How to Identify the Tealby Penny
Practical checks for Henry II's Cross-and-Crosslets penny: crowned bust, voided cross with crosslets, size and metal, mint legends, and forgery cautions.
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Start with size, metal, and manufacture. A genuine Tealby penny is a small, thin silver coin, roughly 18-21 mm across and light in the hand, hand-struck so the outline is often uneven and the strike frequently weak. Expect ragged edges and flat areas as normal for the type; perfectly round, thick, or machine-smooth pieces point to a modern reproduction rather than a hammered original.
Read the obverse. Look for a crowned royal bust, usually facing and holding a scepter, ringed by a Latin legend naming the king, generally a form of HENRICVS REX (Henry, King). The portrait is stylized and medieval in style, and on many coins the crown and face are partly flat from weak striking, so use whatever legend survives to confirm the king rather than expecting a sharp likeness.
Examine the reverse for the diagnostic design. The Tealby, or Cross-and-Crosslets, reverse is a voided cross reaching to or near the edge with a small cross or crosslet set in each of the four angles. Around it runs a legend that names the moneyer and then the mint town, not a date. This cross-and-crosslets pattern is the single most useful feature for confirming the type at a glance.
Separate look-alikes. Henry II's later Short Cross pennies from 1180 onward, and the very similar Short Cross coins of Richard I, John, and Henry III, use a short voided cross without the crosslets in the angles, so the crosslets are the key difference. Earlier pennies of Stephen and the Anarchy period also show crowned busts and cross reverses, so always confirm the HENRICVS legend and the crosslet detail before attributing.
Authenticate carefully. Tealby pennies are collectible and have been reproduced and cast, so check for casting seams, bubbles, a soft or mushy surface, or an incorrect weight and diameter. Legends should read as sensible medieval Latin with a plausible moneyer and mint, and the silver should look right for the twelfth century. When value is meaningful, seek an established dealer or expert attribution before buying or selling.
Frequently asked questions
How do I tell a Tealby penny from a Short Cross penny?
Check the reverse. The Tealby type has a voided cross with a small cross or crosslet in each angle, while Short Cross pennies of Henry II and his successors have a plain short cross with no crosslets in the angles.
What size and weight should a genuine coin be?
Expect a small, thin silver penny about 18-21 mm across and light in hand, often with an uneven outline and weak striking. Thick, heavy, or perfectly round machine-made pieces suggest a modern copy.
How do I find the mint and moneyer?
Read the reverse legend around the cross. It names the moneyer first and then the mint town. There is no date, so the type, style, and legends are used to place the coin in Henry II's reign.
Is it normal for the coin to look crude or off-center?
Yes. Tealby pennies are well known for careless dies and uneven striking, so ragged, weak, or off-center coins are common and genuine. Fully struck, legible examples are simply scarcer and more valuable.