Hammered Pennies

Penny

Siver sceattas minted in Frisia and Anglo-Saxon England after around 680 were probably known as “pennies” at the time. Their purity varied and their weight fluctuated from about 0.8 to about 1.3 grams.

They continued to be minted in East Anglia and in Northumbria as late as the mid-9th century.
The first pennies were introduced by King (r. 757–796), modeled on Pepin’s system.

His first series was 1⁄240 of the Saxon pound of 5400 grains (350 grams), giving a pennyweight of about 1.46 grams.

English currency was issued using .925-fine sterling silver at the time of Henry II, but the weight and value of the silver penny steadily declined from 1300 onwards.

The last silver pence for general circulation were minted during the reign of Charles II around 1660. Since then, they have only been coined for issue as Maundy money, royal alms given to the elderly on Maundy Thursday

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