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Gold Fine sovereign of Mary I, London, 1553

Discover some of the coins in the Winchester Cabinet, a collection of over 3000 ancient coins, medals and tokens collected by William Eyre, an eighteenth-century barrister, held by Leeds Special Collections, University of Leeds Library.
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Pierced silver penny of King Offa of Mercia by Lul found in the Coin Collection at Special Collections, Leeds University Library
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Gold Angel of Charles I found in the Coin Collection at Special Collections, University of Leeds Library.
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Silver denarius by Lucius Hostilius Saserna found in the Coin Collection at Special Collections, University of Leeds Library.
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Gold aureus of Hadrian found in the Coin Collection at Special Collections, University of Leeds Library.
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Gold Gallo-Belgic Stater, Ambiani tribe, Picardy found in the Coin Collection at Special Collections, University of Leeds Library.
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Copper halfpenny token, Robert Wright, Alfreton found in the Coin Collection at Special Collections, University of Leeds Library.
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Silver tetradrachm, Athens, found in the Coin Collection at Special Collections, University of Leeds Library.
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Silver Shilling of Charles I, Pontefract Castle,found in the Coin Collection at Special Collections, University of Leeds Library.
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Gold solidus of Constans II, Constantinople, found in the Coin Collection at Special Collections, University of Leeds Library.
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Silver penny of Harold II, Canterbury, found in the Coin Collection at Special Collections, University of Leeds Library.
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Gold Fine sovereign of Mary I, London, found in the Coin Collection at Special Collections, University of Leeds Library.
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White metal medal by Bennett of Sarum, found in the Coin Collection at Special Collections, University of Leeds Library.
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Silver tetradrachm in the name of Alexander III, Macedonia, found in the Coin Collection at Special Collections, University of Leeds Library.
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Silver denarius of Julius Caesar, found in the Coin Collection at Special Collections, University of Leeds Library.
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This fine gold sovereign was worth thirty shillings - considerably more than the standard twenty shilling sovereign of its day. Its high value meant that it was probably intended for use as a ceremonial piece or as a statement of the Tudor dynasty's power.

The obverse shows Queen Mary on the throne with a portcullis below - a symbol still found on modern-day pennies. The reverse depicts the Tudor rose with a Latin inscription that means ‘This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes’.