Coins - Page 2 of 2

Crowns of the Double Rose:
The Crown of the Double Rose was bought out in Henry VIII's second coinage (1526-44) to supercede the very short-lived Crown of the Rose. Worth 4s.6d. when introduced, it was a debased coin right from the start, being made from 22 carat gold. The two examples from the Mary Rose both date from this coinage. They have a crowned Tudor rose on the obverse and the coat of arms on the reverse.

Rose Noble or Ryal:
The Rose Noble was a revalued and redesigned Noble. Introduced in the the first reign of Edward IV, (1461-70) during 1465, the design is full of Yorkist symbolism. The obverse shows a ship with the Yorkist rose on its side, the ship also flies a banner with the letter E on it. The reverse shows a rose on a radiant sun. One of these was discovered in the ship.

Silver Coins:
Because of the previously mentioned problems with mineralisation, only two silver coins have been positively identified. These are both groats, one probably from Henry VIII's last coinage, having a bearded portrait of the monarch on the obverse and the quartered shield on the reverse.

Tokens (Casting Counters or Jettons):
Tokens were used in conjunction with a counting board or cloth marked in squares for the reckoning of accounts. Mostly made in France at first, they were later issued in the Netherlands and Germany. Nuremberg was a principal source of supply in the 1500's.

Tokens were purchased in sets, usually of about 100. They may have been used by ships pursers to keep their accounts. They may also have been used as gaming counters, long before "chips" were specially made for this purpose. The varied locations of those found on the Mary Rose would seem to indicate that they may well have been used for the latter purpose.

Fifteen tokens were found on the ship, these divide into three types. The first type has the winged lion of St Mark holding a bible, with an inscription around the edge. The opposing face shows the "Reichsapfel" or orb. There are seven of this design. The second principal type (six in number), show three fluer de lys alternating with three crowns around a central rose. The other face shows the same orb design as above. Again, there is an inscription around the edge.

The last discernable type has a ship on one face with four fleur de lys and an inscription on the other. The last token is too degraded to tell the design. The inscriptions on all the tokens is indecipherable but appears to be in Lombardic lettering.

Sources:
Mary Rose Trust internal report: A. Hildred
Mary Rose Trust internal report: M. Richards
The Casting-Counter and the Counting-Board: F.P. Bernard, 1916
The Story of British Coinage: Peter Seaby 1985

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