was one Henry VI noble and six rose
nobles, none of which can be proved to be foreign imitations, and
at St . Alban s, where there were tw en ty- tw o rose nobles, none of
them copies, and no Henry nobles.
4
Rose nobles and H en ry nobles
(whether true or imitat ion) are more common in Scott ish hoards,
as one might expect f rom the close relat ions between that country
and France .
5
Confirmation of the popular i ty of the Henry and Edward coinage
dur ing the s ix teenth century is provided by the numerous p lacards
issued in the Nether lands, France, and Scotland, especial ly towards
th e end of th e cen tu ry . In th e la tt e r co un try rose nobles figure in a
list of 1598.
6
Like the foreign sterlings of an earlier period, imitations of the
English gold noble were a result of the continual illegal export of coin
f rom Eng land in the four teen th cen tu ry .
In spite of th e effor ts of E dw ar d I I I an d Rich ard I I to a t tra ct
bullion to the mint, quantities of gold nobles were exported and sold
at a prof i t abr oad to be recoined. Th e Du kes of Bu rgu nd y, whose
newly acquired Flemish dominions lay nearest to England, did not
scruple to coin nobles on the English standard, but of less intrinsic
w o r t h PI. A, i) . Th ese pests, arriv ing fro m th e alre ad y flourishing
trade-centre of Calais, caused great distress in England, until they
1
Revue Numismatique,
3
e
serie, t . i i i (1884), p. 271 f.
2
Bulletin Mensuel de Numismatique & d'Archeologie
(Bruss e l s , 188 3-4) , p . 50 .
3
Num. Chron.
( N . S . ) , xvi i i (1878), p . 304.
4 Num. Chron,
3
v i (1886), p . 173 (PL VII).
5
e .g . D u n b l a n e , 1 8 6 9 ;
Num. Chron. ( N . S . ) X
(1870) , pp . 204 and 240 f .
; Proc. Soc. Ant.
Scot, v i i i (1870), pp . 286 f f . , an d Glasg ow , 179 5 ; L in ds ay , Scotch Coins, A p p . 17, p . 264.
6
C o c h r a n - P a t r i c k ,
Records of the Coinage of Scotland,
p . 194 . I h av e n o t be en ab le to
c o n s u l t t h e f o l lo w i n g w o r k s e n u m e r a t e d b y S n e l l in g :
Edicts des Monnoyes Lesquelles out
cours par le Pays de Liege dez I'An 1477 jusques a I'An 1623 4 t o , L i e g e ; Der Cooplieden
Haud boucxkin,
i 2 m o , G h e n t , 1 5 4 6 ;
Het Thresoor oft Schat Van alle de Specien,
l2mo,
A n t w e r p , 1 5 8 0 ;
Ordonnances,
i 2 m o , P a r i s , 15 71 , 1 57 7, a n d P e t t e r D i i k m a n ,
Observationer
forna Swenskas och Gothers penningers Rachningz, Obs xxv,
i 2 m o , S t o c k h o l m , 1 6 86 .
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185 Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
were driven out of currency by Henry IV's reduction in the weight of
his own gold coins in 1412. T he ha rm h ad been done, how eve r, an d
there is evidence that a coinage of imitations (other than the official
one of the Bu rgu nd ian D ukes) was growing up abroad . This m us t
hav e caused some inconvenience in the B urgu ndia n dominions as wel l
as in E ng lan d, for in O ctober 1433 Philippe le Bon issued an
Ordonnance referring to the imitation of deniers d'or "empra in te e t
fourme des deniers de nostredit Seigneur, ou assez semblables a
i ceu l x " \_sic\ by neighbouring countr ies .
1
The term denier d'or is
always used to describe the noble.
A few years before (in 1423), a money-changer of Malines, named
Clais Warin , had been arrested for receiving "monnaies fausses
con t re fa i t es e t de fendus"
2
[sic\. It is to this period that we must
assign th e first of the " H e n r y " nobles, copied fro m the A nnu let issue
of H en ry V I. E vi de nt ly th e Engl ish noble ha d become so popu lar as a
commercial currency
3
that merchants (or feudal rulers) had found i t
expedient to issue private and presumably i l legal coins.
4
It is certain that these copies enjoyed a l imited circulation in
England, for one of them was present in the Horsted Keynes f ind
buried about 1440
5
(cf.
P I
A, 2).
When Edward iV remodelled his coinage in 1465 he found i t
expedient to strike a new denomination in the style of the old noble
which ha d beco me so po pu lar ab roa d. Th e result was the rose noble
of higher value and weight, a coin even more popular than i ts pre-
decessor, an d e ve ntu ally one of the m ain currencies of no rth ern
Eu rop e. In these circu m stanc es i t is no t surprising to find th a t i t too
was extensively imitated.
A definition of this type of imitation was given by Serrure in 1847,
when he described the coins as contrefagons (counterfei ts) . He further
dist inguished between those bearing the name and t i t les of their
issuer, w he th er official or otherw ise (e.g. th e rose nobles of H ollan d,
Zeeland, Overyssel, &c., as well as nobles of Ghent) and those
indist inguishable from their prototype, but not ser iously under
weight.
6
B ot h classes are repr ese nted am ongs t the rose nobles to be
described.
Research by cont inenta l numismat is t s , amongst them Verkade,
Serrure, and Schulman, has establ ished that many contrefagons of
Eng lish gold coins (angels, rose nobles, an d a few sovereigns) w ere
issued either semi-officially, as in the case of some Friesland coins, or
1
D e s c h a m p s d e P a s i n
Revue Numisma tique,
1861, p . 47 2.
2
Ib id . , p . 461 .
3
E v i d e n c e o f t h e i r c i r c u l a t i o n i n e a s t e r n E u r o p e i s p r o v i d e d b y a h o a r d f r o m t h e
W a r s a w d i s t r i c t , w h i c h c o n t a i n e d H e n r y V n o b l e s. S e e S p i n k ' s
Numismatic Circular,
Nov. -Dec . 1914 , p . 682 , nos . 2461 and 2462.
4
I t s hou l d be no t e d t ha t i m i t a t i ons o f E ng l i s h go l d nob l e s w e r e i s s ue d by Wa l e r a n I I I
of L u xe m bu r g , Co un t of S t . P o l a n d L i g ny ( 1371- 1415) , f r o m h i s m i n t a t E l i nc ou r t
( Ca m br a i d i s t r i c t ) . T h e s e a r e p r ob a b l y t he e a r li e s t c op i e s kn ow n . S e e R i go l l o t i n
Revue
Numismatique,
1850 , pp . 203 f f . ; P o e y d ' A va n t ,
Monnaies Feodales,
i ii , p . 41 8; an d E ng e l
a n d S e r r u r e ,
Traite,
iii, p . 1075 f.
5
Num. Chron.
s
,
1929, p. 237.
6
Revue Beige de Num.,
t . i i i (1847), p . 261.
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186 Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
privately and without sanct ion by municipal authori t ies , e .g . at
G orinchem in Ho llan d. Th e issue of these pieces coincides w ith the
beginning of the Dutch wars of Independence and the formation in
1575 of th e Un ite d P rovinc es. In view of th e close tr ad e connex ions
between England and the Netherlands, and the inf lux of Engl ish
volunteers in to the Dutch provinces, both of which contr ibuted to the
desire for a new coinage of English style, this is a subject which
direct ly concerns Engl ish numismatics.
In the preceding pages I have outl ined the evidence (such as i t is)
of documents and hoards relating to the probable date of issue of the
" F le m is h " s ty le rose nobles . I t t ends to a s ix tee n th-ce ntury date ,
an d a late one. I t re m ain s to be seen w he the r a close st u dy of the
coins themselves will confirm this idea.
It is easy enough to classify these pieces in a broad manner by their
stylethere are, for tunately , several wel l -defined groupsbut i t i s
m uch hard er to produ ce a sat is fac tory die-sequence. The comm on
de no m ina tor is, as will be seen pre sen tly, th e let tering , b u t even here
there are notable except ions.
First , I wil l take a typical example of a "Flemish" rose noble, and
describe i t :
Obv. CID/.-..-. W 7T RD-
. .
D P . - . 6 R 7 t . - . R 0 X
. .
T t n G I T I . -. RR7 T R
D R S IB . -.
Th e king sta nd ing in a ship, holdin g a swo rd and shield. A rose
on the ship 's side and 0 on a banner at the stern.
Rev. M.M. Crown. I fc D 7 W T
. .
T R f t n S I G t t S .-. P O R
. .
tf?dDIVm .-.
IKKORV- . -. IB T tT A rose up on a sun as on th e En glish rose
noble. [PI. A, 4.] W e ig h t: 116 gra ins.
If we analyse the details of this coin against those of the genuine
piece, it is ob viou s w here th e differen ces lie. T he co m pos ition of the
copy is poo r co m pare d t o t h a t of th e coin i l lustra ted on PI. A, 3, and
th e relief is ve ry low. Th e correct l ines are the re, bu t ap pe ar em pty
an d me aningless bec ause th ey are all of th e sam e te xt ur e. Th e rose
on the ship 's s ide is large and f lat , with no at tempt at moulding;
a reference to that on genuine pieces shows i t to be small and
re gu lar . I call thi s rose N o. 1 an d t h a t of th e cop y No. 2 [cf. Nos. 3.
and 4],
The portrait on the imitation is large and coarse, with an oval face
and a sprea d crown. I t com pares ve ry un fa vo ur ab ly w ith the head
on th e English dies. A no the r cha rac teris t ic of th e Flem ish series is
the w ay in wh ich the let ter
a
is inverted and used as a
Dand
0
at will.
