Medieval Coin Pack

Product Description: These reproduction Penny of William I and Penny of Eustace are moulded directly from original coins and are made from pewter. The pamphlet style packaging has holes on the inside in which the coins are held in clear blisters. The coin pack has medieval images on the front and inside. The pack includes information about William I and Stephen.

Information: The William I Penny was minted in Oxford between 1068-70. On the obverse is the front facing bust of William I and on the reverse a voided cross.

The Penny of Eustace was probably minted in Yorkshire 1138-53. On the obverse is the depiction of a knight holding a sword and on the reverse a cross in quatrefoil.

William was proclaimed King of England in Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1066. Despite a great victory the Normans had great difficulty keeping control with possibly only 10,000 Normans among one to two million hostile Anglo-Saxons. As a result the Normans had to build many castles from which to dominate the local people. By 1086 Britain had received a new language, culture and ruling class, with 200 Norman barons replacing over 4000 thegns. Britain was part of a kingdom spanning the English Channel.

As Henry I lay dying, Stephen, his nephew, rushed from France to London and secured the throne instead of Henry’s chosen heirs. After about two years of peace Robert of Gloucester defected and Stephen lost his grip on Normandy. A long civil war resulted. Stephen’s son, Eustace Fitz-stephen was heir to the throne. Our coin is attributed to Eustace Fitz-john, a north country baron, but may well be a coin of the king’s son. In fact the king’s son died before taking the throne and the crown passed to Henry Plantagenet.