£ 22’000 - Spink sold the earliest date on an English coin

London 10th Oct 2011 - Spink is very pleased to announce the sale of a SILVER GROAT (4p piece) of King Henry VIII dated 1513 when Tournai in France was under English rule. This is the only known coin in private hands available to the collector and a rare and important piece of English history. This coin sold at auction on October 6th for £ 22’000 + commision, a total of £27;000 AND AQUIRED by www.petitioncrown.com

On the obverse “HENRIC. 8. DI. GRA. FRANCIE. ET. ANGLIE. REX” is written and is translated as 'Henry VIII by the Grace of God King of France and England'. The reverse inscription is ‘CIVITAS TORNACENSIS .1.5.1.3 , in centre h

This is exceptional for a coin as it is possibly the only coin available to the collector of this early period that is dated nearly 500 years ago. Only three coins of this type are recorded. Of these, five are kept in institutional collections. Therefore, this will be only the second specimen available for private collectors to purchase.