The mater ial upon which a classif icat ion may be based can be
summarized as :
(a ) Style of po rtr ai t . O ut of a nu m be r of varie ties I ha ve chosen the
th re e m ost clearly defined. N um be r 1 (Fig. 1) is a small head
w ith he av y features , usual ly dou ble-st ruck. N um be r 2 (Fig. 2)
is larger, with a noticeable gap between the face and crown-
pun che s. N um be r 3 (Fig. 3) ha s alre ad y been m entio ned . It
has pellets for eyes. Be twe en the m , these three po rtr ai ts are
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187 Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
enough for a quick identification of most of the Flemish rose
nobles.
(b) The shape of the rose.
(c) Th e longer swo rd, and th e form of th e king's sw ord-arm , w hich
is varied by i ts thickness and by the presence or lack of a point
of armour at the elbow.
(d) The le t ter ing .
The group which looks earliest in style consists of three pieces.
Taking the three coins, we find that they have smaller flans and
a mo re co m pa ct design th a n is usua l am ong st th e Flem ish dies. Th ey
hav e po rtr ai t no . 1 an d rose no. 1 (small) , while th e priv y m ar k, a sun,
is at the beginning of the obverse inscription.
1
It is thick er th a n the
English variety, and one of i ts eight rays is broken
[Cat. of Dies,
nos.
1
an d 2). On all th re e coins th e obverse die is ide ntic al
(0 1 = PI.
A,
5).
Th ere are thre e reverses (R 1- 3) . No. 1 has a crown m ar k with a
pellet each side. N o. 2 also ha s th e crown, b u t th e pellets are distri-
buted between the let ters of I B 7 JT .
N um be r 3 is pro bab ly the sam e die al tered. I t bea rs a sun as pr ivy
mark, but th is appears to be punched over another mark, perhaps the
crown . N o tra ce s of thi s are visible, b u t the re is a depression in
the metal round the sun, suggest ing that i t was punched in af ter the
former mark had been burn ished out
(PI.
A,
8).
Reverses 1 and 3 both have a pellet above the ft of IhCL
Th e lette rin g is un ifor m for the thre e coins, e s are norm al, bu t an
1
The sun mark occurs bo th a t the beginning ( i . e . be low the sa i l ) and a t the end of the
obve r s e l e ge nd on ge nu i n e ha l f - a n d qu a r t e r - r y a l s ; t he c om bi na t i on o f s un a nd c r ow n i s
(pace
B r o o k e ,
Engl. Coins,
p . 155) un kn ow n f o r t h e r ya l , t hou gh i t e x i s t s on ha l ve s a nd
q u a r t e r s : D u r l a c h e r ' s r y a l , w h i c h h e e x h i b i t e d a t a m e e t i n g of t h e R o y a l N u m i s m a t i c
S oc i e t y on 21 M a r c h 1895 , w a s un do ub t e d l y a n i m i t a t i on , a n d m a y be i de n t i c a l w i t h t he
Br i t i s h M us e um s pe c i m e n ( s e e
Proceedings, Num. Soc.,
for M arc h 1895) , Du r la ch er Sa le
(Sotheby) , 1899 , lo t 71 , and my ca ta logue of d ie va r i e t i e s , no . 1 ) .
G R O U P I
(PI .
A,
5 - 8 )
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188 Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
in ve rte d 0 (Fig. 3) is used fo r D. T he 7? ha s sligh tly curv ed limb s
(Fig. 1) and the
C
is gen erally of th e fo rm sh ow n in Fig. 2. H ha s a
long tail (Fig. 4), and
R
is sm all w ith sq ua re fee t (Fig. 5).
Ws
are
correctly formed of two V-punches (Fig. 6).
Die-sequence of Group I
O 1 = S u n w i t h t r e f o i ls b e t w e e n c o m b i n e d w i t h R 1 = C r o w n w i t h a p e l l e t e a c h
D N S I B .
On e ou t of e igh t s ide an d one ab ov e
f l
in
I f t G
ra ys in the sun i s br ok en of f R 2 = Cro wn . Pe l le ts in IB T^ T
shor t . o n ly ; one ab ov e f t.
There is an obvious at tempt at a regular system of pr ivy marking
here. Th e trefoi ls on th e obverse are co nsta nt and m ay o nly be a
reproduct ion of the Engl ish dies, but the pel let system must have a
signific anc e of its ow n. I t sug gests an official or sem i-official issue,
and i t is noticeable that something very l ike i t occurs on some
El izabethan ryals ,
1
as well as on other coins of our series.
As an introduction to the next two groups i t will be convenient
to give some details of the way in which the rose noble was used in
the s ix teen th cen tury .
The involved state of the Netherlands currency under i ts Bur-
gundian rulers , and subsequent ly under Charles V, encouraged the
importat ion of foreign currencies, and consequent ly their imitat ion.
In 1497 and 1499 ^
w a s
recorded in placa rds issued in Flan ders th at
the country was fi l led with gold coin "faibles au poids ou contrefaites,
et par consequent , decriees".
2
In sp ite of ordonnances,
3
this state of
disorder continued, and Charles V was forced to prohibit a number of
issues between 1520 and 1525.
Foreign coins and imitat ions of them were imported and raised
above their real value, and people profited from the high prices at
which these were accepted by carrying on i l l ici t commerce and bring-
ing in prohibited coins.
The high prices abroad reacted unfavourably in England, as is
shown by the fol lowing proclamation issued by Henry VIII on
22 August 1526:
4
"Owing to the enhancement of value abroad money
was carried out of this realm by secret means, nobles, half nobles and
ryalls, and as a remedy it is proclaimed that al l gold current within
this realm sh all be of the sam e valu e as i t is in oth er ou tw ar d pa rts . . . . "
The proclamation goes on to fix the values of the French "Crown of
th e S un " an d H en ry 's new gold crown an d to fix the r at e of 44 shil lings
the ounce as the sum to be paid for gold of the fineness of the
sovereign, ryal , noble, an d half-n oble br ou gh t to th e m in t. This was
Ca rdinal W olse y's first at te m p t to deal w ith the difficult prob lem , and
in au gu ra te d his de ba sem en t policy. B y M arch 1542 value s of nobles,
half-nobles, and ryals had again been raised abroad, and an English
1
Cf . t h e e s c a l l o p - m a r ke d c o i n s de s c r i b e d i n
Num. Chron.
6
( i ; nos . I I I - I V ) , 1941 ,
p . 147 f.
2
Revue Beige de Num.,
1876, p . 62.
3
Ib id . , p . 82 f . See
Ordonnances,
15 A ug us t 1521 a n d 25 S e p t e m be r 1525.
4
Brit. Num . Journ.
1
x (1913 ), p. 139 .
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189 Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
proclamation prohibi ted their export and raised the value of the ryal
fro m u s . 6d. to 12s.
1
The same thing happened in Scot land, where rose nobles were
exten sively used. In 1526 Ja m es V followed H en ry V II I in raising
the values of his coins.
2
H is l ist includ es:
By 1544 values had again been raised, the Harry noble to 42s. and
the rose noble to 48s.
3
In 1546 certain English gold coins were prohibited in Scotland
because the y were " n a f yn e gold, ba t copper for the maist par t , and
of na fynnace" .
4
Am ongst those me nt ioned was a " R ia le " . As
Henry VIII is not known to have issued rose nobles for general
currency, th is passage may perhaps be taken as evidence for the
circulation of English forgeries or of foreign contrefagons.
5
Th e lat ter w ould be a na tur al resul t of the high values pu t upon the
rose noble, as people would be encouraged to issue light pieces and
impor t them in to England .
In this way it is possible to suggest a period for the beginning of the
contrefagon coinage m ore in keeping w ith i ts style th an an earlier d ate .
To be more precise, I shall (with reservations) put it at between 1526
and 1546.
Contrefagons of many sorts were issued, amongst which the rose
noble ine vita bly figure d. It w as double the weight of m ost of i ts con-
temporaries, and i ts f ine quali ty, both intrinsically and art ist ically,
ensured i ts acce ptance in m an y places. One cou ntry af te r another
adopted i t as a standard of currency, and Snell ing
6
lists a number of
sta tes w hich pu t it int o circulation. Cologne, Trier, and Ji i l ich were
amongst these, and they were followed by Denmark (where the Tolls
of the Sound were usually estimated in rose nobles),
7
Sweden, and
Norway, as wel l as the Hanseat ic communit ies who found i t essent ial
for their t ra de with Eng lan d and the N etherlan ds. I t ci rculated as a
t rade coin in Russia under the name of Korabel'nik o r " sh ip -co in"
during the reign of Ivan the Terrible (1547-84).
8
In these countries the si lver mark had always been used as the
1
Brit. Num . Journ.
1
x (1913 ), p . 152.
2
C o c h r a n - P a t r i c k ,
Records of the Coinage of Scotland
(1), p . 95 .
3 Ib id . , p . 96. ^ Ib id . , p . 85.
5
B r o o k e e x p r e s s l y c o n d e m n e d t h e H e n r y V I I I r y a l i n t h e B r i t i s h M u s e u m . I t s l e t t e r i n g
a n d t he op e n c r ow n s ugge s t a c o m pa r a t i ve l y m o de r n f o r ge r y ( se e G r ue be r , P I . x i v , 3 94 ;
Kenyon, p . 84 ; i t s we ight i s 117 gra ins ) .
6
Sne l l ing ,
A View of the Gold Coin and Coinage of England,
p . 8 , f oo t no t e
(I).
7
L o r e n t z e n ,
Museum Regium
(C op en hag en, 1710) , p . 2, Sec t . 5 , c . 12; Snel l ing, op . c i t .
T h e t e r m " R o s e N o b l e " , o r " R o z e n o b l e " is of f o r e ig n o r ig i n . E n g l i s h r e c o r d s g e n er a ll y
cal l i t the ryal .
