A guide to Early-Medieval and Medieval Coins
This guide has been developed by Richard Kelleher, of the British Museum's Department of Coins and Medals. It is intended as a visual aid to the identification of all types of Early-Medieval and Medieval coins commonly found in the UK.
With any coin "find" it is useful to be able to record its denomination, the ruler named and shown on the front, the design on the reverse, any other information written on the coin and where possible the name of the mint at which it was produced.
Together these details allow us to date the coin. This information, when recorded together with a findspot (the spot where it was discovered), allows us to understand the supply, use and loss of coinage in Britain and contributes to our knowledge of Britain during the Early-Medieval to Medieval periods.
The information contained within utilises some cutting edge, free technology created by a company called zoomify. Images used for these presentations are copyright of the British Museum, created by Richard Kelleher.
Early Saxon period
Middle Saxon & Viking kingdoms
Denominations
Kingdoms and Monarchs - Wessex | Mercia | East Anglia
Reading the inscription
- Denominations
- Monarchs
- Cruciform
- Cross and crosslets | Cross and crosslet mints
- List of Mints and Mintmarks
- Short cross | Short cross mints
- Long cross coinage | Long cross mints
- Tudor & Stuart Mints
- Value of coins
- Reading the inscriptions or Legends
- Sterling
- Translation of Inscriptions or Legends
Resources
- Bibliography
- Making a coin
- Glossary
