It was my intention to write about Pilgrim seals and also Gypcieres (PURSES) but I have searched for my jottings and I have misplaced them, I think they have gone in the wheely-bin with some other junk, so until I can gather my wits together and try and remember what I had researched I will go on to make some comment about the coins found on the shore of Cheshire inthe early through to late 19th century.

 

The examples of numismatic art found at that time on the Cheshire coast did not specifically belong to that district, none such were know to exist. They constitute, however, a fair chronological index to the several periods of occupation, as also to the general mass of the remains, a portion of which have happily been reserved from a second natural entombment in the submarine sandbanks that existed then.

The earliest of the series are the Cathaginian copper, for the occurance of which, apart from the maritime position of settlement, it might have been somewhat difficult to account, but at that time but few Greek coins had occured in England.

When we consider, however the remarkably adventurous spirit which animated the Phoenician and Cathaginian traders, there appears no valid reason why their operations upon our coast should be confined, as it was, to the Cornish and South Irish, as had too generously and hastily assumed.

 

One of the main attractions of Cornwall was its lead, and this metal might then have been found in great abundance in my area of North Wales, where numerous traces of Roman, if not yet earlier, workings existed up to and maybe beyond the 19th century, independently of large quantities of the rough ore then available in some localities upon the surface of the ground. The Roman and contempory British pieces were not very numerous.

The forms are mostly of an early date, commencing with the larger bronze of the emperors Claudius and Nero; thus showing that, from the beginning of the Roman occupation of this country, a small seaport (if no larger settlement) existed on the coast of Cheshire. Its site was in all probability nearly a mile seaward of the present high-water mark of the spring tides, and westward of Leasowe Castle in the Wirral. From amidst the leaves, trunks, and knotted roots of the monarchs of the ancient forest, a strip of which could always be seen on the beach at that time, the coins and other small objects of this period were washed at high tides, especially when these were accompanied by by strong northerly gales.

 

The locality lies to the eastward of, and about half a mile from, that reach of the shore where relics of the mediaeval times predominated; and this fact obvious points to the conclusion, that the advancing floods had constantly driven the settlement in a south-westerly direction, until, meeting the shifting sandhills of the Dee-mouth, the combined powers eventually effected its total destruction.

The second coin of the Emperor Antonius Pius unfortunately was much corroded, was a scarce and nationally interesting piece, its reverse displayed the impersonation of Brittania seated upon a rock, and commemorative of successes achieved by Pius's generals in this country.

Of course, time has now advanced with the advent of metal detectors and what then was something of a wonder is now regarded quiet common. For instance, I was detecting near a small area which supposed to have had a small stopping place for whatever reason during 70 - 80 AD and I recovered three Roman coins of Trajan, one of them was a silver Denarius the other two were of bronze.

 

The fourth was also a Denarius, but the emporer was Mark Antony. It was a "Galley" type and on the obverse side was LEG XI, the Eleventh Legion and dated to 30 B.C. It was severely worn as one would expect and it is known that coins of this callibre were still in circulation over a century later. Of the long and dark historic period intervening between the Roman evacuation and the union of the Saxon monarchies, three little coins were, so far as was then known, the sole numismatic representatives. Those were a type of Styca, pronounced Stucca, or half -farthing in copper, a species of money which, until a comparitively recent period, was scarce, and little known even by antiquary. They are, however, mostly of mixed metal, the predominating copper being more or less fused with gold, silver, lead, tin. or zinc. The name originated in the Anglo-Saxon Sticce, synonymous with Minuta Pars.

Its coinage was peculiar to the ancient kingdom of Deira of Northumbria, and is believed to have issued from its capital city Ebraice (York), during the seventh, eighth, and ninth century.

That it was not exclusively confined to royalty, was proved by many specimens bearing upon their obverse the names and titles of the spiritual sovereigns, the archbishops; and these were probably the earliest coins issued from the archiepiscopal mint establish here, and which continued in operation for many centuries.

The era of the united Saxon monarchy was one of considerable vitality in the Cheshire settlement, if the proportion of coins, taken in consideration with their age, were admitted as a fair index. Individually, also, these pieces were in excellent preservation, far better, apparently, than most of later date. They include no less than five Canute; and a silver penny of Ethelred II. (The Unready), from bearing on its reverse an emblem of Christianity and a token of its advancement; ie.the hand of Providence placed between the Greek letters ALPHA and OMEGA.

 

The pennies of Eadgar and Edward the Confessor are only moieties, the complete coin having been halved presumably for small change; today we call them cut pennies, cut by a pair of shears or other sharp instrument. The custom of dividing and subdividing coins when the smaller coin pieces -- halfpence and farthings in silver -- were scarce, prevailed at this period, though by no means so generally as about three centuries later. The practice seems to have reached its height during the reigns of Henry III and Edward I and II. despite the severe proclamations issued by the first of these sovereigns. For instance, the coins of these kings which I will catalogue somewhat later, comprise more of halfpennies than whole pieces, mingled with numerous quarters which may have real "fourthlings" at the time.

The total absence of any farthings of the Saxon era confirms my supposition, which is offered for the consideration of the more professed numismatists. Please let me know if you know of any.

Returning to the the English halflings from the Cheshire shore, it will scarcely surprise you to note the large proportion designated 'uncertain', inasmuch as in very numerous instances not a single letter of the name -- place of mintage -- apparently remained. Despite repeated attempts they (the numismatics) never succeeded in identifying two moieties as having originally formed one and the same coin. The great bulk of the series of coins can be found to appertain to the thirteenth century; hence the induction that the settlement around Meols and Hoylake was at its height of prosperity.

