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1/2 Penny - Henry VII Facing bust issue
| Issuer | Kingdom of England |
|---|---|
| Year | 1485-1509 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Hammered |
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| Obverse description | Facing crowned bust of King Henry VII rendered in the medieval hammered style, depicting a stylized frontal effigy with the crown prominently placed above the king's head. The face is rendered in a primitive yet characteristic late-medieval fashion, with simple linear facial features and a broad neck. Small crosses or pellets flank the bust on either side within the field. The surrounding legend reads in uncial Latin characters, partially visible around the irregular flan. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Henry VII's facing bust coinage marked a deliberate departure from the profile portraits used by his predecessors, introducing a more naturalistic three-quarter facing design that reflected continental Renaissance influence filtering into English royal iconography. The halfpenny, always the most poorly produced denomination due to its minimal silver content, was struck from hand-cut blanks that rarely seated cleanly in the dies — off-center strikes are the rule rather than the exception across the entire facing bust series.
Spink 2241 encompasses issues from across the full reign, and distinguishing early from late strikes relies primarily on crown type and pellet placement in the mm sequence.