This week’s fresh listings:

This page is to be updated every Tuesday and will contain all the latest Coin, Medal & Token listings for that particular week.

Most sold coins are now accessible via a new link on the front (index) page category grid.

Additions to www.HistoryInCoins.com for week commencing Tuesday 28th April 2026

WMH-9323: William II NORMAN Hammered Silver Cross Voided Penny - THE REFERENCE BOOKS WILL NEED TO BE RE-WRITTEN. B.M.C. III, 1092-95: +BRVNIC.ON TAM (AM ligated) – Bruning of Tamworth. S.R. 1260. Cross Voided type. The Tamworth mint (Staffordshire, on the banks of the River Tame) was once the capital of Mercia but by the time of the Normans, numismatically at least, Tamworth was somewhat out in the wilderness. There is only x1 recorded examples of a Tamworth mint B.M.C III coin on the excellent & comprehensive E.M.C. database... this one! Prior to this coin, it was thought that the mint stopped issuing coinage at the cessation of the BMC II issue (circa 1092), then went into a hiatus for the remainder of William II's reign (including this BMC III coin), and for most of the following reign of Henry 1st, not starting up again until the late BMC 13 issue in 1121, a break of some 29 years. This coin is the only recorded example of any B.M.C. III Tamworth penny, for any moneyer. This single coin - a numismatic "Black Swan" - now extends the life of the Tamworth mint under William Rufus by a further three years; originally thought to have stopped at BMC II but now proved to stop after BMC III, thereby shortening the hiatus from 29 to a mere 26 years! Needless to say, the record books, including the excellent J. J. North, will tell you that William II, Tamworth, B.M.C. III does not exist. And yet here it is. Full flan, exceedingly well centred obverse and reverse, and resplendent with strong, full legends. Problem-free, other than the weak portrait. There are very few Norman mint towns rarer than Tamworth but when you consider not only the unique nature of this coin, but the fact that it literally redefines what we thought we knew about the Tamworth mint under William Rufus, well, "a rare coin" doesn't really do it justice! £3,895

Provenance:

Found Thetford 2021 (see EMC 2024.0447)

WJC-9324: Charles II Bi-Metallic Ticket-Token for the Touching Ceremony. Copper surround, brass insert. Obverse: a three-masted ship in sail to left with a six pointed star below. Toothed border. CAR.II.D.G.M.B.FR.ET.HI.REX. Reverse: St Michael piercing the dragon with a six pointed star below. Toothed border. SOLI DEO GLORIA. “Touching Ceremonies” was where the monarch of the day, in this case Charles II, personally gave out gold touch pieces to sufferers of Scrofula (tubercular infection, to which it is estimated that 1% of the London population suffered) in order to cure them. Charles II personally attended these ceremonies, acting as God's own emissary upon the earth - Charles personally touching the Touch Piece was effectively God touching it. Sufferers were invited and issued with an official Ticket-Pass to admit them to the ceremony. You gave your Ticket-Pass in at the door, entered the ceremony, got touched by the king and hopefully left as a cured individual. These Ticket-Tokens were collected and re-issued for the next Touching Ceremony. 105,000 people were Touched by Charles II with around 360 sufferers being admitted to each ceremony. However, the officials used three designs of Ticket-Tokens: brass, copper or a combination of both. To prevent fraud, officials alternated the type of Ticket-Token used. The bi-metallic copper & brass Ticket-Tokens are much rarer than the other two types. It is interesting to note the significant wear on this Ticket-Token: although resembling a copper halfpenny, this Ticket-Token could not have entered circulation as currency for two reasons. Firstly, it’s not wholly copper; what was on the coin in those days mattered very little, but that it was copper was essential. Secondly, it is inconceivable that a recipient sufferer would have forfeited his or her chance of being cured by the king for a mere halfpence. The officials would not have let this Ticket-Token out into circulation either so we can deduce that the wear on the Ticket-Token is down to it having been issued many times so it likely to be a piece from early on in the reign of Charles II. Peck 499 and listed as Very Scarce. £595

Provenance:

ex Colin Cook (2005)

WJC-9325: Charles II Copper Ticket-Token for the Touching Ceremony. Copper throughout. Obverse: a three-masted ship in sail to left with a six pointed star below. Toothed border. CAR.II.D.G.M.B.FR.ET.HI.REX. Reverse: St Michael piercing the dragon with a six pointed star below. Toothed border. SOLI DEO GLORIA. “Touching Ceremonies” was where the monarch of the day, in this case Charles II, personally gave out gold touch pieces to sufferers of Scrofula (tubercular infection, to which it is estimated that 1% of the London population suffered) in order to cure them. Charles II personally attended these ceremonies, acting as God's own emissary upon the earth - Charles personally touching the Touch Piece was effectively God touching it. Sufferers were invited and issued with an official Ticket-Pass to admit them to the ceremony. You gave your Ticket-Pass in at the door, entered the ceremony, got touched by the king and hopefully left as a cured individual. These Ticket-Tokens were collected and re-issued for the next Touching Ceremony. 105,000 people were Touched by Charles II with around 360 sufferers being admitted to each ceremony. However, the officials used three designs of Ticket-Tokens: brass, copper or a combination of both. To prevent fraud, officials alternated the type of Ticket-Token used. The bi-metallic copper & brass Ticket-Tokens are much rarer than the other two types. It is interesting to note the wear on this Ticket-Token: although resembling a copper halfpenny, this Ticket-Token would not have entered circulation as currency because it is inconceivable that a recipient sufferer would have forfeited his or her chance of being cured by the king for a mere halfpence. The officials would not have let this Ticket-Token out into circulation either so we can deduce that the wear on the Ticket-Token is down to it having been issued many times, thus it likely to be a piece from early on in the reign of Charles II. Peck 496 and listed as Scarce. £595

Provenance:

ex Colin Cook (2005)

WSC-9326: 1708 Scottish Jacobite Restoration of the Kingdom Medal. Prince James Francis Edward Stuart - The Old Pretender. Obverse: bust of James III, left, long hair, no drapery and the legend CUIUS EST, translating to "whose (image) is this?" Below is the ligated NR monogram of the engraver Norbert Roettier. Reverse: Map of Great Britain with the seas dotted with ships. M.I.(ii)313/134. Distributed to partisans and exiled family members in 1708 upon the back of both the intrigues in the British Parliament, sown by Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer, resulting in dissentions within the Cabinet, and the actual Act of Union causing much discontent in Scotland. The fact the France, ever poised, was thinking circumstances across the Channel were lining up favourably for an invasion also spurred on the Jacobite cause. The Jacobites, masters of propaganda, produced a great many medals over the years but this design is one of the most recognisable and iconic. Some wear to the medal which indicates this was indeed issued to the correct target audience back in 1708 - very much a partisan - as it has been used as a pocket touch piece, ie a source of comfort to the holder as he fondled the medal in his pocket; a tangible link to the holder's would-be king and the Jacobite cause. A nice piece of Scottish history encapsulated into this one medal. £295