A Rare Edward V Coin Found in Dorset!

A rare coin minted in the brief reign of Edward V has turned up in a field in Tolpuddle in Dorset. The finder, Brian Biddle, thought at first it was just an old bottle top! The gold coin has been estimated to have a value of around £15,000.

Bournemouth’s Daily Echo follows the story but unfortunately regales us with the usual Shakespearean twaddle, including having Edward V thrown ‘in a dungeon’ and the “princes” probably ‘smothered by pillows.’

Nevertheless, the coin itself is an unusual and rare find, especially so far west.

It seems in the past three or four years lots of 15th century coins, brooches and other artefacts have been turning up across the country with some regularity.

Now  all we need to find is something concrete relating to the fate of those pesky “princes” …

 

An Edward V Coin Found in Dorset

coins

6 comments

  1. Actually, the newspaper article is dated three and a half years ago, 3rd March 2017. Wonder when the coin was sold and how much it made?

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  2. Hoodedman1, do we know, or possibly guess, when this coin was minted? On 6 January 1482 (1482 continued until 1 May; we consider it 1483) E4 removed Hastings from his long time position at the Mint and replaced him with goldsmith Bartholomew Read (for reasons still unknown).

    As Protector, RdG reappointed Hastings to his office at the Mint on 20 May 1483 – it was during a flurry of activity by Richard that week, he initiated negotiations with QEW as well, in sanctuary, a new recorder for London was put forth (lawyer John Harrington, NOT related to Richard’s close ally Sir James Harrington), he replaced River’s as Chief Butler of England with Lovell.

    After Hastings’s execution on 13 June I do not know who was replaced him in that office at the Mint. But it’s a small window, between 13 June and R’s acceptance of the crown on the 26th, so my guess is any coins minted for E5 happened while Hastings was in that office and would only have done so under the direction and knowledge of R as Protector.

    If anyone has any information, especially who replaced Hastings in the Mint, I would appreciate it, small point perhaps, but from small points often large issues are resolved.

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