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A Henry VIII hammered silver groat of the first coinage, struck at the Tower Mint in London between 1509 and 1526 with the castle mintmark. Remarkably, it carries the portrait of Henry’s father, Henry VII, with only the king’s numeral changed. Certified by PCGS as VF 35, and ex John P. Burnham Collection (Stack’s Bowers Galleries, 2026).
Description
When the seventeen-year-old Henry VIII came to the throne in 1509, the Royal Mint did not create a new portrait for him. For the first seventeen years of his reign, his silver coins continued to use the profile bust designed for his father, Henry VII, with the numeral in the legend simply changed from VII to VIII. Only with the recoinage of 1526 did Henry’s own likeness appear on his groats. This coin is therefore a portrait of one Tudor king struck in the name of another.
The obverse shows the crowned profile bust facing right, with the legend HENRIC VIII DI GRA REX AGL Z FR (“Henry VIII, by the Grace of God, King of England and France”). The reverse bears the quartered royal arms on a square-topped shield over a long cross fourchée, with the abbreviated legend POSVI DEV A DIVTOR E MEV, for POSVI DEVM ADIVTOREM MEVM (“I have made God my helper”), adapted from the Psalms. The castle mintmark appears at the start of the legends.
Struck in fine sterling silver decades before the Great Debasement of Henry’s later reign, this groat comes from the confident early years of the Tudor monarchy, the era of the young king’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon and the Field of the Cloth of Gold.
Please refer to the photos as part of the description, as they are a critical part of accurately representing this item’s condition and details.
Specifications Country England Ruler Henry VIII (1509–1547) Denomination Groat (four pence) Date 1509–1526 (undated) Mint Tower Mint, London Mintmark Castle Classification First coinage, profile bust of Henry VII References SCBC 2316; North 1762 Composition Sterling silver (.925) Certification PCGS VF 35 PCGS Certification # 54203399 (verifiable on the PCGS website) Provenance Ex John P. Burnham Collection; Stack’s Bowers Galleries, Summer 2026 Global Showcase sale, September 2026, lot 44513 Condition
Certified by PCGS as VF 35. A bold portrait with clear detail in the crown and hair, and well-defined legends. Attractive old silver-grey toning. As is typical of hand-struck coinage, the flan is somewhat irregular in shape. Please examine the photographs carefully.
Grading & Returns
Certified coins are offered at the grade shown on the holder. For coins not certified by a third-party grading service, any grade stated in this listing represents our good-faith opinion. If the coin does not meet your expectations, it may be returned within 14 days for a full refund in accordance with the return terms stated in this listing. Certified coins must be returned in the original, undamaged holder.
Shipping
Items are securely packaged and shipped promptly with tracking. We combine shipping whenever practical for multiple purchases made at the same time. Higher-value items may require signature confirmation or additional insurance.
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