THE COIN COLLECTOR - World eBook Library

UNITED KINGDOM
rial, and the first shilling, coins struck perhaps in
small numbers, and of considerable rarity. The latter
is at the same time noteworthy, as well as the groat
of contemporary mintage, for the earliest realistic-
portrait of an English king. Henry continued the
rose-rial or half-sovereign, which is far rarer than
the former, and of which the Pembroke example
fetched i?205, and struck the double pound sovereign
or four-rial piece. There is a very rare groat of the
portcullis type of this reign, with a full-face portrait,
which sold at the Thomas sale for i?14, 10s. Henry
VIII. in his first year struck the double sovereign, and
in his second issue (eighteenth vear) the gold crown
and half-crown, and the George noble and the half.
The silver crown, half-crown, sixpence, and threepence
followed in 5th Edward VI. ; they are of many varieties,
the shilling being of two distinct types and standards,
one of base silver, with a profile portrait, the other
full-face of fine silver. The shilling of Edward of the
second issue, 1547, is the earliest English dated current
coin, as the Perkin Warbeck gros of 1494 is doubtless
a jeton ; the half-sovereign, which also bears 1547, is
regarded as an essay. Edward also struck a triple
sovereign in his third year, and in his fourth a
six-angel piece in gold, supposed to have been a
pattern, and weighing 480 grains. It was to the
base shilling of this reign that Latimer referred in his
sermon before the King, when he spoke of it as little
better than a groat for value, and of its motto, Timor
domini fons vita', which he trusted that his Highness
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