Obverse:

HENRIC VIII D G R AGL Z F. Profile crowned bust r.

Reverse:

CIVITAS CANTOR. Cross fourchee over royal shield, W A to sides.

A small striking split and a few light marks otherwise about very fine.

Archbishop William Warham served as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1503 until his death in 1532. He was a trusted adviser to both Henry VII and Henry VIII, and also served as Lord Chancellor. Warham played a central role in diplomatic affairs and ecclesiastical governance, including involvement in the early stages of Henry VIII’s divorce. From 1544, following this second coinage issue, Henry VIII withheld confirmation of the archbishops’ minting rights as part of his wider policy to reduce the wealth and power of the Church. This effectively ended the practice of ecclesiastical coinage in England.