Watch List notes:

*Stephen, Baronial Issue of Eustace Fitzjohn, penny, York, obv., evst acivs+, full figure of Knight wearing mail armour and a pointed helmet facing right, holding raised sword, with pellet in annulet either side of helmet and before sword hilt, shaped ornament in field behind, rev., eboraci . tdefг, single pellet in annulet stop, cross pattée with barred arms within quatrefoil, annulets in spandrels, 1.15g (Mack 221-222 (see note below); N. 929(a); S. 1316), very minor rim fault, virtually as struck, an iconic and excessively rare coin of the Anarchy. Mack illustrates three coins as his reference no. 221, of which 221(c) and 221 (d) are struck from the same die as the present coin, with normal s's in evstacivs. However the reverse is as Mack 222 (= B.M.C. 265), displaying very minor differences but the same characteristic legend. It may further be noted that Mack's reference no. 224(d) as coming from the Archbishop Sharp collection appears to be erroneous and that this remarkably well-preserved coin was probably the piece he intended to record. The 'Yorkshire magnate' Eustace Fitzjohn supported Stephen early in his reign, although Stephen deprived him of his custody of Bamburgh Castle in February 1138 on the grounds that his allegiance was leaning towards the Empress Matilda. Eustace sided with King David of Scotland at the Battle of the Standard in August where he may have been wounded, being described in contemporary chronicles as 'that one-eyed traitor', but he does seem later to have become reconciled to Stephen's rule. Coincidentally Archbishop Sharp and his successors were closely associated with Bamburgh Castle which had been severely damaged during the Wars of the Roses. In particular Dr John Sharp (1723-1792), Archdeacon of Northumberland, grandson of the Archbishop and custodian of his collection, was responsible for major refurbishment work at Bamburgh Castle in the late 18th Century.
(20000-25000 GBP)