8
S c h r o t t e ,
Worterbuch der Munzkunde,
p. 460.
1 . T h e [ F r e n c h ] C r o w n o f t h e S u n
2 . T h e A n g e l n o b l e
3 . T h e D o u b l e D u c a t [ S p a n i s h ] o r
x v n j s .
x x v i i j s .
H a r r y n o b le [ Fl em i sh ]
4. The rose noble
5 . T h e P o r t u g a l D u c a t
XXXV] s .
xlij s.
xli s.
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774 Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
"Coin of Account" , but i t appears that the rose noble was now pre-
fer red as a cur rency s tandard .
1
In the course of trade rose nobles and Henry nobles were bound to
be countermarked, and there are several such s tamps which require
exp lana t ion. Th e com mo nest are for the great Bal t ic trade-c entres
of Dantzig (a crowned double cross; PI. B, 1 and Figs , i and 2)
2
and
Rig a (a cross over ke y s;PI. B, 2an d Figs. 3 an d 4). These a re pro ba bly
both s ixteenth century, and appear on genuine and imitat ion pieces .
Th ere are m il i tary reasons for some of th e other ma rks . Th e double-
headed eagle of Groningen
PI. B, 4
and Fig. 5) dates from the siege
of that town by the Dutch t roops under Pr ince Maurice of Nassau in
1591,
3
whi le the much rarer mark of Ypres (a crowned Gothic
PI. B, 3 and Fig. 6) was used dur ing the blockade by the Spaniards
in 1583.
4
T h a t i l lus trate d is on the ob verse of a wo rn Calais noble of
Henry VI (Annulet issue).
Coins bearing the stamp of Riga include a genuine rose noble
PI. B, 2) and one of the sun-marked coins of group I (Cat. no. 2).
Some confusion has ar isen about the or igin of this mark; both Schul-
m a n
5
and Ives
6
accept i t as that of Riga, but the catalogue of the
Cassal Collection (sold at Sotheby's in 1924) described it as "Keys
in sal t ire between a sl ipped trefoil" and called i t the mark of Arch-
1
S n e l l i n g , View of Nobles Struck Abroad, p . 5 3 , w h e r e i t i s s t a t e d t h a t t h e B a l t i c
c o u n t r i e s a d o p t e d t h e n e w s t a n d a r d u n d e r t h e p a t r o n a g e of t h e T e u t o n i c k n i g h t s .
2
F i g . 2 is t r a c e d f r o m R e n t z m a n ' s i l l u s t r a t i o n of t h e a r m s of D a n t z i g in Numismatisches
Wappen Lexicon,
1877 , PL x v i , 222 .
3
C f. a Z e e l a n d n o b l e w i t h t h i s m a r k , i l l u s t r a t e d i n S c h u l m a n , Sale Cat., 1919, Pl. 11, 19.
4
V a n d e n p e e r e b o o m , Numismatique Yproise (Bru ssels , 1877) , p . 24 f .
5
S c h u l m a n , Sale Cat., 191 1, P l. 11, F ig . 78.
6
I v e s , Foreign Imitations of the English Noble, A m e r . N u m . S o c. , Num. Notes and Mon.,
no.
93 (1941)-
r
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191 Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
bishop Nevil l (?) , wh o acte d as guard ian to H en ry V I du ring the
Restorat ion of 1470-1.
1
It is tr ue th a t th e cross does look ra th er l ike
a slipped trefoil, but if we look closely at it there is no doubt that it is
m ea nt to be a cross pa tte e. I t s foot is too long and sq uar e to be
heraldical ly correct , and i ts o ther extremit ies are weakly st ruck; but
these are detai ls which the ar t is t could hardly be expected to engrave
accurately on so small a scale.
R e n t z m a n
2
gives the arms of Riga as a cross pattee over crossed
keys (Fig. 4). H ere the l imbs are correc tly ex pa nd ed .
Archbishop George Nevill is an unlikely person to have used a
countermark, al though i t would have been just possible for him to do
so as a temporary measure before new dies were ready for Henry 's
coinage.
3
As fa r as I can asc erta in, he ne ve r use d ke ys or a cross of an y
sort; his arms as Archbishop of York were the Salisbury (Nevill)
sal t i re combined with a label .
4
Finally, the style of the sun-marked coins (already shown to be a
foreign issue) suggests a date later than Edward IV's reign, and is
much more in accord with the countermark being sixteenth century,
and put on the t rade currency of Riga.
G R O U P I I
P I . B , 4 - 7 )
The next group of rose nobles is difficult to arrange in i ts proper
sequence, though i ts subdivisions are easily identifiable by style and
lette ring . A close an alys is of de tails sho w s: (a)th a t th e group can be
divided into three classes; (b)th a t t he let te ring of each class merges
into th e n e x t; (c) th a t we shall f ind i t less con fusing no t to rely too m uc h
upon o ther detai ls, because so m an y d ifferent punc hes are used on
dies which look identical.
Class I
PI. B, 4-6 )
consists of three coins, all from the same
obve rse an d reverse dies (0 1 an d R 1). I t s m ain c hara cteris t ic is i ts
po rtra it , th e head no. 2 alre ad y described. Th e rose on th e ship is a
m odific ation of no. 1 w ith a ten de nc y to flatness. T he coin no. 3 is in
poor con dition a nd coarser tha n the others. I t weighs 115 grains as
against 116, so it may be a derivative of class 1. The privy mark on
all three coins is a crown.
Class II PI. B, 7 an d PI. C, 1an d 2). Th e style of thes e coins is
similar, b u t th e he ad is thi nn er . W e m ight call i t 2a. The rose is
flatter th a n before . Nos. 2, 3, an d 4 are rem ark ab le in th a t th ey
indicate their place of origin, and so give us a clue to the whole group.
Nos. 2 and 3 have a shield in the middle of the forecastle instead of a
quatrefoil . This shield bears two fesses counter-embattled (Fig. 7).
No. 4 goes far the r , for not only does the " k i n g " carry th e same shield ,
1
Cassa l Sa le C a t . ( So theb y , 3 De c . 1924) , lo t 209 .
2
Ibid. , PI . 6 , 232.
3
F o r a n a c c o un t of G e o r g e N e v i l l ' s p a r t i n H e n r y V I ' s r e s t o r a t i o n , s e e W a l t e r s i n
Num. ChronA
x (1910), pp. 118 ff.
4
S o g i v e n i n B e d f o r d ' s
Blazon of Episcopacy,
P I .
L X V I I I ,
no. 28.
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Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
b u t the inscript ion be tra ys th a t the coin is no t Eng lish . Mixed with
the Edwardian t i t les we get the abbrevia t ions 7W
(Ad valorem)
and
DIH 7TR
Domini Arkellensis),
ind icatin g th a t this rose noble was
s t ruck on the s tandard
(Ad valorem)
of Edward for the Lord of Arkel.
In class I I th er e are thr ee o bvers es (O 2 to 4), an d tw o reve rses
(R 2 and 3) , both with the crown mark.
On all coins of classes I and II the king's sword-arm is thin and
weak, w ith poin ted arm ou r a t the e lbow an d wris t . This form ap pears
to be characteristic of the earlier dies of the Flemish rose nobles.
Class III
PI. C, nos. 3-6). Th is is th e larg est of the gro up , its
main characteristic being the oval head with pellets for eyes, already
descr ibed as no. 3. On th e coins of class I I I
a
PI. C, 3) the rose has
developed fu lly into n o. 2, while the kin g's sw ord- arm (one of the
main guides to the chronology of the group) is thick without a point
to the arm ou r at th e elbow. Class I I I
a
has one obverse (0 5) and two
reve rses (R 4 an d 5), acc om pa nie d by th e foreg oing deta ils. Classes
I I I band c PI. C, nos. 4-6) are varied by the arm having a point of
armour a t the e lbow; individual punches for the head, body, shie ld ,
sword, and ship are identical in both classes, though sometimes
diffe ren tly place d on th e flan. Th e rose no. 2 is alwa ys used, a con-
spicuous detail being the arrangement of the pellets in rows of two,
four, four, two, generally inserted at an angle.
Broadly speaking, there appear to be only two obverses in classes
I I I
b
an d
c,
dis t inguished by the omit t ing of the t refoi l a f ter DRS
(no . 4 = 0 6 ) and i t s inse rt ion (no. 5 = O 7). Reverses a re p robably
identica l, th ou gh the re m ay b e slight differences in th e placing of
de tails (no. 6 = R 6). Class I I I
d
ha s one ob verse (O 8 w ith a new
portrait) and one reverse (0 7) (see cat. of dies, no. 12).
Fin ally, th e letter ing . F ro m th is i t is possible to suggest a plan for
th e sequ ence of th e gro up . On class I, pu nc he s on b o th sides are short
and thick with curved l imbs, e .g . the 7T
(Fig. 1 = A 1). T he a , on the
oth er han d, is large (Fig. 3 = C 1). U has a thick ta il (Fig. 5 = N i )
and the Wis weak in i ts lef t -ha nd l imb (Fig . 8 = W i ) . Most of these
letters continue on class II , though the n becomes rounder (Fig. 6 =
N 2), an d t h e W thic k (Fig. 9 = W 2 ) . a is som etime s reversed
(Fig. 3). On th e earl iest coins of class I I I a (= O 5) these lett ers are
sti l l present, but the
7X
is sma ller and th inn er. In late r coins, and in
I I I
b,
we get a new pu nc h, m uc h larger, an d w ith widely curv ed limbs
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193 Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
(Fig. 2 = A 2). R no. 2 an d R (Fig. 7) are ve ry c on spicu ou s on
classes III b an d c, w hile th e a (Fig. 1) of th e ear lier classes is
general ly present , accompanied by a smaller punch with i ts lower
ex tre m ity f irst cracked , the n broke n (Fig. 4 = C 2) .
