Name/Title
CE 1154 -1189 Henry II - PennyDescription
Henry II Short Cross Penny (c. 1180–1182)
England, York Mint
This silver penny was struck during the reign of Henry II, one of the most influential kings of medieval England. Issued as part of the Short Cross coinage, the design reflects a major monetary reform intended to stabilize the kingdom’s currency and reduce the widespread problem of coin clipping. The obverse presents the crowned king in a frontal pose, reinforcing royal authority at a time when centralized governance and legal reform were expanding under Henry’s rule.
On the reverse, a short cross divides the coin into four quarters, each marked with pellets, while the surrounding inscription names Turkil, the moneyer responsible for striking the coin at York. Coins like this circulated widely in everyday transactions, linking royal power, local administration, and economic life. Today, Short Cross pennies provide a tangible connection to the financial and political structures of twelfth-century England, a period that laid the foundations for later English institutions.Create Date
July 30, 2025Update Date
May 25, 2026
