Galley Halfpence

Exploring the Arrival and Circulation of Soldini of the Republic of Venice into the Kingdom of England in the Early 15th century


Galley Halfpence documents the arrival and circulation, in the Kingdom of England, of silver Soldini of the Republic of Venice between the years 1400-1416. These small coins are very common finds in the UK, and some articles and journal entries have been written on the subject. None have been put into stand-alone print, with most being online. This will be the first. It pulls together the story of the coin’s arrival, using historical sources, but also an examination of the coins themselves, which are often overlooked, with a history of the denomination. There is also a detailed analysis of the finds data, using the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS), and maps using the Geographic Information System (GIS) to map the finds and make conclusions based on the evidence.

This book is of use to the academic, economic historians, amateur historians, numismatists (coin collectors) and metal detectorists who find these coins. Thus, containing something for everyone, with many pictures to make easy reading, but not too much that it makes it too informal. There is also interest to people from different countries. The book is in English, and the history of the coins in this country is testament to that. However, the coins are of an Italian provenance. This will neatly cover two bases, so that both Italians and English people can appreciate and use this book. Even if there is a potential language barrier, the pictures, charts and maps are able to be used, even if the reader cannot read English. The image-based nature of much of the book means that an understanding of English is not essential, thus making the book somewhat universal.