1422-1427 English coin minted on the island of Newfoundland, Canada

from Editorial board Written on 11/15/2022, 12:38:44
Categories: Archaeology

In Canada, on the island of Newfoundland, an English coin was found in 1422-1427: seventy years before Europeans arrived on the island. But this does not prove that there were contacts before: simply, someone could have lost it when it was already out of order …

An important discovery CanadaOn the south coastIsland of NewfoundlandWhere and what was found Oldest English coinage Currently, it indicates that it has been found in an archaeological context in a North American country. The coin was discovered by a citizen in the summer of 2022, Edward HinesThe Provincial Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is required by the Historic Resources Act. The provincial government’s consultations with Paul Perry, a former curator at the Bank of Canada Museum of Currency, indicated that the currency was gold. Fourth Duke of Henry VIPrinted in London between 1422 and 1427. It had a value of 1 shilling and 8 pence, a considerable amount for the time.

This discovery follows a similar discovery a year earlier in 2021, when a silver coin minted in 1490 was found in the garden of Cupid’s Cove on the island of Newfoundland: to this day it is considered the oldest English coin found in Canada. . We don’t know how the gold found this summer and the two coins found in 2021 got to Newfoundland: it’s too early to establish that Europeans had contact with these lands before their first arrival. European travel (Giovanni Capodo first arrived in Terranova in 1497: moreover, the island only became part of the British Empire in 1583). In fact, the invention was not enough to imagine a journey through the years after it was minted: according to Paul Perry, the coin was no longer legal when it was lost.

However, the provincial government says research into the coin is continuing and further investigations of the site may be conducted in the future. “I congratulate Mr. Hines,” he announces Steve Crocker, the province’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, said, “I encourage others to follow suit by reporting the discovery of this extremely rare item in recognition of the importance of protecting Newfoundland and Labrador’s heritage resources. These types of objects help us understand and appreciate our province’s history and provide context for visitors to Newfoundland and Labrador from around the world.