Edward I's currency reform of 1279 was one of the most sweeping monetary overhauls in medieval English history, replacing the degraded coinage of Henry III with a new sterling standard enforced across all mints simultaneously. London, Canterbury, Kingston-upon-Hull, and several ecclesiastical mints were brought into production at once. Class 1a represents the very first emission of this reformed coinage, distinguished from subsequent classes primarily by the pellet arrangement in the legend and the form of the lettering — details that occupied Spink and North considerably before the classification solidified into its current form.
Edward I's currency reform of 1279 was one of the most sweeping monetary overhauls in medieval English history, replacing the degraded coinage of Henry III with a new sterling standard enforced across all mints simultaneously. London, Canterbury, Kingston-upon-Hull, and several ecclesiastical mints were brought into production at once. Class 1a represents the very first emission of this reformed coinage, distinguished from subsequent classes primarily by the pellet arrangement in the legend and the form of the lettering — details that occupied Spink and North considerably before the classification solidified into its current form.