Owner Comments:
ND(1356-61) Noble - Design: OBVERSE: Crowned King standing facing forward clad in armor with sword drawn and holding a shield quartered arm of England and France. Standing on the deck of a cog, a medieval warship with castles fore and aft, the bulwarks are decorated with a border of English leopards and French fleurs-de-lis. A pennant of St. George, England’s patron – “Red Cross Knight”, is mounted at the stern. The ship’s rudder and tiller can be seen and below the ship are ocean waves. Inscription reads: EDWARD DEI GRA REX ANGL Z FRANC D HYB (E) – “Edward By The Grace of God, King of England and France, Lord of the Irish” ~ REVERSE: Royal floriated cross with two scrolls and a fleur-de-lis at each end, a crown above a leopard in each quarter, and an “ E” within an ornamented quatrefoil in the center, all within a tressure of eight arches with a lis at each point. Inscription reads: IHC AVTEM TRANSIENS PER MEDIUM ILLORVM IBAT - “But Jesus, passing through their midst, went his way” – Luke iv.30.
Mint: Calais
Mintage: Unknown
References: Fr. 89 / Seaby 1490
Specifications: Diameter – 34.0 mm
Weight – 7.800 g. @ 0.990 Gold = .250 oz AGW
Acquired: February 2007
Providence: None
Notes:
Ø Minted under King Edward III.
Ø Fourth Coinage / Pre-Treaty Period - Type G.
Ø The Noble was the first accepted gold coinage of England. The first attempt was in 1344, the florin or double leopard which was quickly withdrawn due to inadequate correlation to silver coinage.
Ø The gold Noble was valued at 8 shillings and 6 pence or 102 sterling pennies.
Ø The name "Noble" supposedly refers to the unusual purity of the original gold, only 1/2 grain of alloy to 138 6/13 grains of gold.
Ø A very historical coin