Edward III Half Groat

The Edward III Half Groat is a hammered silver coin of medieval England worth two pence, struck during the long reign of King Edward III (1327-1377). The example shown carries the classic design of the type: a crowned royal bust facing the viewer on the obverse, and a long cross reaching to the coin's edge with groups of pellets in its quarters on the reverse.

Worth half of the larger groat (fourpence), the half groat was part of the reformed English silver coinage that Edward III expanded to include larger denominations alongside the traditional penny. It is a small, thin, irregularly round coin struck by hand from hammered dies, and surviving pieces are among the more approachable medieval English coins for collectors.

Edward III reigned from 1327 to 1377, and during his rule English coinage underwent major reform. For much of the medieval period the silver penny had been the largest coin in regular use, but Edward III's coinage introduced and firmly established larger silver denominations, including the groat (fourpence) and its half, the half groat (twopence), giving everyday commerce more practical units of value.

These coins were struck by hand, with a blank silver disc placed between two engraved dies and struck with a hammer, so no two pieces are exactly alike. Most were produced at the London mint, with some issues from other centers such as York. Because Edward III's reign spanned several distinct coinage phases, half groats of the period vary in bust style, lettering, and legends, reflecting changing mint practice over five decades.

Look for a small, thin hammered silver coin showing a crowned, forward-facing head within a beaded or linear circle, surrounded by a Latin legend naming the king. The reverse shows a long cross whose arms extend to the rim, dividing the field into quarters, each filled with a group of pellets, with a legend often naming the mint (frequently London).

The half groat sits between the penny and the groat in size, so diameter and weight help place it: it is larger than a penny but smaller than the fourpenny groat. Surfaces are typically uneven, legends may be weakly struck or partly off-flan, and the metal is good silver. Genuine pieces show hand-struck irregularities rather than the sharp, uniform detail of machine-made coins.

As a hammered medieval coin struck across a long reign, the Edward III half groat survives in modest numbers, and value depends heavily on condition, strike quality, legibility, and the specific coinage phase. Well-worn or partly off-center examples with unclear legends are the most affordable, while coins with a full, sharp portrait, complete legends, and good silver surfaces command higher prices.

Scarcer sub-types, particular mints, and unusually well-preserved pieces bring premiums, and problem coins (bent, cracked, pierced, or clipped) sell for less. Because bust styles and legends changed through Edward III's reign, precise attribution can affect value. Treat any single figure as approximate and compare against recent sales of similar hammered half groats.