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3 Pence - Edward VI 3rd period, London mint
| Issuer | England |
|---|---|
| Year | 1551-1553 |
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| Currency | Pound sterling (1158-1970) |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A quartered royal shield of arms, displaying the fleurs-de-lis of France in the first and fourth quarters and the lions passant guardant of England in the second and third quarters, is superimposed upon a long cross fourchée that extends outward to the beaded inner circle, dividing the reverse field into four sections. The shield is rendered in the bold, slightly angular hammered style characteristic of mid-Tudor English silver coinage. The reverse legend in uncial Latin characters runs continuously around the periphery between the inner and outer beaded borders. The cross fourchée design is a distinctive feature of the Edward VI third coinage silver issues, providing both a decorative and functional element to the reverse composition. |
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| Mintage | ND (1551-1553) - mm. Tun (123) |
| Additional information |
The threepence as a denomination was itself a novelty here — Edward VI's fine silver coinage of 1551 introduced the threepence and sixpence to England for the first time as regular circulation issues. The decision came as part of a broader recoinage intended to restore confidence after the catastrophic debasements of Henry VIII's later years, which had reduced silver content so severely that coins turned copper-colored on the skin.
Production ran barely two years before Edward's death in July 1553 ended the series. Surviving examples are correspondingly scarce, with the London mint output representing the primary source for collectors.