From a Saxon or medieval silver penny to a Tudor groat or a gold noble, hammered coins are valued on their history and their strike, not their weight. We identify the reign, mint and type, then grade condition and quote in pounds.
We buy only coins that are lawfully held, and we will gladly wait while you check the Treasure position. Written valuation. Free insured postage. Paid in 72 hours.
A hammered coin is struck by hand. A blank disc of silver or gold is set between two engraved dies and the upper die is hit with a hammer, pressing the designs into both faces. This is how England's coinage was made from the Anglo-Saxon period right through until 1662, when hand-striking finally gave way to machine-milled coins. Because every coin was struck individually, hammered pieces are often a little uneven in shape and strike — no two are quite the same, which is part of what collectors love about them.
We buy British hammered coins across the whole span, in silver and gold. The value lies far more in the history and the quality of the strike than in the small amount of metal, so — as with any old coin — the first job is to identify exactly what you have.
Hammered coins run through the whole of medieval and early-modern British history. The broad periods collectors recognise are:
The silver penny was the backbone of English coinage for centuries; larger and smaller pieces grew up around it, and gold arrived in the medieval period:
| Coin | Metal | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Penny | Silver | The core coin from Saxon times; by far the most common hammered survivor |
| Halfpenny & farthing | Silver | Tiny fractional silver; often cut from pennies in the earliest period |
| Groat & half-groat | Silver | Fourpence and twopence — larger medieval and Tudor silver |
| Shilling & sixpence | Silver | Larger Tudor and Stuart silver denominations |
| Noble & angel | Gold | Medieval and Tudor gold; scarce and often valuable |
| Sovereign & unite | Gold | The great gold coins introduced from the Tudor period onward |
If your hammered coins were found in the ground in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, the Treasure Act 1996 is likely to be relevant, and Treasure law is more detailed than a simple age or coin-count test. Traditional criteria can apply to groups of coins at least 300 years old — for example two or more gold or silver coins from the same find. Changes introduced in 2023 also created a significance-based category for certain metal objects and coins more than 200 years old. Because almost all hammered coins are old silver or gold, a hoard of them will generally fall within Treasure and cannot be sold privately until any required process is complete; if coins were recently discovered rather than inherited or previously collected, check the current official reporting rules before selling them.
In England and Wales, potential Treasure should be reported through the current official reporting process within the required timeframe. Recording non-Treasure finds with the Portable Antiquities Scheme through a Finds Liaison Officer is encouraged though voluntary. Scotland operates a separate Treasure Trove system and regional rules differ. The rules can change and borderline cases exist, so check the current position on GOV.UK (gov.uk/treasure) or with your Finds Liaison Officer. We only buy hammered coins that are lawfully held and clear of any Treasure process, and we are happy to wait while you confirm.
Each coin is identified — reign, denomination, mint and type, with the moneyer where the coin names one — then the strike and condition are graded. Silver and gold have a metal floor, but the value is driven by rarity and preservation. You receive a written, itemised valuation in pounds explaining each figure. If your hammered coins sit within a larger holding, our coin valuation guide covers the whole process and selling a coin collection explains mixed lots. For older ancient coinage see sell Roman coins and sell ancient Greek coins; for milled British silver see sell silver coins.
Tell us roughly what you have — "a medieval silver penny" or "a small group of hammered coins" is plenty. We email a free prepaid, tracked and insured label the same working day.
Make sure your coins are lawfully held and clear of any Treasure process. Wrap them so they can't rub together, leave any toning alone, and post — insured to £5,000 from the first scan.
We email a unique parcel code and your opening time. Your parcel is opened on camera and photographed before a specialist identifies each coin by reign and mint.
Each coin itemised — reign, denomination, mint, condition and figure, all in pounds. Accept what you want to sell; the rest returns free. Paid within 72 hours, or we add 3%.
If your question isn't here, call us on 01234 815116 or email support@fairvintage.co.uk. We respond within one working day.
Get your free label →A hammered coin is one struck by hand: a blank metal disc is placed between two engraved dies and the top die is struck with a hammer, leaving an impression on each face. This was how coins were made in England from the Anglo-Saxon period until 1662, when hand-striking was replaced by machine-milled coinage. Because each coin was struck individually, hammered pieces are often slightly irregular in shape and strike, which is part of their character. They run from Saxon and Norman silver pennies through medieval groats to Tudor and Stuart silver and gold.
They can be, and Treasure law is more detailed than a simple age or coin-count test. Traditional criteria under the Treasure Act 1996 can apply to groups of coins at least 300 years old — for example two or more gold or silver coins from the same find. Changes introduced in 2023 also created a significance-based category for certain metal objects and coins more than 200 years old. Since most hammered coins are silver and well over 300 years old, a hoard of them will generally fall within Treasure and cannot be sold until any required process is complete. If coins were recently discovered rather than inherited or previously collected, potential Treasure should be reported through the current official reporting process within the required timeframe. Scotland operates a separate Treasure Trove system and regional rules differ, so check the current guidance at gov.uk/treasure or a Finds Liaison Officer if in doubt — we only buy coins that are lawfully held.
It varies widely. A common medieval silver penny in worn condition is an affordable, entry-level piece; a sharp, well-centred penny of a scarcer reign or mint is worth more; Anglo-Saxon and Norman coins, larger silver such as groats, and gold nobles, angels and early sovereigns can be considerably more valuable. The metal is only part of it — reign, mint, moneyer, type and, above all, condition and completeness of the strike do most of the work. A full, round, clearly struck coin far outvalues a clipped or ragged example of the same type.
We identify the coin first — reign, denomination, mint and type, and the moneyer where the coin names one — then grade the strike and condition. Silver and gold have a metal floor, but hammered coins are valued mainly on rarity and preservation: how complete and well-centred the strike is, whether the legends are clear, and whether the coin has been clipped, bent or harshly cleaned. You receive a written, itemised valuation in pounds explaining how each figure was reached.
No. Cleaning is one of the quickest ways to reduce the value of a hammered coin. Old toning on silver and stable surfaces are part of what collectors want, and scrubbing, polishing or dipping leaves permanent hairlines and dull, unnatural surfaces that a specialist spots immediately. Leave a coin exactly as it came to you, handle it by the edge, and send it as it is. If a coin is dirty and you are tempted to clean it, don't — email a photo first and we will advise at no cost.
Request your free label today. Each coin identified by reign and mint, valued on rarity and condition. Written valuation. Paid within 72 hours — or we add 3%.
Also see: Coin valuation · Sell Roman coins · Sell ancient Greek coins