Name/Title
CE 1199 - 1216 John I - PennyDescription
King John Short Cross Penny (1205–1207)
England, London Mint
This silver penny was struck during the reign of King John, though it deliberately retains the portrait style and inscriptions established under Henry II. Known as the Short Cross coinage, this series was introduced to curb coin clipping and improve the durability of England’s currency. The obverse presents a crowned royal bust, while the reverse displays a short cross with pellets—features that helped standardize production across England’s mints.
Issued at the London mint by the moneyer Willelm, coins like this circulated widely at a time of political instability and growing royal taxation. Despite its modest size, the penny played a central role in medieval commerce, representing a system of monetary control that would later be reformed under Henry III. Today, Short Cross pennies provide a direct material link to the economic and political challenges of early thirteenth-century England.Create Date
July 30, 2025Update Date
May 25, 2026
