Edwardian Sterlings

Enigmatic Crockards and Pollards

J. Chautard described his

These "enigmatic sterlings" are first discovered in the Gäsene and Marchienne hoards. In the 19th century, when the hoards were discovered and described, they struggled with the problems that some coins had obverse legends of Gui of Dampierre and Hainaut reverse legends attributing coins to John of Avesnes.
Chautard wrote a hole chapter about these "esterlins énigmatiques", dependent on the work of Reinier Chalon. They all had problems attributing these coins to a ruler. Constant hostilities between Gui and John would rule out a possible monetary collaboration, like Brabant and Looz did. The only option is that these strange coins are contempory forgeries, made by very skilled forgers.
It is difficult to assign these coins to a particular mint, but some pieces show similarities with coins from Kuince.

More info: J. Chautard - Imitations des monnaies au type esterlin.

Sterling, "Guy of Dampierre", "Mons", ca. 1296-97, Mayhew 124var

Reign/Issue Authority:"Guy of Dampierre"
Denomination/Type:Sterling, Pollard type
Mint:"Mons"
Issue date:Ca. 1296-97
Weight:1,20 gr
Diameter:19 mm
Rarity:R5
Reference:Mayhew 124var
Catalogue #:0298
Obverse description:Bust facing.
Obverse legend:+GmΛRChIOnΛmVI
Reverse description:Long cross pattee with three pellets in each angle.
Reverse legend:MON ЄTΛ MON TЄS
Extra info:Variant with mΛRChIO instead of mΛRChO.

Sterling, "Guy of Dampierre", "Namur", ca. 1296-97, Mayhew 125/131

Reign/Issue Authority:"Guy of Dampierre"
Denomination/Type:Sterling, Pollard type
Mint:"Namur"
Issue date:Ca. 1296-97
Weight:1,00 gr
Diameter:18x19 mm
Rarity:R5
Reference:Mayhew 125/131
Catalogue #:0314
Obverse description:Bust facing.
Obverse legend:+GmΛRChIOnΛmVR
Reverse description:Long cross pattee with three pellets in each angle.
Reverse legend:mO nЄT ΛnΛ mVR
Extra info:Provenance: Ex Collection Van Meert (Dinant), Ex Elsen 143 Lot 1083.

Sterling, "Guy of Dampierre", "Mons", ca. 1296-97, Mayhew 126

Reign/Issue Authority:"Guy of Dampierre"
Denomination/Type:Sterling, Pollard type
Mint:"Mons"
Issue date:Ca. 1296-97
Weight:0,98 gr
Diameter:18 mm
Rarity:R5
Reference:Mayhew 126
Catalogue #:0194
Obverse description:Bust facing.
Obverse legend:+GmΛRChIOnΛmVR
Reverse description:Long cross pattee with three pellets in each angle.
Reverse legend:MON ЄTΛ MON TЄS
Extra info:

Sterling, "Guy of Dampierre", "Namur", ca. 1296-97, Mayhew 130var

Reign/Issue Authority:"Guy of Dampierre"
Denomination/Type:Sterling, Pollard type
Mint:"Namur"
Issue date:Ca. 1296-97
Weight:0,82 gr
Diameter:19 mm
Rarity:R5
Reference:Mayhew 130var
Catalogue #:0103
Obverse description:Bust facing, saltire on neck.
Obverse legend:+GmΛRChIOnΛmVR
Reverse description:Long cross pattee with three pellets in each angle.
Reverse legend:mO nЄΛ nΛn mVR
Extra info:This variety is not mentioned in Mayhew and to me the only one known.

Sterling, Guy of Dampierre, Namur (?), ca. 1296, Mayhew xxx

Reign/Issue Authority:Guy of Dampierre
Denomination/Type:Sterling, Pollard type
Mint:Namur (?)
Issue date:Ca. 1296
Weight:1,10 gr
Diameter:19 mm
Rarity:R5
Reference:Mayhew xxx
Catalogue #:0095
Obverse description:Bare-headed bust facing with a saltire in the field on each side of the neck and an annulet on the neck.
Obverse legend:+MARChIOИAMVRC
Reverse description:Long cross pattée with three pellets in each angle.
Reverse legend:GCO MЄS FLA DRЄ
Extra info:This sterling has a different face than standard issues and has an annulet on the neck, not mentioned in Mayhew.

