The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal Numismatic Society

IKISH COINAGES OF HENKY VIII AND EDWAKD VI. 219
the questions raised are perhaps more economic than
numismatic, and may consequently
be omitted from
this survey.
On 8 July, 1551, the English (profile) shilling was
cried down to ninepence, and the groat to threepence.
By analogy with other proclamations, I think that the
reduction in values was not extended to Ireland.
On 17 July, 1551, Sir E. Peckham was instructed by
the Privy Council to stay all His Majesty's mints from
striking more moneys, after receiving into his hands
all the coin and bullion. This interdict would doubt-
less apply to Dublin, if the mint there had not been
closed at the end of May.
Archdeacon Pownall suggests (pp. cit., pp. 58-64)
that certain profile shillings of Edward VI bearing
the mint-marks lion, rose, harp, and lys, respectively,
may have been struck in Dublin, or alternatively, in
England for the special purpose of being circulated in
Ireland. He also surmised that the city of York might
be the place of origin of the coin marked with a lion,
but it is quite manifest from the accounts that York,
alone among the English mints, did not strike pieces
of this denomination at any time during the reign.
I regard the shillings marked with the lion, rose, and
lys as products of the Tower mints and possibly of
Southwark, and as belonging to the English currency.
Moreover, the three marks seem to be English rather
than Irish in nature and meaning. It must be remem-
bered that some of the coins bearing these symbols are
dated 1550, in which year the Dublin mint was working
for eight months and could have struck shillings for
Ireland if they had been required. I also believe that
those dated 1551 formed part of the 20,000 pounds weight