I have examined a group of 48 items. All are silver clippings taken from definite or probable English silver coins from the reigns of Elizabeth I, James I and Charles I and will thus be of over 90% fine metal. The majority of the clippings are definitely from silver shillings and it is likely that all of them are from this one denomination. The latest datable objects are two fragments of shillings of the triangle in circle initial mark, in use at the English mint in the years 1641-3. The details of the clippings, as far as this is ascertainable, are listed below

Catalogue

Elizabeth I (1558-1603

1. Shilling cross crosslet 0.85

2-6. Shilling ? 1.1, 0.58, 0.53, 0.42, 0.23

Elizabeth I?

7-12. Shilling 0.61, 0.39, 0.19, 0.18, 0.17, 0.11

James I (1603-1625)

First Coinage (1603-4)

13-15 Shilling 0.31, 0.17, 0.09

Second Coinage (1604-19)

16-17. Shilling escallop 0.94, 0.22

Second-Third Coinage (1603-25)

18-22. Shilling 0.54, 0.34, 0.24, 0.19, 0.17

Uncertain coinage

23-4. Shilling 0.57, 0.15

James I/Charles I

25. Shilling 0.1

Charles I (1625-49)

26. Shilling anchor 0.14

27-8. Shilling triangle in circle 0.52, 0.27

29. Shilling Group F 0.34

30-32. Shilling ? 0.54, 0.31, 0.22

Uncertain ruler

33-48. 0.49, 0.44, 0.32, 0.27, 0.24, 0.23, 0.22, 0.18,

0.16, 0.15, 0.12, 0.1, 0.08, 0.08, 0.06, 0.05

Coin clipping - the removal of slivers of precious metal from the edge of a coin - was a standard abuse and currency crime throughout the medieval and early modern period, despite stringent legislation and extreme punishment, often execution, for those found guilty. Typically, clippings would then be melted down and used to make counterfeit coins.

There was a particular outbreak of clipping at the time of the English Civil War in the 1640s, when many aspects of life broke down and perpetrators believed, probably with some justification, that they ran less risk of being caught and punished. It is certainly the case that clipped coins from this period survive in large numbers and that there are several known hoards of clippings of precisely the sort of material found in this group. Indeed, clipping hoards from other periods are hardly known at all. Compared to some clippings hoards, the Millthorpe material was trimmed off coins with a relatively light touch: only four clippings involved the removal of as much as 10% of the original coin and the majority represent under 5% of the coin.

The clippings found in the Millthorpe area are of good silver, are over 300 years old and were deposited together on one occasion. In my opinion, therefore, they fulfil the criteria of Treasure, according to the terms of the Act.

Dr Barrie J. Cook

Curator of Medieval and Early Modern Coinage

Department of Coins and Medals

British Museum

25 February 2013