Shown above is an extremely rare silver penny of Stephen and his wife Matilda. It was discovered by metal detectorist Graeme Rushton on 20th Oct 2018, on the border of South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Stephen of Blois was the grandson of William I, and became King of England in the year 1135. For almost all of the 19 years of his reign, a civil war raged with his cousin Matilda. Stephen agreed, finally, to accept Matilda’s son Henry as his heir, thus ending the conflict, which became known as the Anarchy.

The coin has on the obverse the legend “STIENS” with standing figures of Stephen and Matilda facing each other supporting a tall scepter between them, while on the reverse is a cross fleury over cross pommee with various ornaments around. The coin was minted in York in the early 1140s and is in Very Fine condition.

Image Courtesy: coinworld.com