 

From this period its decline seems to have been rapid, pointing to some great flood or other disaster -- during which the old forest was levelled and mostly swept away --as a proximate cause. At the commencement of the Elizabethan era, probably not even a single house remained standing upon the beach. The settlement upon the shores of the Irish sea sufficiently accounts for the presence of numerous coins pertaining to the sister isle, from the silver pennies of King John, first titular "Lord of Ireland", downward to the scarce copper farthings of Elizabeth, since which coinage of the two countries has been interchangeable.

As far as I am aware these coins are now in the Grosvenor Museum, Chester. Here are the number of coins found on the seashore of Cheshire in 1865 onward.

 

Greek. 3 coins. Silver Drachmas.
Roman. 54 coins. 4 Denarius. 50 Bronze.

British. 1 Gold- severely worn, unidentifiable.

2 Copper. A boldly outlined male head, copied from a Greek original; this is the most frequent type of the ancient British or Gaulish copper, and generally occured in the Channel Isles.

Saxon 1. Styca or half farthing in copper. Redulf, King of Northumbria- Slain at York after a few months usurpation. A.D. 844.

1. Styca, Ethelred, King of Northumbria 840 - 8.

Ethelred Rex. Moneyer illegible. "Fordred" a plain cross in the centre.

2. Styca. Ditto.

1. Eadgar. King of England, A.D. 958 - 75.

Silver Penny. "Eadg...x" Filleted head and bust of Eadgar

Ethelred II. A.D. 978 - 1016.

1. Silver Penny. "Aethelred Rex Anglor".

1. Silver Penny. "Aedilred Rex Anglorum"

Canute, A.D. 1016 - 35.

3. Silver Pennies. Cnut Rex Ang.

Edward the Confessor. A.D. 1042 - 1066.

1. Silver halfpenny. "Eadprd ..." Full bust of

Edward the Confessor, with sceptre to the right.

English and Irish

William II (Rufus) A.D 1087 -- 1100.

1. Silver Penny.

Henry II. A.D. 1154 - 1189.

14.Silver Pennies. Minted in London, Bristol, etc a few illegible.

John. A.D. 1199 -1216.

2.Silver Pennies. Minted Dublin and Limerick.

Henry III. A.D 1216 - 1272.

72. Silver pennies. 26 London Civitas.

7. Canterbury.

1. Berwick.

1. Bristol.

1. Durham.

1. Hereford.

3. Dublin.

32. Uncertain mint.

Edward I and II. A.D. 1272 - 1327.

63. Silver Pennies.

3. Halfpennies

2. Silver Farthings

2. Silver Pennies.

Edward III. AD 1327 - 77.

1 Gold Noble.

1 Groat.

2 Pennies.

2 Halfpennies

Richard II. A.D 1377 - 99.

2 Silver Pennies, Severely clipped

1 Halfpenny.

Henry IV or V A.D. 1399 - 1413.

2 Silver pennies. York mint.

1 Counterfeit in mixed metal.

Henry VIII. 1509 - 1547.

1 Silver Half Groat. Canterbury mint.

Philip and Mary. 1554 - 1558.

2 Groats. "Philip ET Maria, Rex ET Regina" Bust of Mary alone.

1 Groat. "Philip ET Maria, Rex ET Regina." with heads of Philip and Mary.

Elizabeth I. 1558 - 1603.

2 Groats. Date illegible.

2 Half Groats 1553.

4 Shillings 1558, 1572, 1575, 1581.

2 Quarter Shillings. 1578.

1 Twopenny Piece No date.

3 Irish Copper. 1601.

James I. 1603 - 25.

1 Gold Double Crown

1 Silver Sixpence.

1 Copper Bodle - The Scottish Twopenny Piece.

1 Irish Half Farthing.

Charles I. 1625 - 1649.

1 Silver Shilling. Mint Mark an eye.

1 Copper Farthing

1 Copper Half Farthing English. Reverse-- The Royal Rose.

Charles II. 1660 - 1685.

1 Silver Twopence. A "Maundy" piece without a date.

1 Copper Penny or Halfpenny. Token (Provincial).

1 Copper Farthing.

James II 1685 - 1689.

Gun Money.

3 Shillings.

1 Pewter with plug of brass in the centre

William III and Mary. 1689 - 94.

30. Guineas of Interest. -- These pieces, lost probably in one of Williams vessels wrecked near the "Mockbeggar" bank, and found also upon Hilbre Island, Several were preserved at Leasowe Castle in a box formed from the black oak of the ancient forest, but they were found to be much worn and soon found the melting pot. Estimated number 30.

2 Halfpennies. Much worn.

2 Farthings. English. Dated 1699.

1 Farthing. Irish. Dated 1694.

William III. 1694 - 1702.

1 Shilling. Date. 1607.

5 Halfpennies Date. 1698,1699,1701,Irish, Date Illegible.

1 Farthing. Irish.

Miscellaneous

4 Silver Pennies of Alex II King of Scotland, A.D 1214, with sceptre to the right hand. Ob. "Alexander Rex" Rev. A void cross terminating in pellets, with a six pointed star in each angle, within a pearled circle.

2 Silver Denier. Anglo-Gallic. Ob -"Dux...

Angie". A lion rampant upon a spade shield. Rev --I dei Gratia;" A voided cross terminating in pellets, with W.A.L.T. in the angles.

11 Brass counters, Fabricated in Nuremburg, various types.

1 Possibly a coin of John, King of Sicily and

Arragon who reigned 1458 - 79.

1 Jetton. - Ob - "Ferdinandus Rex." a crowned head. Rev -"Equitas Re Ni."probably intented for "equitas in re;" a horse walking.

Final notes

About the year 1248, Henry III. Issued a new coinage, and former mintages having been subjected to a very general clipping, he caused the voided cross upon the reverse, which had previously occupied the centre, to be extended to the outer edge of the piece, thus rendering any mutilation apparent.