Other le t ters, including a thick T, can be used to check the die-
sequence , but they are less impor tant .
G R O U P I
5 .
G R O U P I I
8
In class III d {0 8 and R 7) we get an entirely new lettering mixed
w ith old pu n ch es (e.g. a , ft , an d S). 7Ts are no w ver y small an d th in
an d of a fo rm resem bling A 2 ( = Fig. 2). In one case (R 7) the re is a
small sp ur clearly visible on th e rig ht -h an d l imb of a ve ry thin, str aig ht
T m ak in g i t look l ike 7B ; this stron gly recalls a let te r-p un ch on th e
Gorinchem rose noble of Marie de Brimeu, engraved for Cuypers in
1851 (see Num. Chron,
6
(m-iv) , 1941, Pl . V I I I , 8), and also connects
R 7 w ith certa in El iz ab eth an ryals st ruc k at Gorinchem abo ut 1585-6.
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We can now summarize the chronology:
Class I. 0 i , wi t h he ad 2 , r o se 1 va r i e t y a), an d ar m 1 ( t h i n ) .
= R
1 . C r o w n .
Class II. 0 2 t o 4 , w i t h he ad 2 a, r o s e 1 v a r i e t y [a), a n d a r m 2
= R
2 an d 3 . C r o w n .
(thick, no point at elbow).
Class III a). 0 5 , w i t h he ad 3 , r o se 2 , an d ar m 2 ( t h i ck, wi t h - = R 4 an d 5. Cro wn ,
out point) .
Class III b).
0
6 , w i t h hea d 3 , r o se z, an d ar m 3 ( t h i ck, wi t h
= R
6 . C r o w n .
po i n t ) . N o t r efo i l a f t e r
DI7S.
Class III (c). O 7 , o n l y di f fer i n g i n ha vi n g t he t r efo i l a f t er D U S = R 6.
Class III (d) . O 8. A ne w po rtra i t .
= R
7 . C r o w n . N e w
l e t t e r i n g m i x e d
wi t h o ld pun ches .
The series of rose nobles includes some other dies which cannot be
fit ted into the grouping; one of them bears the privy mark cross-
f i tchy
PI. A, 9)
and th e other a bo ar 's head. This cann ot have been
struck earlier than
c.
1483-5, and its style makes it likely to be much
later
PI. A, 10).
Fu ll details of all these ind ivid ual styles will be found
in the catalogue of dies (nos. 16-20).
There are a few more points in connexion with group 2.
(a) A pellet on each side of the king's shoulder on a coin of class I
PI. B, 6).
This can be explained as being a merchant 's mark, put on
to distinguish the coin either as being of less intrinsic value than the
original or as being in circulation as bullion on ly. Th ere are ple nty of
analogies in the Greek coinagefor instance, the coins of Lydia and
Aegina and Persian sigloi which were so stamped in Egypt under the
early Ptolemys.
1
(b ) If we look closely at th e rose nobles we find th a t on some,
especially those of group II, there are indications of ridges thrown up
round letters and parts of the design which are not altogether due to
wear or buckling, or doub le-striking. The surface, par ticula rly on the
reverses, is full of minute striations (cf.
PI. A, 4).
These curious features may possibly be the result of a system of
" h u b b in g ' ' . Th e hu b or m aste r die in relief was used to impress an
incuse design upon a heated blank, which, when hardened, was used
to strike coins from, the design coming out positive or in relief as on
the original hub.
2
I do not know exac tly w hat m ark s would be caused
in this process of reproduction, but it has been noted in connexion
with Greek coins that, when the hub had become worn, the engraver
was in the habit of deepening letters or parts of the design with a
graving-tool, by cutting round them a shallow depression, which, of
course, comes out as a "bank" in relief on the coin.
3
This system of hub bing is pa rticu larly suitable for a ha sty coinage
large numbers of pieces can be produced quickly, and time is saved
b y not having to engrave new dies at short intervals. Inscriptions
and supplementary pieces of the design can be inserted at will; hence
the need for a stock of individual punchesa phenomenon which we
get in this series.
1
J . G. Mi ln e ,
Greek and Roman Coins,
p. 77 f . , a n d PI . x v i , nos . 2 , 3 , a n d 6.
2
H i l l , " A n c i e n t M e t h o d s o f C o i n i n g " , i n Num. Chron,
5
ii (1922), p . 19 f .
3
Ib id . , PI . 1, no s . 10 an d 11.
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Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
G roup I I I is com pletely diffe ren t. I t is ad ap te d from class I of
grou p II , havin g b ad copies of he ad 2 and rose I . Th e inscription
resembles only superficially th a t of E dw ar d IV. It reads in abbr e-
v ia ted form O R D H R I S I f t e 7TD I i e e e f K 6 D W 7 ? R D R H TvU,
i.e. the
coin was st ruc k fo r th e province of Friesland on th e " E d w a r d " or
English sta nd ar d of gold. To m ak e the at t r ibu t ion m ore cer tain , we
have the ini t ial F = Frisia) on the flag of one (PI. C, 7). Schulman
1
has already established that these coins were a semi-official issue,
st ruck for the O mm elanden ( that pa rt of Friesland af te rw ard s uni te d
with Groningen), and produced at Culemborg in Utrecht province
between 1589 and 1591.
The three pieces i l lustrated are all in the Dutch Royal Coin Cabinet
at The Hague, and I have to thank Mr. Enno Van Gelder for his
kindn ess in send ing me c asts of the m as well as notes on their we ights.
We have now to find a date for the three groups.
Group I would appear to be earliest in style, and superficially it
fulfils
th e conditions requ ired of an em ergency coinage for E dw ar d IV .
W eigh ts (117 grains) a nd priv y ma rk s (crown an d sun) are correct fo r
the period, but I do not believe that the coins are fifteenth century.
Th e 17 pu nc h conn ects th em w ith tw o oth er pieces whose style is
m ark ed ly " l a t e " in some respe cts (nos. 18 an d 19 in th e catalogue of
dies). If the se sun an d cro w n-m ark ed coins are to be classed as p a rt
of the same series as group II, then it is obvious that so large a coinage
could not have been issued in a short period of seven months.
G roup II can be da ted ver y closely. Th e dev elopm ent of the
lettering, with i ts recurring punches, indicates the employment of a
single mint, and i t is fairly certain that this mint was Gorinchem in
H olla nd . Th e coins of class II b ea ring the arm s an d title of A rke l are
the principal evidence for this at tribution, for i t is known that the
municipal authorit ies of Gorinchem owned the estate of Arkel in the
late six tee nth ce ntu ry. T he Seigneurs of Arkel, once an im po rta nt
family in the Netherlands, possessed a right of coinage in medieval
t imes. Th is ha d lapsed in th e fifteenth ce ntu ry w ith the de ath of
Jo hn X I I I , the last d irect repres entat ive . His dau ghter , Marie (who
died in 1415), married into the family of Egmont, later Dukes of
Gueldres, and by the sixteenth century the family of Arkel was only
repre sen ted b y a bra nc h, th e Seigneurs of H euke lom . Th ere is no
evidence that they ever possessed the original estate, lying close to
Gorinchem, or that they claimed a right of coinage under that t i t le.
The best explanation of the coins is that the municipal authorit ies of
Gorinchem revived this right of coinage for their own profit between
the years 1583 and 1589.
2
Their m int, un de r the direction of H en ry
van Velthuysen and his female successor, Anne van Wissell , acquired
an evil reputation for issuing l ight-weight pieces, mostly contrefagons,
1
" D e M u n t e n d e r O m m e l a n d e n , 1 5 7 9 - 1 5 9 1 " , i n
Jaarboek Van Munt- en Penningkunde,
i i (1915). PP.
I
29 ff-
2
S c h u l m a n i n
Congres Internationale de Numismatique
(Bru ssels , 1891) , p . 580, an d
S e r r u r e i n
Rev. Beige de Num.,
t. iii (184 7), p p . 25 5 fi.
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196 Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
am ong st which the rose noble was pro m inen t . The his tory of these
dubious activities has been described elsewhere,
1
an d it is sufficient to
say that af ter a long s truggle agains t frequent proclamations by the
Dutch Government , the mint was forc ibly c losed in 1589.
As the shield of Arkel occurs on a silver
piedfort
for a sovereign
known to have been des igned a t Gorinchem during these years ,
2
it is
reasonable to assume that the rose nobles date from the same period.
We might carry the argument a s tage far ther and say that the coins
were produced between 1585 and 1587, when the English army under
th e E ar l of Leic ester w as estab lishin g itself in H ol lan d. I t is well
known that Leicester imported a large coinage of rose nobles
(Elizabethan) for the use of his troops, and this may have caused a
revival in the issues of rose noble
contrefagons
of the older type, for
both mil i tary and economic purposes .
We may now summarize the da t ing as
Group I, c.
1585 or after
?
M int ?
Group II.
1585-87. Gorinchem.
Group III.
1589-91. Culem borg.
As we are not going to regard group I as fifteenth century, there is
an aw kw ard gap to fil l betw een 1470 an d 1585. W e kno w th a t rose
nobles did circulate in considerable numbers, but we have yet to find
a s tyle early enough to suggest a date contemporary with Edward IV.
The number of genuine pieces in circulation during the sixteenth
century cannot have been very large , and i t is jus t poss ible that the
rose noble was regard ed m ore as a coin of accou nt a sub sti tu te for the
markthan as a current coin , and that the English angel was more
used unti l the Dutch Wars of Independence began
(c.
