´óÏó´«Ã½

King Edward I silver penny

Contributed by Joyce Tedcastle

King Edward I silver penny

I dug this up in my garden about 35 years ago, but couldn't find any more which made me think somebody dropped the coin about 800 years ago when a penny must have been a lot of money. I often think about the person who lost it. Who was he/she, what was he doing here, did he have to go hungry, did he dare to go home without his money. I get the weirdest feeling when I handle the coin because I know I am the first person to hold it since its owner lost it and I wish I could give it back. It was minted in Canterbury - we are in the north of England so how did it get here? Maybe its owner (loser!) was a traveller or perhaps it had just been passed from hand to hand in trade from the south to the north. What a story it could tell about all the people who had bought and sold things with it before it was dropped in my garden. And what was my garden like 800 years ago? It was probably just a grassy hillside overlooking a stream in the bottom of the valley because our village grew up around a gunpowder works around 200 years ago.

Comments are closed for this object

Share this link:

Most of the content on A History of the World is created by the contributors, who are the museums and members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ or the British Museum. The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is not responsible for the content of any external sites referenced. In the event that you consider anything on this page to be in breach of the site’s House Rules please Flag This Object.

About this object

Click a button to explore other objects in the timeline

Location
Culture
Period
Theme
Size
W:
1.75cm
Colour
Material

View more objects from people in Cumbria.

Find out more

Podcast

´óÏó´«Ã½ iD

´óÏó´«Ã½ navigation

´óÏó´«Ã½ © 2014 The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.