Aspects of the Anglo-Saxon and Norman mint of Worcester, 975-1158

This study examines one of the seventy or so mints that produced England's coinage in the tenth to twelfth centuries. The main focus is on the forty plus moneyers who worked at the mint. Each moneyer's surviving coins are analysed and an attempt is made to reconstruct his likely career. Po...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Symons, David John
Published: University of Birmingham 2003
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Online Access:http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.421715
Description
Summary:This study examines one of the seventy or so mints that produced England's coinage in the tenth to twelfth centuries. The main focus is on the forty plus moneyers who worked at the mint. Each moneyer's surviving coins are analysed and an attempt is made to reconstruct his likely career. Possible identifications of the moneyers in the surviving documents from Worcester are also discussed. The linguistic origin of each moneyer's name is also examined. Another chapter considers the Worcester moneyers as a group, in light of the evidence we have for moneyers elsewhere in England. It is argued that the Worcester mint was established in the 970s by moneyers moving from Chester for the purpose. However, the later Worcester moneyers seem to be locals, from the upper levels of burgess society, some of them possibly goldsmiths. They seem to restrict their minting activity to Worcester, with no evidence that any were involved with other mints. The study also includes a reign-by-reign discussion of the mint's activity and a brief section on the contribution coins can make to a study of the development of the name 'Worcester'. Underpinning all of this is a catalogue of more than 550 surviving Worcester coins.