1569-7 5). It
may be objected that the great number of varieties of rose nobles
known indicates a more continuous series than th is theory provides
for. If so, a diligent search of continental museums and private
collections may produce coins more in keeping with an earlier date.
3
Without such evidence, the earliest date for the beginning of the
contrefagons
of rose nobles is hard to fix, but it is not unlikely to be a
few year s befo re 1526, a per iod in wh ich th e rising price of gold abr oad
and the consequent export of English coins made the issue of
contre-
fagons
a profitable business (see p. 188).
In 1585, w hen E liza be th decided to in terv ene officially on th e side
of the United Provinces, and sent Leicester over with an army, there
was doubtless a revival in the rose noble currency, leading to more
contrefagons.
I do not see why all these coins (with the exception of group III
at Culemborg) should not have been issued concurrently from one
mint on the principle of the Roman
officinae
or m in t wo rkshop s. This
1
Cu yp er s , op . c i t . i ( 1851) , p p . 187 f f . a n d Num. Chron.
6
( i i i - iv) , 1941, p p . 139 f f.
2
S e r r u r e ,
Rev. Beige de Num.,
t . i i i (1847 ) , p p . 25 5 f f .
3
D u r i n g t h e d i s c u s s io n a f t e r I r e a d m y p a p e r t o t h e S o c i e t y b o t h M r . B l u n t a n d M r . A l le n
e x p r e s s e d t h e o p i n i o n t h a t m y d a t e fo r t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n of t h e
contrefagons
w a s t o o l a t e .
I a g r e e w i t h t h e m a n d h a v e m o d i f i e d m y v ie w s a c c o r d i n g l y .
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197 Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
would account for a number of identical punches being used on coins
of completely different style, and also for the system of privy marking
on grou ps I an d I I , w hich would in th a t ca.se indic ate either the wo rk-
shop or the coins of an individual workman.
Looking at the map (see p. 198) i t is obvious why the magistrates
of G orinc hem dec ided to issue rose nobles . T he tow n is an ideal c en tre
of distrib utio n, for i t lies close to th e bord ers of three D ut ch province s
(Ho lland, U tre ch t, and Gelderland) and on the river W aal, directly
on the t rade route from the sea to the German border near Cleves,
and thence up the Rhine to Cologne (the distributing centre for a
large p a rt of th e G erm an Em pire ). Moreover, th e Maas, just o pposite
to Gorinche m , flows into th e south ern province s of the N eth erla nd s,
prov iding a good out let fo r th e il legal tra de w ith th e cities of Fla nde rs,
which Leicester tr ied in vain to stop.
1
Leice ster 's plac ard of 4 A ugu st
1586 prohibited the export to the Spanish Netherlands of all grain and
provisions on pa in of de ath . F ro m a pu rely mil i tar y poin t of view
this was good policy, but i t was bit terly resented by Holland and
Zeeland, the two provinces which contr ibuted most towards the
financial conduct of the war; their t rade with Flanders was essent ial
for th is purpo se. La st ly , Gorinchem was a front ie r tow n and a bul-
wark of the Dutch l ine of defence along the Waal; consequently i t had
to be adequately garr isoned, and the soldiers had to be paid , pre-
ferably in rose nobles, the normal gold currency of the provinces.
Culemborg, lying just north of Gorinchem, was also in a good
posi tion to catch the t rad e going up the Rhin e into Germ any. I t is
worth not ing that the protect ion of these t rade routes was a funda-
mental part of Leicester 's s t rategy in resist ing the Prince of Parma's
incursions into the no rthe rn provinces. Th e ca ptur e in 1586 by P ar m a
of the important fortresses of Grave and Venlo exposed the Rhine
traffic, to a tta ck , a nd pro du ced a financial crisis. M erch ants w ould
not make payments or engage in a t rade l iable to be interrupted at
any m om en t by a Spanish invasion. Bu rghley purs uad ed them to do
so w ith some difficulty.
2
In view of the geographical advantages possessed by these two
unauthorized mints , i t i s hardly surprising to f ind the Dutch autho-
r i t ies complaining about the number of contrefagons in circulation.
3
At this point let me repeat what I said earlier (on p. 189) about the
dual s ta nd ar d of curren cy in the Ne therland s. These two gold
s tandards were {a) the " E d w a r d " o r Eng l ish rose noble s t anda rd
{Ad valorem Edwardi,
avera ge we ight 116 grains and comprising
coins of "Angel" gold, i .e. 23 carat 3^ grains fine), (b) the "Henry" or
F landers s t andard (= Val. Flan., 108 grains an d und er, comp rising
all coins of noble type, or others, of 23I carats fine).
1
Cambridge M odem History,
vo l. i i i, p . 620 f.
2
S e e l e t t e r s f r o m Bu r g h l e y t o L e i c e s t e r da t e d 10 J u n e a n d 21 J u l y 1586 , p r i n t e d i n
Leycester Correspondence
( Ca m de n S oc ., L o nd on , 1844 ), nos . c x i v ; Co t t on M S . G a l ba c . I X ,
fo l . 267 (p . 307 f . ) and cxxxiv , Cot ton MS. , Ga lba c . IX , fo l . 313 (p . 354 f . ) .
3 e .g . th e Zee la nd reso lu t io n of 13 A ug us t 1585 an d Le i ces te r ' s p l ac a r d of 4 A ug us t 1586 ;
see
Num. Chron.
6
(i i i-iv ), 1941, p. 140 f.
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Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
The northern provinces ( i .e . Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht , Gelder-
land, and Fries land) usual ly preferred the Edward s tandard, while the
Catholic provinces (Flanders , Brabant , Limburg, and Hainaut) most ly
used the l ighter currency . I t can be seen fro m the m ap th at these
tw o currencies ten d to fall into group s, the south ern one com prising
the Flemish trading communit ies with their centre a t Antwerp and the
no rth ern gro up owing a l legiance to A m ster dam . Th e m ap does not , how-
FF
UESLAND
\ OVERYSSEL
r~
f
(^Camper?
U T R E C H T ;
c u
. l e < T > k 4 3
0Bru
S
es
p E
P-
-Ghtvt
Antwnf
T H E N E T H E R L A N D S
To tlLustvcUx the
Ct- rcu. la . tujn of the
N o b U u n i R o s e N ofe te .
c3=C=>
E A S T
F R I E F S L A N D
>
Emdtn
I M P E R I A L
D O M I N I O N S
B E R G -
Cotosrie
ever, present an entirely fair picture, because wherever the Spaniards
were in a majori ty they were l ikely to use the Flanders s tandard.
Th e catalog ue of dies which follows is no t co m ple te; the re are
doubtless other pieces of varying styles which I have missed or which
may be found in continental cabinets , and this being so, the catalogue
is only intended as the basis of a classification, to be revised later on
if necessary.
The punches for privy marks have been imita ted as c losely as
possible, but in the case of the crown used on group II I have not
thought i t worth while to make separa te drawings of every punch
used, and have contented myself by reproducing the one most repre-
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Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
sen tat ive of th e general s tyle. Fo rtu na te ly there is l i t t le va riat ion .
These crown-punches for groups 1-3 are numbered 1 , 2 /3 , and 4 .
The dies are numbered by obverse and reverse, so that they can be
distinguished at a glance, and all the coins i l lustrated are starred.
C A T A L O G U E O F D I E S
G
R O U P
I . [Early Style]
Die Obverse
Reverse Die
O 1
(PI. A , 5)
O i
O i
m a 7 ? V T
j
...
T i m n s i e n s , . p e R , .
m e D i v . - . i M i o R v m
. - . I B 7 J T
P r i v y m a r k : c r o w n w i t h
a pe l l e t each s ide (punch
no . 1 ; a s sho wn ) . Pe l l e t
a b ov e ft T r e f o i l s t ops .
$ S D W F T R D ,. D I V
6 R T ^ , . R e x w n e i P
,. x F R 7 m a , . D n s ' . - .
I.-.B-V-.
Head 1 ; rose i ( copy) .
P r i v y m a r k : s u n o f
e i g h t r a y s , o n e b r o k e n
( as s how n) . L e ge nd
r e a ds c l oc kw i s e, s t a r t i ng
be l ow t he s a i l on t he
r i g h t o f t h e c o i n . S t op s :
t re fo i l s o f pe l l e t s .
* a = B r i t i s h M u s e u m .
Weight-.
117-2 grs.
( ? = D u r l a c h e r S a l e ( S o t he by , 2 M a r c h
71) .
Weight:
n o t g iven . )
S a m e d i e , b u t c o u n t e r -
m a r k e d w i t h a c r o s s
over keys , for Riga ( see
Fig- 3)-
1899, lot
I M P 7 T V T ' .-.
T R f i n s i e n s . - . P H R
m e D i v m .-. I L I H O R -
V m . I B - T T - T
P r i v y m a r k : c r o w n w i t h -
out pe l l e t s (punch no . 1 ) ;
pe l l e t s be t w e e n l e t t e r s o f
I B T f T . N o n e a b o v e
& [ ? ]
a = S c hu l m a n Ca t . 1932 , P I .
VII,
90 4 = Iv es , PI. 11,
17 ( Ives Col l . , New York) .
Weight:
no t g i ve n .
S a m e d i e, b u t w i t h o u t
t h e c o u n t e r m a r k .
ilia =
nvr
j
.-. T R -
F IN SIE NS P H R :
M E D I V M .-. I I I L I O R -
V J 1 Q .-. I B T C T
P r i v y m a r k : s u n ( a s
s h o w n ) p u n c h e d o v e r a
c r ow n ( ? ) . P e l l e t a bo ve
i
tl
; t r e f o i l s top s .
