Gold coin dating back to 1257 found in Devon

A coin featuring a portrait of King Henry III has been discovered in Devon, the rare coin is believed to date back to the 1200s and is one of England’s first ever gold coins.

The coin was discovered on farmland in Devon last year and is going to auction. There are only eight others like it in existence, all of which are in museums. The finder, who wishes to remain anonymous was unaware of how rare his discovery was until he posted about it on Facebook and an auctioneer spotted it.

The coin displays the portrait of Henry III on his throne on one side and a long cross and roses on the other. It is thought to have been made from gold sourced from North Africa and is one of the first examples of gold being used to create currency in English history. Historians say that are 52,000 of the coins were minted and at the time would have been worth 20p, which is around £60 in today’s money. The coins were originally short-lived as they cost more to create than they were worth, leading to virtually all of them being melted down.

Henry II was the son of the infamous King John and reigned from 1216 to 1272, one of the longest reigns of this era. His reign began in his childhood after his father’s untimely death and he ruled unopposed until his own passing. Records show that in the 1240s and 50s, he demanded that all payments be made in gold, resulting in the creation of these coins. Following his death, the currency was replaced with correctly weighted coins.