Coins Middleham Hoard

a selection of coins side

the coins include english issues of monarchs between edward vi , charles i, scottish , irish coins, , of philip iv of spain , governors in spanish netherlands (archduke albert , wife isabella), 39 counterfeits. total face value on £312. of 5,099 coins, 4,772 english, 31 scottish, 10 irish, 245 spanish possessions in europe (all netherlands) , 2 spanish new world.

one of main features of hoard relatively large proportion of spanish coins. there 247 coins spanish netherlands , spanish america, comprising 5% of hoard numbers, these coins of high value (a ducaton being worth 5 shillings , sixpence) , face value of these spanish coins £65, 20% of face value of entire hoard. circulation of spanish coins in england during period seems have been largely limited royalist areas, , have been found in other civil war hoards yorkshire, although no other hoard has such high proportion of spanish coins.

another notable feature of hoard inclusion of 39 counterfeit coins, of them pots , b (only 6 pot c). of counterfeits copies of contemporary english coins, pots , b both include counterfeits of spanish-american reales, may have been counterfeited because genuine coins poorly struck , not have been familiar people. 2 of 3 counterfeit spanish-american coins in pot cast same mould, , 2 counterfeit spanish-american coins in pot b cast same mould, suggests counterfeits may have been made locally (if counterfeits came far away there have been higher degree of diversity). possible of counterfeit english coins made locally, such copy of charles shilling york mint.

the distribution of coins in 3 pots between reigns shown in table below.

many of coins had been clipped, proportions rising age increased.