Henry VII 1485-1509 Henry VII was the son of Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, and his wife, Margaret Beaufort, a descendant of the eldest son of John of Gaunt and thus the first sovereign of the Tudor line. Henry was born most likely at Pembroke Castle, in the year 1456, the same year of his […]

Richard III 1483-1485 Richard III was the brother of Edward IV and youngest son of Richard, Duke of York, was born at Fotheringay Castle in 1450. Soon after the accession of Edward IV. he was created Duke of Gloucester, K.G., and lord high admiral though only in his eleventh year. Other dignities and offices were afterwards conferred […]

Henry IV 1399-1413 Henry IV was born in 1366 the son of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, who was the fourth son of Edward III. During the reign of Richard II, Henry was made Earl of Derby and Duke of Hereford. A personal dispute broke out between Henry and the Duke of Norfolk, who he accused […]

Edward III 1327-1377 Edward III was the eldest son of Edward II and Isabella of France was born at Windsor in 1312, and succeeded to the throne, on the deposition of his father, in 1327. Although a regency was appointed, the chief power was held by the queen and her paramour, Roger Mortimer, Earl of […]

Henry I 1100-1135 Henry I., King of England, surnamed, on account of his superior education, Beauclerc, was the youngest son ofWilliam the Conqueror, and was born at Selby, in Yorkshire, in 1068. Jealousies and dissensions early broke out between him and his elder brothers, Robert and William (Rufus), and on the sudden mysterious death of William […]

Cnut Silver Penny 1016-1035 Cnut was a Danish king who invaded England during the 11th century. It was during the reign of King Aethelred II”the Unready”, the English attempted to hold the Danish invaders off by paying them tribute known at the time as “Danegeld.” Athelred II’s English subjects were hence heavily taxed and moral was […]

Monetary History of England Henry II Silver Penny Part III 1154-1470 by Martin A. Armstrong PLANTAGENET KINGS c1154-1399 With the treaty in which Matilda’s son Henery II (1154-1189) came to the throne, the coinage of England did not immediately reflect the political change. The coinage Stephen continued to be minted until 1158 before a new […]

Monetary History of England Part III 600-1153 AD by Martin A. Armstrong The Anglo Saxon Period c 600-c. 775 During the late 6th century AD, the island of Britain began to undergo a rebirth. Renewed political, cultural and commercial links again start to emerge with the kingdom of the Merovingian Franks. Small quantities of Merovingian gold tremisses have […]

Monetary History of Scotland SCOTLAND David I AR Penny Prince Henry AR Penny Malcolm IV AR Penny William I (The Lion) AR Penny Alexander II AR Penny Alexander III 1st Coinage Crude Portrait AR Penny 2nd Coinage Refined Portrait AR Penny AR Half-Penny AR Farthing Margaret AR Penny John Baliol AR Penny AR Half-Penny 2nd […]

Monetary History of Korea South Korea Korea did not begin to use money until the Koryo Period (Goryeo 高 麗) (936-1392 AD) when coins from China’s Song Dynasty (宋朝) (960-1279 AD) were actually imported and began to circulate. Prior to this time, barter based on rice and cloth was the principal means of exchange. The […]