*a = I v e s Co l l e c ti on , N e w Y or k ( f o r m e r l y i n t he
possess ion of Mr . A .
H . F .
B a l d w i n ) .
Weight:
117-9 grs .
T he f o l l ow i ng e xa m pl e s o f t h i s g r oup a r e r e c o r de d
b u t h a v e n o t b e e n i l l u s t r a t e d ; t h e y m a y p e r h a p s b e
i de n t i c a l w i t h t he c o i n s de s c r i be d a bove :
b
= S o t he by , Re a d y S a le , 1920 , l o t 55 .
c
= S p i n k ,
Num. Circ.,
J a n . - F e b . 1924, l o t 2705T ,
P- 47-
R 1
(PL A , 6)
R 2
(PI. A , 7)
R
3
(PI. A , 8)
P
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200 Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
G R O U P I I . c. 1 5 8 5 - 7
G O R I N C H E M M I N T
C L A S S I
No. Die Obverse Reverse Die
4
O 1
(PI. B ,
4)
G D ,. .-. W [ 7 T R D ] D P ,.
g r t t R e x , . T f n e i x , .
I , .FR7 TN[ . . ? ] , . DNS^, .
IB-'.-.
H ea d 2 ; rose 1 (var . a);
a r m 1 . T re fo i l s to ps .
C o u n t e r m a r k e d o n t h e
sh ip ' s hu l l wi th a sh ie ld
con ta in ing the a rms o f
Gron ingen ( a doub le -
headed eag le ; see F ig . 5
on p . 190) . A lo ng , na r -
r o w p u n c h - m a r k o n t h e
r igh t -hand s ide o f the
f ield is p ro ba bl y a sl ip
by the eng rave r .
IFID : 7 ? V T ' .-.
T R 7 f n s i e n s , . p e R
:
-
M D I V K - . I I J ( L ( 0 R V '
.- .IB7TT.-.
P r i v y m a r k : c r o w n
(punch no . 2 , as shown) .
Trefo i l s tops .
R 1
(PL B , 4)
(PI. B ,
(PI. B ,
5)
6)
Both s ides o f th is co in a re s l igh t ly worn .
*a = B r i t i s h M u s e u m . Weight: 119-2 grs .
*b = ,,
117-4
*c = 11 6-8
(A pe l le t each s ide of the k ing ' s shoulders . )
d C am br idge . A wo rn p iece . Weight: 107-7 S
r s
-
e = Sc hu lm an Sale Cat . , F eb . 1939 , PI . v i , 301 .
( R e ad s a f t e r F R T J R , a n d I M ) I I I H O -
RVflR. - .on rev). Weight: no t g iven .
(None of these co ins (be) a r e c o u n t e r m a r k e d . )
(PL B , 5)
(PL B , 6)
C L A S S I I
5
O 2
(P l . B , 7 )
0 D W F I R D ... D P . - .
6 R 7 T . - . R e x , . r a n e i p , .
X HRJM L .-. VD F T S , .
IB-'.-.
H ea d 2 ; rose 1 (var . 6 ) ;
a rm 1 . Trefo i l s to ps .
m a : 7 t v T
j
. . .
T R T t n s i e n s - . p e R , .
/.-. m a m v m
j
. . . i i m o -
R V ' . - . I B T T T ' . - .
P r i v y m a r k : c r o w n
(punch no . 2 ) .
R 2
(Pl . B ,
7)
* = M r . A . H . F . Ba ldw in (1945) . Weight: 117-3 grs .
6
O 3
(Pl. O, 1)
6 D ,. ... W 7T RD - ' . . . D P . - .
X ,. R R 7 S H ' . - . D B S ' . . .
I B ' - .
H e a d 2a: ros e 1 (var . 6) ;
a r m 1 . T re fo i l s top s .
Th i s d ie on ly va r i e s f ro m
0 a in having a shield of
the a rms o f Ar te l ( see
Fig. 7 , p . 192) instead of
a qna t r e fo i l a s the cen -
t r a l deco ra t ion on the
XR D 7 5 V T ' ...
T R T T O S i e n S . . . PG R .. . /
... n i G D i v n v , . i n i i o -
R V
J
. . . X B 7 S T
The r eve r se des ign i s
coa r se r in execu t ion
t l i a n R 2 ( c row n-pun ch
no. 2).
R 3
(Pl . C ,
1)
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Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
C L A S S I I c o n t i n u e d
No.
Die
Obverse Reverre
Die
7
0
4
(Pl . C, 2)
forecas t le . There a re
also sl ight differences in
the placing on the f lan.
*a
= Br i t i sh Mu se um. W
b = Ash mo le a n Museum
c = Ca m br idge .
B D W 7 T R D ... D G
R B 6 - 7 t n 6 - f n - D R I -
7T R'T T
V
*
Q
J
' . - . B U S
I
D
A s l ight ly wider and
round e r he a d . The k ing ' s
sh ie ld ca rr ies the a rms
of F ra nc e a nd Arke l
(qua r t e r l y i s t a nd 3 rd ,
three lys ; 2nd and 3rd ,
two fe s se s c oun te r -e m-
ba t t l e d ) . Al l 6 s a nd Os
are reversed , and s tops
a re t re fo i l s . and pe l le t s
m ixed . A rm 1; rose 1
(var .
b .
*a = T h e H a g u e . Weigh
in
Congres Intemati
Brussels, 1891, pp. 58c
eight: 116-9 grs.
>. n 6 ,,
1 1 5 7 -
same die
(Crown-punch no. 2. )
: 115-7 S
r s
- See Schu lma n
onale de Numismatique,
) - i ( i l lus t ra ted) .
R 3
( P L C , 2 )
C L A S S I I I a
8
9
o
5
(PL C, 3)
o
5
6 D
.-.
W 7 T R D ' , . D P ,.
e R 7 t , . R e x , . 7 t n e i i ^ , .
X .-.
ER7Xn
j
.-. D f l S ' ...
IB-'.-.
Head 3 ; rose 2 ; a rm 2 .
Tre fo i l s tops . Sm al l As
( = W 1 ) .
*a = B r i t i sh M use um ( =
1893, Pl. in, 1; Montaj;
Weight:
11
Same die .
a
= Mr. A. H . F . B a ldw ir
b
= R a t to (Par is ) ,
Sale C
212).
Weight:
no t give
I R D ...
nvr
j
.-.
T R 7 t n s i e n s . - . p e R . . .
J H Q D I V J K - ' . - . m i i O R V - '
.-.IB7 CT. - .
(Crown punch no. 2 as
shown.) N e a t w ork ;
sma ll As ( = 7t 1).
= Monta gu , Num. Chron.
ju Collection).
7-4 grains.
Same die , but large As
(= A 2).
1(1945).
Weight:
117-3 grs.
at., 1939, p. 8, 212 (Pl. VII ,
a.
R
4
(PL. C, 3)
R 4 (var.)
C L A SS I I I b
10
O 6
(PL C, 4)
0 D ,. W 7 T R D
J
... D P , .
X . - . F R 7 t n . . D n S I B - ' . . .
H ea d 3 ; Ro se 2 ; A rm 3 .
Tre foi l s tops .
*a
= C a m b r i d g e .
Weight
M O ,. W JW ...
T R 7 t n s i e n s . - .
PGR.-.
M E D I V M . - . I I M O R V
J
, . I B T f T
(Crown punch no. 2 as
shown .) La rge 7Ts.
: 116-7 g
r s
-
R 5
(PI.
C ,
6 )
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Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
CLASS I I I
b
continued
No. Die Obverse
Reverse Die
I O
O 6
b
= B r i t i s h M u s e u m .
Weight:
115 grs . (
E x
C l a r k e
T h o r n h i l l ( lo t 6 4 1 6 ) a n d H i l t o n P r i c e c o l l e c t i o n s ;
f o u n d i n P a r i s . )
c = M o n t a g u ,
Num. Chron.,
18 93 , PI . 111, 2.
Weight:
1 1 7 - 5
GRS.
d = B r i t i s h M u s e u m . Weight: 117-4 grs .
R 5
C L A S S I I I e
I I
o
7
S a m e d i e , b u t r e a d s S a m e d i e .
R 5
(PI. C, 5)
(PI. A , 4)
a = B r i t i s h M u s e u m . Weight: 116-6 grs .
*b
= A s h m o l e a n . T a k e n f r o m J a m e s
I I
' s p o c k e t ,
1 6 8 8 . ( O b v . o n l y i l l u s t r a t e d . )
Weight:
117-6 grs .
c = A s h m o l e a n . Weight: 117-6 grs .
*d
= A s h m o l e a n ( C h ri st C h u r c h , W a k e B e q u e s t ,
1 7 3 7 ) . Weight: 1 1 6 grs .
e
= A s h m o l e a n ( K e b l e C o l le g e ).
Weight:
141-2 grs .
( T h i s c o i n h a s a n o r n a m e n t a l r i m a n d a l o o p f o r
s u s p e n s i o n , w h i c h a c c o u n t s f o r i t s a b n o r m a l
w e i g h t . )
f C a m b r i d g e . Weight: 116 grs .
(PL A, 4)
C L A SS I I I
d
1 2
0 8 0 D W / 7 T R D [ - ' : ?] D I .-.
6 R 7 T . . . R S X ...Tinen.-.
v-.HRTtna.-.Dns.iB,.
A s m a l l s q u a r e h e a d , u n -
l i k e a n y t h i n g e l s e i n t h e
se r ie s . R os e 2 ; a rm 3 .
T h i n l e t t e r i n g . S t o p s
a r e n o t c l e a r, b u t a p p e a r
t o b e tr e f o i l s a l l t h r o u g h .