Sterling, "John II of Avesnes", "Maubeuge", ca. 1296-97, Mayhew 150/137

Reign/Issue Authority:"John II of Avesnes"
Denomination/Type:Sterling, Crockard type
Mint:"Maubeuge"
Issue date:Ca. 1296-97
Weight:1,02 gr
Diameter:18x19 mm
Rarity:R5
Reference:Mayhew 150/137
Catalogue #:0299
Obverse description:Bust facing, wearing chaplet of roses.
Obverse legend:+ICOMЄShANONIЄ
Reverse description:Long cross pattee with three pellets in each angle.
Reverse legend:MЄL BOD IЄN SIS
Extra info:An unlisted mule with enigmatic dies, probably the obverse of M150 and the reverse of M137. Provenance: Ex Elsen List 287, Lot 523.

Sterling, "John II of Avesnes", "Mons", ca. 1296-97, Mayhew 159c

Reign/Issue Authority:"John II of Avesnes"
Denomination/Type:Sterling, Crockard type
Mint:"Mons"
Issue date:Ca. 1296-97
Weight:0,84 gr
Diameter:20 mm
Rarity:R5
Reference:Mayhew 159c (this coin)
Catalogue #:0310
Obverse description:Bust facing, wearing chaplet of roses.
Obverse legend:+IOhSCOMЄShANONIЄ
Reverse description:Long cross pattee with three pellets in each angle.
Reverse legend:MON ЄTΛ MON TЄS
Extra info:Provenance: Ex Collection Van Meert (Dinant), Ex Elsen 143 Lot 1029.

Sterling, "John II of Avesnes", "Namur (?)", ca. 1296-97, Mayhew 162var

Reign/Issue Authority:"John II of Avesnes"
Denomination/Type:Sterling, Crockard type
Mint:"Namur (?)"
Issue date:Ca. 1296-97
Weight:0,67 gr
Diameter:19 mm
Rarity:R5
Reference:Mayhew 162var
Catalogue #:0246
Obverse description:Bust facing, wearing chaplet of roses.
Obverse legend:+IOhSCOMЄShΛNO
Reverse description:Long cross pattee with three pellets in each angle.
Reverse legend:GCO MЄS FLΛ DRЄ
Extra info:Obverse of a John of Avesnes sterling, the reverse copies a Guy of Dampierre sterling. This is an unique variety.

Sterling, "John II of Avesnes", "Maubeuge", ca. 1296-97, Chautard 36

Reign/Issue Authority:"John II of Avesnes"
Denomination/Type:Sterling, Crockard type
Mint:"Maubeuge"
Issue date:Ca. 1296-97
Weight:1,04 gr
Diameter:19 mm
Rarity:R5
Reference:Chautard 36
Catalogue #:0083
Obverse description:Bust facing, wearing chaplet of roses.
Obverse legend:+ICOMЄShANONIЄ
Reverse description:Long cross pattee with three pellets in each angle.
Reverse legend:IIЄL BOD IЄN SIS
Extra info:This type is a close copy of Mayhew 37. Mayhew could not find a copy of Chautard 36.

Sterling, "John I of Brabant", "Hasselt (?)", ca. 1296-97, Mayhew xxx

Reign/Issue Authority:"John I of Brabant"
Denomination/Type:Sterling, Crockard type
Mint:"Hasselt (?)"
Issue date:Ca. 1296-97
Weight:1,39 gr
Diameter:19 mm
Rarity:R5
Reference:Mayhew xxx
Catalogue #:0137
Obverse description:Bust facing, wearing chaplet of roses.
Obverse legend:+:I:DVX:LIMBVRGIЄ
Reverse description:Long cross pattee with three pellets in each angle.
Reverse legend:MOn ЄTA COM ITIS
Extra info:This coin has a Brabant obverse and Looz reverse. The style correspondents with other enigmatic issues. As far as I know an unique coin.