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1 Penny - Henry II Short Cross type, class 1b
| Issuer | England |
|---|---|
| Year | 1180-1189 |
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| Currency | Pound sterling (1158-1970) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A voided short cross extends to the inner beaded circle, with quatrefoils of pellets in each of the four angles. The moneyer's name and mint name are inscribed in the surrounding legend, identifying the issuing authority and place of production. The design is characteristic of the Short Cross coinage introduced under Henry II in 1180. |
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| Mintage | ND (1180-1189) |
| Additional information |
The Short Cross coinage was introduced in 1180 as a deliberate reform to combat the chronic problem of coin clipping — the practice of shaving silver from a coin's edge. By extending the cross on the reverse to the coin's rim, the intent was to make clipping immediately visible. It didn't stop the practice, but it slowed it. The design ran essentially unchanged through six reigns until 1247, with the legend continuing to read HENRICVS REX regardless of who actually sat on the throne.
Class 1b is distinguished from the opening 1a by subtle die characteristic shifts in the lettering, identified through the patient work of later scholars cross-referencing surviving specimens by moneyer and mint.