N o t r e f o i l b e t w e e n 8 D
a n d W . V e r y l a r g e
m o d u l e . V e r y s m a l l , t h i n
7 T s w i t h t a p e r i n g l i m b s .
IfcS' 7EVT'
TR7WSienS PGR :
meD ivtfp IMIORV
IBfiT
( C r o w n p u n c h n o . 2 .) T h e
s t o p s a r e n o t c l e a r l y
s h o w n i n t h e p h o t o g r a p h ,
b u t a p p e a r t o b e p r e s e n t
on ly in one p a r t o f th e l eg-
e n d a co lo n a f t e r P 0 R .
A b b r e v i a t i o n m a r k s a p -
p e a r a f t e r m o s t of t h e
w o r d s . N o t e t h e f o r m of
the Ti in TiVT; it is
r a t h e r l i k e t h e 7 E i n c e r-
t a i n G o r i n c h e m i s s u e s o f
t h e P r i n c e s s o f C h i m a y .
R 6
a = M o n t a g u , Num. Chron., 18 93 , P L 111, 3. Weight:
1 1 7
grs .
T h e r e a r e i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e c o i n s o f g r o u p I I I r e -
c o r d e d h e r e m a n y o t h e r s w h o s e d e s c r i p t i o n is t o o
v a g u e t o b e i n c l u d e d ; s e e S o t h e b y a n d G l e n d i n i n g ,
Sale Catalogues,
S p i n k ' s
Numismatic Circular,
a n d a
n u m b e r of d o u b t f u l l y a c c u r a t e i l l u s t r a t i o n s i n o l d
w o r k s s u c h a s B i s h o p F l e e t w o o d ' s
Chronicon Pre-
ciosum
( 1 75 4 e d . ) , t h e p l a t e s of c o i n s i l l u s t r a t e d i n t h e
Universal Magazine
( 1 7 4 9 ) , a n d t h e
Pembroke Cata-
logue
( 1 7 4 6 ) .
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203 Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
G R O U P I I I
c. 1589-91
M I N T O F C U L E M B O R G
{Coins Stmck for the Ommelanden
No.
Die Obverse
Reverse Die
13
O 1
(PI. C, 7)
6 D ,. W 7 T R D R S ,.
7 N V . - . M O V O R D , . H R -
I S I 7 E . - . 7 T D , . , . L ( e e e f K
Large oval head (c f .
head 2) , smal l rose (cf .
Rose 1 ) ; a rm resembles
no. 2 . Jg ( = H) on
b an n e r . T h e a rm s o n
the sh ie ld a re , quar te r ly ,
i s t and 4 th , th ree b i l l e t s ,
2nd and 3rd, two l ions .
Y V IFCD 7 W T ' T R -
nnsians .,
PCIR ...
M A D I V M IH D O R V ' . - .
I B 7 T T
(Crown punch no. 3 as
shown.)
6 s a r e G s r ev e r s ed . A b -
b rev i a t i o n mark s a r e
below
the t re fo i l s .
R 1
(PL. C, 7)
*a = T h e H a g u e . Weight: 117 grs .
Note: T he obverse l egend m us t be read f ro m lef t to
r igh t , s t a r t ing near the bo t tom of the co in in o rder
t o g e t i ts r ea l m e a n i ng O R D H R I S I T E & c .
14
O 2
(PL C, 8)
0 D W T T R D ='0 R S 0%
T T IP 0% M O O R D 0%
K R I S I 7 E 0% 7 TD . . 0%
n e e e m
A ro u g h e r an d s q u a re r
h e ad ( cf . t h e H en ry
noble ) . Sm al l rose (cf.
no . 1 ) . Arm resembles
no. 2 . 6 on ba nn er .
Arms on the sh ie ld :
t h ree h ea r t s i n s t ead o f
b i l l e t s , in the i s t and 4 th
q u a r t e r s .
Sa m e die. R 1
(PL. C, 8)
15
0 2
*a = T h e H a g u e . Weight: 117 grs .
R 2
15
Same d ie , s l igh t ly more
worn .
a = T h e H a g u e . Weight
Simi lar , bu t read ing IFLG,
T R T m s i e n s &c.
117 grs.
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Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
T h e f o l l o w i n g c o i n s c a n n o t b e a t t r i b u t e d p o s i t i v e l y t o a n y o n e o f t h e g r o u p s ; t h e i r
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s a r e i n t h e m a i n e a r l y f o r n o s . 1 6 a n d 1 7 a n d l a t e f o r n o s . 1 8 - 2 0 .
No. Die
Obverse Reverse Die
$ $ I f c C P f tVT'. -.TR-
T m s i e n s ' P G R
m e D i v m . - . i i m o R V
: : B f t T
P r i v y m a r k , a s m a l l , t h i c k
s u n ( ? ) , d o u b l e - s t r u c k ,
( a s s h o w n ) . S a m e
c h a r a c t e r i s t i c l e t t e r i n g
a s t h e o b v . F l e u r s i n
t h e s p a n d r i l s o f t h e
t r e s s u r e .
S D W 7 J R D - ' D P ,.
6 R 7 P R S X T ^ n e n - '
V I
V
K R n a : : D R S ' ,.
M B ' . - .
L o n g , o v a l h e a d w i t h w i d e ,
l o w c r o w n . R o s e r e -
s e m b l e s n o . 1 . S w o r d -
a r m i s t h i c k w i t h a
p o i n t of a r m o u r , r e -
s e m b l i n g n o . 3 , b u t h a s
a n a n n u l e t a t t h e w r i s t
( cf . n o b l e s of H e n r y V I ) .
L e t t e r i n g i s i r r e g u l a r i n
s i z e , s o m e l e t t e r s b e i n g
l a r g e , o t h e r s s m a l l . A s
a re f i sh - ta i l e d . 7T.
A b b r e v i a t i o n m a r k s a r e
l a r g e a n d c u r v e d .
a
= B r i t i s h M u s e u m .
Weight:
S D .-. W 7 ? R D
J
D I . - .
6 R 7 T , . R e x T t n e i i -.-
X : - H B 7 m e , . D n s , . p .
O va l f ac e (d i f f e r e n t to 16)
w i t h a c r o w n w i t h t a l l
f l e u r s . R o s e r e s e m b l e s
n o . 1 ; s w o r d - a r m t h i n
(cf . no. 2) .
L e t t e r i n g is m o r e w i d e l y
s p a c e d t h a n o n n o . 1 6 ,
a n d o f p l a i n e r e x e c u t i o n ,
t h o u g h a n u m b e r of t h e
s a m e p u n c h e s ( e .g . 0 , 7 ? ,
R) a r e us ed . T h e R of
F R 7 S R G a p p e a r s t o b e
i n t e n d e d f o r a n R - p u n c h .
[Note: t h i s r e s e m b l e s a B . ]
*a
= B r i t i s h M u s e u m .
Weight
: 116 gr s.
Note
: T h i s c o i n i s m u c h c l o s e r t o t h e o r i g i n a l E n g l i s h
d i e s t h a n m o s t o t h e r f o r e i g n p i e c e s.
6 D 0. W 7 t R D 0=0 D I oo 1
6 R 7 T O % R Q X O O 7 T O 6 I J ( 1 I
o H R 7 T I K L % D R S ' I B '
T h e s t y l e o f t h e h e a d i s
r e m i n i s c e n t of g r o u p I ,
b u t t h e n o s e i s a v a r i a n t
of no . 2 , a n d t h e a r m of
n o . 3 . T h e i n i t i a l o n t h e
b a n n e r i s of t h e f o r m .
T r e f o i l s t o p s . T h i n 7 Ts
w i t h t a p e r i n g l i m b s .
123-4 grs-
^ I M P . - . 7 W T : - T B 7 T -
n s i e n s , . p e B : - t n e -
D i v m .-. I If R O B v m
I : B 7 T T
P r i v y m a r k : a b a d l y e x e -
c u t e d c r o s s - f i t c h y ( a s
s h o w n ) . L e t t e r i n g i s
s i m i l a r t o t h e o b v .
T r e f o i l s i n s p a n d r i l s o f
t r e s s u r e .
I M L o 7 W I V o T R -
T w s i a n s . . P O R . .
m c t D i v m 0-0 i i m o R -
V f l Q o - . I B f i T
P r i v y m a r k , c r o w n
( p u n c h n o . 4 a s s h o w n ) .
( S t y l e of g r o u p I . ) T r e -
fo i l s in s te ad of f l eu r s in
t h e s p a n d r i l s o f t h e t r e s -
s u r e . S a m e l e t t e r i n g a s
o b v .
PL. A , 8 )
a:
B r i t i s h M u s e u m .
Weight-.
n 8 - i g r s .
1
T h i s u n u s u a l l y h e a v y p i e c e s h o w s n o s i g n s of h a v i n g b e e n in c i r c u l a t i o n . I t m a y b e
a p a t t e r n .
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Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV 205
U N C L A S S I F I E D c o n t i n u e d
No. Die Obverse
Reverse
Die
19
. - . 0 D W 7 T R D
6 R 7 T 0% R A X 7 M -
en 7
o
FRna %
D T TS . . I B '
A smal l , th in , po inte d face,
wi th wide , low crown.
The rose resembles
no . 2 , and the a rm no . i .
The royal in i t i a l i s iden-
t i ca l wi th tha t on no . 18 .
T h e l e t t e r i n g an d p u n c -
tua t ion are as no . 18 ,
bu t the 17-punch i s ap-
p a ren t l y i d en t i ca l w i t h
th a t on g ro up I (nos . i -
3)-
ma ..
7 W T 0%
TRTms PGR 0=0tfKIDIVm IHIiOR-
VfftIB7TT
P r i v y m a r k : b o a r ' s h e a d
(pun ched over a cro wn ?)
as show n. Le t t e r in g and
p u n c t u a t i o n v e ry l i k e
no. 16.
