Medieval penny of Henry III

What it is

This is a photograph of a worn, corroded silver-coloured medieval penny, shown on both sides against a blue measuring scale. The left side shows a faint, damaged royal bust and lettering around the edge. The right side shows a long cross dividing the coin into four quarters. The photograph was taken by Adrian Marsden and shared on Wikimedia Commons. The coin is attributed to Henry III, and its exact date is not given in the record. The coin itself is not held in this archive.

Why it matters

Henry III was the king who reissued the Magna Carta charter, and his pennies were the money of England during his long reign. A penny like this links the royal image and the coinage of the kingdom to the political history of the charter. Its damage also shows how coins were used and lost over centuries.

Look closer

• What parts of the royal bust and lettering can you still make out, and what has been lost?
• Why might a coin be so badly worn, and what does that say about its use?
• What does a photograph of one coin leave out about the king and the people who used his money?