User:Veledan/Sandbox/Short Cross penny

The Short Cross penny was a silver hammered coin issued in England by Henry II in 1158, and continued to be the only English coin minted through the reigns of Richard I and John until its discontinuation by Henry III in 1247.

Background
During the reign of Stephen (1135-1154) and the civil war between his supporters and those of the Empress Matilda (1138-1147) the coinage suffered. Supporters of both factions minted local pennies in the name of King or Empress, but these were of irregular quality and were frequently poorly struck and underweight. A few lesser barons minted coins in their own name, and there are several extant examples from the period whose provenance cannot be determined.

Henry II acceded to the throne in 1154, and for four years Stephen's coins continued to be issued and used. The lack of consistency in the currency, however, made a new issue a matter of urgency and Henry introduced the Short Cross penny in 1158.