(PI. A, 9)
*a
= B r i t i s h M u s e u m .
Weight:
117-1 grs.
Th e follow ing coin stand s b y i tself in the series. It is certa inly late in date .
No. Die Obverse Reverse Die
20
(PI. C, 9)
0 D W 7 T R D - ' D P 0%
E R 7 ^ J R A X O ' O 7 M E I P
I B M
A v e ry w i d e h ead w i t h a
l o w c ro w n an d a p o i n t ed
ch in . Ro se resem bles
no . 2 an d arm n o . 2 . Th e
execut ion of th is coin is
v e ry b ad . '
T h e o b v e r s e d es i g n ap -
p ea r s t o h a v e b een
d amag ed w h i l e b e i n g
i mp res s ed u p o n t h e
b lank , as the edges and
the tops o f the l e t t e rs
h a v e d i s a p p e a r e d .
*a
= T h e H a g u e .
Weig
i l lus t ra ted) .
sP?
m0o%7TVTTR-
7tns iensPR
5 0 D I V M . % I I I L ( O R O ' ' .
I B 7 T T
P r i v y m a r k , C r o w n
(pu nch no. 3 as sho wn).
Sm al l , poo r ly ex ecu ted
le t t e r ing as on the ob-
verse . Th e reverse de-
s ign i s ba d ly d r aw n an d
c r a m p e d t h e s u n b e i n g
v e ry sm all . Sm all fleurs
in the spandr i l s o f the
t ressure, and pel lets at
t h e co rr e s p o n d i n g p o i n t s
ins ide the t ressure .
ht: 115-7 grs. (obv. only
O T H E R C O I N S I L L U S T R A T E D
P L A T E A
1 . Nob le de Bo urg ogn e ( Fl an de rs no ble ) o f Phi l ippe le Bo n (1419-6 7) . [Ash-
m o l e a n M u s e u m ; weight . 103-4 g
r s
- ]
2. Contrefafon of a Henry V I n o bl e ( T h e H e n r y n o bl e ) . [A s h mo l e a n M u s e u m,
C h r i s t C h u r c h C o l l e c t i o n (W a ke B e qu e s t , 1 7 3 7 ) ; weight: 103 grs.]
3 . Bris to l rose noble o f Edward
I V ,
pr ivy m ark, crown. [Ashm olean Mu seum,
Christ Church Col lect ion (A. T . Carter donat ion, 1946); weight: 118-1 grs.]
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206 Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
P L A T E B
1 . L o n d o n r o s e n o b l e o f E d w a r d I V , p r i v y m a r k , a r o s e , c o u n t e r m a r k e d f o r
D a n t z i g . [ B r i t i s h M u s e u m . ]
2 . L o n d o n ro s e n o b l e , p r i v y m a r k , a c r o w n , c o u n t e r m a r k e d f o r R i g a . [ B r i t is h
M u s e u m ; ex C assa l Sa le , 1924 . ]
3 . C a l a i s n o b l e o f H e n r y V I , c o u n t e r m a r k e d f o r Y p r e s . [ M r. A . H . F . B a l d w i n ,
1 9 4 5 ; n o w i n t h e I v e s C o l l e c t i o n a t N e w Y o r k . ]
The his tory of the rose noble does not end with the s ixteenth
cen tury , for i t continued in c ircula t ion for some t im e afte rw ard s . I t
has a lready been sa id that rose nobles were prohibi ted in Scotland in
1598; this edict seems to have been ineffective, because rose nobles,
together with Henry nobles and nobles of the Dutch provinces , were
still circulating in 1612 and 1613.
1
In the la t te r year the " o l d " rose
nob le (by wh ich I und e rs tand the p roc lama t ion to mean " E d w a r d "
rose nobles of any kind) was again prohibi ted, but af terwards we hear
ve ry li t t le of th e rose noble in th e Briti sh Isles. Iso lated specimens
were pro ba bly s t il l to be seen, and were certa inly ho arde d in En glan d,
for one occurs in the C hesham (Bucks.) find, da tin g fro m abo ut 1637 ;
2
a Scottish Act of Parliament of 7 August 1645 rated the rose noble at
" e l e v e n p u n d s "
3
.
Abroad, both currencies continued to f lourish . The prevalence of
the Henry noble in Germany has been shown by the composi t ion
of the Fischenich hoard, but there are other finds which indicate that
th e N ethe rlan ds was s t il l th e centre of d is tr ib ut ion . A t H ay nk (North
Brabant) there was one Henry noble associa ted with s ix rose nobles
(of which one was certainly a
contrefagon)
, and some angels .
4
The
da te of this ho ar d is ab ou t 1619-20, and its com position is s imilar to
earlier hoards.
Another find of the same class at Rotterdam included a number of
rose nobles , m an y of the m D ut ch provinc ia l issues .
5
Tw o oth er hoards ,
contemporary with Fischenich (c. 1624-6), contained rose nobles,
Monnikendam (Hol land)
6
and Neer i t te r (Limburg) .
7
T he la tte r also
included Henry VI nobles .
There is no doubt that the circulation of the rose noble was wide-
spread in centr a l and nor the rn E uro pe a t th is t im e; a le t te r to the
Au gsbu rg ban ke r Coun t Philip Fu gg er describing th e confiscation of
the property of the Jew Meisel at Prague in April 1602 lis ts amongst
his money "15,000 pure golden Rosenobles of 4 Florins 5 Kreutzers
1
apiece, ma kin g 61,250 florins " .
8
Fr om this passage we m ay conjecture
that the rose noble was not regarded as more than a current coin , the
florin being the "coin of account" in centra l Europe.
The extent of the trade currency of rose nobles and Henry nobles is
confirmed by the large number of weights issued from Antwerp and
A m sterdam in the seventeen th c en tury . A t the former c i ty the y were
1
C o c h r a n - P a t r i c k , o p . c i t ., p . 23 1 .
2
Num. Chron ,
3
x (1890 ), p . 48 f .
3
L i n d s a y ,
Coinage of Scotland,
1845, p . 251 .
4
S c h u l m a n , Catalogue, A m s t e r d a m , M a i 1 9 12 .
s Bulletin Mensuel
(Brusse l s , 188 2-3 ) , p - 57-
6
Tijdschnfi
( iv) , 1896, p p . 66 a n d 96.
7 Revue Numismatique, 1908 , p . 567 .
8
Fugger News Letters, vo l. 1, p . 239.
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207 Continental Imitations of the Rose Noble of Edward IV
sti l l being made in 1648, and weights for both standards occur in
Dutch boxes of scales as late as 1690-1701.
1
In F ra nc e th e rose noble prob ab ly soon fell into disuse, b u t in th e
Netherlands and far ther north i t must have retained i ts inf luence for
m an y years . In Den m ark i t was ra ted a t 4
Rigsdalers
in 1619 and
1622,
2
and in 1639 Danish mint records speak of El izabethan and
Ed w ard rose nobles as well as the Flem ish "H en r icu s No be l" ;
3
the
la t ter was ra ted a t 3 Rigsdalers.
It must have been soon after 1650 that the rose noble began to drop
out of the European currency, for we find no mention of i t in the
records af ter th is date; as far as England is concerned this was no
doubt due to an almost to tal d isappearance of Engl ish hammered
gold as a result of the recoinage under Will iam IIH, and to a complete
absence of any hoard mater ial .
Th e on ly glimpse of th e rose noble wh ich we ca tch is an un usu al one.
On 16 Decem ber 1688 K ing Jam es I I a t tem pte d to leave E ngland .
He was stopped at Faversham by some f ishermen, who took from his
pocket several medals, amongst them a rose noble of group III
Pl.
C,
5)
which eventual ly found i ts way into the Bodleian Library
and then ce to th e Ash mo lean Museum . Did Jam es regard this coin
merely as a " pocket-piece " an am ulet , med al , or touchpiece or
had i t a purchasing power abroad
?
We may doubt whether i t was
st i l l in general currency, but undoubtedly i t would have been taken
by i ts weight.
There is reason to believe that the l ife of the rose noble was pro-
longed further in cer tain parts of Europe; a French author , Abot de
Baz inghen, w rit ing in 1764, gives th e following intere sting info rm atio n
under the headings of Noble a la Rose, Rose-Noble (i.e. th e D u tc h
Rozenobte), an d Noble Henry.
5
" N O B L E S a la rose , anc ienne monnoie d 'or d 'Angleterre , qui a present n 'y a presque
plus de c o u rs . . .o n en vo i t enc ore en H ol la nd e , o u i l ss o n t rec ut pur le p ied de 1 1 flor ins.
" N O B L E H E N R Y , autre monnoie d 'or d 'Angleterre de 1 4 grains moins pesent que le
nobles a la rose , & seul em ent de f in a 23 ka ra ts & d e m i [ the rose noble wa s 23 c arats
3 f grains f ine] . A n d aga in:
" ROSE NOBLE.
M onn aie d 'or que se fab r iqu e en Ho l land e , & qui y a c ours pou r
onze florins.
Evident ly rose nobles were taken by weight in the Netherlands;
Ab ot implies th a t thos e rat ed at 11 florins were English, bu t i t is
l ike ly tha t they inc luded the o ld "Edward"
contrefagons,
of whose
cont inental or igin Abot was unaware.
1
e . g . t h e bo x i l l u s t r a t e d i n
Brit. Num . Journ.
v i (1909) , p . 292 , an d in Sh ep pa rd an d
M u s h a m ,
Money Scales and Weights,
p . 15, F ig . 12 . I h av e seen an ot he r in wh ich bo th rose
nob l e a n d gu i ne a w e i gh t s