Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XXIV 28 Mar 2022
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Great Britain, Plantagenet. Henry V AV Noble. Tower (London) mint, 1413-1422. Class G. ҺЄꞂRIC' ∗ DI' ◦ GRΛ' ◦ RЄX ◦ ΛꞂGL' Ƶ FRΛꞂC' ◦ DꞂS ◦ ҺУB', king standing facing within ship, holding sword and quartered shield, waves below; all within beaded border / ✠ IҺ'C ∗ ΛVTЄᙏ ◦ TRΛꞂSIЄꞂS ◦ PЄR ◦ ᙏЄDIV' ◦ ILLORV' ◦ IBΛT, ornamental cross with lis terminals and H within centre, crowns over lions over trefoils in quarters, within beaded and linear tressure, trefoils in spandrels. SCBC 1747; Schneider 263 (same dies); North 1375. 7.00g, 33mm, 11h.
Extremely Fine; previously NGC graded MS 63 (#4885151-002). Extremely Rare; this class known only from a very few examples, of which this is likely the finest recorded.
Ex Long Valley River Collection, Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction XX, 30 October 2020, lot 908;
Ex private Japanese collection;
Ex Spink & Son Ltd, Auction 12027, 4 December 2012, lot 35.
Henry V is perhaps most well-known to the modern audience through the dramatisation of his life in Shakespeare's eponymous historical play 'Henry V'. The narrative of the play, based on actual events, present Henry in his element - the battlefield. Renowned amongst historians as one of the great warrior kings of his age, Henry's impressive victories in campaigns fought during the Hundred Years' war set him above his contemporaries. These campaigns culminated in France's defeat at the battle of Agincourt in 1415, from which Henry returned in triumph to England.
He is perhaps less associated with innovative domestic policy, however there were notable changes in this domain that occurred during his reign. Arguably most significant was his promotion of the English language in government, the official language of which had been French since the reign of William the Conqueror. He oversaw the appearance of Chancery Standard English and is the first king known to have written in English in personal letters. Unlike his father, the usurper Henry IV whose reign was plagued with rebellions which he brutally quashed, the young king embraced a more conciliatory approach to his enemies, even ensuring that the body of Richard II (the victim of his father's usurpation) was re-interred accompanied by the appropriate rites.
Extremely Fine; previously NGC graded MS 63 (#4885151-002). Extremely Rare; this class known only from a very few examples, of which this is likely the finest recorded.
Ex Long Valley River Collection, Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction XX, 30 October 2020, lot 908;
Ex private Japanese collection;
Ex Spink & Son Ltd, Auction 12027, 4 December 2012, lot 35.
Henry V is perhaps most well-known to the modern audience through the dramatisation of his life in Shakespeare's eponymous historical play 'Henry V'. The narrative of the play, based on actual events, present Henry in his element - the battlefield. Renowned amongst historians as one of the great warrior kings of his age, Henry's impressive victories in campaigns fought during the Hundred Years' war set him above his contemporaries. These campaigns culminated in France's defeat at the battle of Agincourt in 1415, from which Henry returned in triumph to England.
He is perhaps less associated with innovative domestic policy, however there were notable changes in this domain that occurred during his reign. Arguably most significant was his promotion of the English language in government, the official language of which had been French since the reign of William the Conqueror. He oversaw the appearance of Chancery Standard English and is the first king known to have written in English in personal letters. Unlike his father, the usurper Henry IV whose reign was plagued with rebellions which he brutally quashed, the young king embraced a more conciliatory approach to his enemies, even ensuring that the body of Richard II (the victim of his father's usurpation) was re-interred accompanied by the appropriate rites.