Class 5 farthings of Edward I are among the most difficult pieces in the entire hammered English series to attribute with confidence. The class divisions themselves were established largely through the work of Lawrence and later refined by Withers, and the boundaries between classes remain contested in specialist literature. North 1054/2 represents a specific die grouping within that contested framework.
At 0.27g, these were already worn thin by daily commerce — the farthing's purchasing power was real enough that small change genuinely circulated hard.
Class 5 farthings of Edward I are among the most difficult pieces in the entire hammered English series to attribute with confidence. The class divisions themselves were established largely through the work of Lawrence and later refined by Withers, and the boundaries between classes remain contested in specialist literature. North 1054/2 represents a specific die grouping within that contested framework.
At 0.27g, these were already worn thin by daily commerce — the farthing's purchasing power was real enough that small change genuinely circulated hard.